Eppelsheim Bb Sopranisimo and Bb Sub Contra Bass

**Bryan Kendall** · 03-05-2003, 01:23 PM

Has anyone actually played these horns - the Sub Contra Bass and the sopranisimo - that Eppelsheim has made?

Now that these extraordinary horns are available maybe someone will burn a CD of a performance.

THAT would be soething to hear!

**Andrew** · 03-05-2003, 05:26 PM

I'd like to hear them as well!!

**geo@loyola.edu** · 03-06-2003, 01:21 PM

Recordings of the Eppelsheim soprillo and tubax are available at http://eppelsheim.com/eppelsheim-blasinstrumente.html

**fredB** · 06-27-2003, 11:30 PM

Have a look at http://lachesis.caltech.edu/jayeasto...abass_sax.html

Jay has finally received his Subcontra Bb Tubax.

Have Fun!

**Stacey** · 07-01-2003, 08:23 PM

I try to refrain from profanity on this board, but...

Holy Moly!!!!

Listening to the overdubbed "duet" of two Bb Eppelsheim subcontras absolutely blew me away! I thought I was listening to low notes, until I heard a L-O-W note played!

Now I have that familiar urge to own one. The only problems are:
- I still need to raise another $1800 to finish paying for my Goodson tenor
- I promised my wife "no more saxes" (the Goodson will be #4)

HEY - Perhaps this isn't a saxophone at all... it's a Tubax! Why, that's completely different from a saxophone, just as an oboe is, or a mellophone. My wife never said "no more tubaxes"! LOL

So - since the price of a "little" Eb tubax is about $16k, what's the price of its big brother the Bb?

**Draconistarum** · 02-01-2004, 01:50 AM

About $37,500. There's a mortgage calculator to help out.

**saxtek** · 02-01-2004, 02:24 AM

If you want to hear the Eb Tubax in a more conventional setting, go to the ultimate contrabass site, contrabass mania, and check their Tubax page in the compendium. Here's the link:

http://www.contrabass.com/pages/tubax.html

Scroll down and click on the Mp3 link to hear my recording of Stardust on Tubax, backed by Jerry Fischer's big band.

**Mime** · 08-22-2004, 10:30 PM

That is sssooo cool!!!
OMG does that sound good...if I'd only have that much money and nothing better to spend it on...

**sax_appeal** · 08-23-2004, 12:59 PM

$37 500?

Geez, you could get an LA Sax Contrabass for that!

**JMac** · 08-23-2004, 01:21 PM

I would also recommend picking up a copy of Jay Easton's CD "So Low". The highest pitched horn he plays on it is the Baritone. It has some great classical pieces (Serenade Basque, Dark Flows the River) and some more avante-gard work - including dualing sub-contra-basses 8) . Pete Hales (saxpics) did a review of the cd over on the SOTW main site http://vintage.saxontheweb.net/HalesReview2.html

Poke around Jay's website too, if you want to see a sweet sax collection! Stacey - it is a great site to show the wife and say 'see..I'm not really that bad!"

I got his cd this past February, just after a heavy freezing rain. The sub-contra duet shook half the 3 foot icicles off the front of my house (unfortunately taking half the gutters with them

).

Duh - guess it would help it I posted the link

http://lachesis.caltech.edu/jayeaston/index.html

**Rexone13** · 09-07-2004, 08:10 PM

Im sorry but other than novelty i believe owning a tubax or a sub contrabass is completly wasteful. Their sound may give u the chills, but it is just not pleaseing to listen to. Atleast to me. I just dont see the big deal over them. I see the big dealm but i dont want one.

Rex

**Brendan Muse** · 09-07-2004, 10:12 PM

For now, I will be happy with my bari and my dreams of a bass.

But, one day...

Oh yeah! Deep saxiness, you will be mine!

**djd** · 10-28-2004, 12:01 PM

Thought the UK based sax enthusiasts might be interested to know that the National Sax Choir are (hopefully) going to be premiering a new work for super-enhanced choir (soprillo, 'nino, 3 x sop, 3 x alto, 3 x tenor, 3 x bari, bass and tubax) at the National Sax Congress in Birmingham on Feb 13th.

Details are yet to be confirmed, but thought I'd give you a sneaky advance warning!

**carguy1** · 03-18-2005, 04:34 PM

That Tubax rules. Let's see if I sell both my cars and ride my bicycle to work, I could probably afford one. Hmmmmmmm.

**newking70** · 04-15-2005, 08:11 AM

Originally Posted by carguy1

That Tubax rules. Let's see if I sell both my cars and ride my bicycle to work, I could probably afford one. Hmmmmmmm.

maybe you could sell one of your vital organs on ebay

**Jorns Bergenson** · 04-16-2005, 03:39 AM

Or better yet, go to Ebay with that Selmer MKVI tenor that has been sitting in your closet for the last 40 years. You could buy two Tubax's (Tubaces?)

**Pete** · 04-19-2005, 07:36 PM

The low Eb and low Bb versions. You must have two

.

**Morry** · 04-19-2005, 08:43 PM

Hey Pete, we have a Tubax and Eppelsheim folders. Isn't that redundant?

**Super 20 Player** · 04-19-2005, 08:48 PM

Looks like the Tubax folder is a redirect to the Eppelsheim folder.

**Pete** · 04-19-2005, 08:53 PM

Originally Posted by Super 20 Player

Looks like the Tubax folder is a redirect to the Eppelsheim folder.

Yep. They cross the "A-M, N-Z" line.

I've done that in a few cases.

We've got A LOT of manufactures discussed on this Forum and I'm not finished adding them yet!