Jim Self’s Instruments

 

You’re here but you’re not sure why. Maybe it’s because you just love hardware, you’re into trivia about low brass and other instruments, — maybe you’re just lost. Anyway you have found my list of instruments. This rather extensive list of equipment gets played every day (ha!). Actually tubists tend to be collectors and I have a substantial collection of tubas and other instruments.

Check out Jim’s audio page were sample clips can be heard from Jim’s albums.

 

 

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Tubas

• Yamaha CC Tuba 826 “Monica” (pictured at right), 6/4 prototype, silver, 4 piston valves-1 rotary.  Precise copy of the better of Arnold Jacobs’ Yorks.
• FLUBA “Peg”, custom F tuba size flugelhorn made by Robb Stewart.
• Selfone, 4 pistons, baby sousaphone in F
• Yamaha CC Tuba 822, silver, 4 piston valves-1 rotary, custom tuner
• Hirsbruner CC Tuba 2HP, silver, 4 piston valves-1 rotary

• Double Tuba (CC/F) custom built by Robb Stewart (pictured at right).
• York original 4/4 CC Tuba (pictured below left), (1938), brass, 4 piston valves-2 added rotary valves (one by Larry Minick) — restored by Lee Stofer.
• Mirafone CC Tuba 188, lacquer, 5 rotary valves
• Mirafone CC Tuba 185, lacquer, 5 rotary valves
• Sanders original CC Tuba (c. 1922), brass, 4 rotary valves
• Yamaha F Tuba 822 S (New Model), 4 piston valves-1 rotary
• Yamaha F Tuba 822 S (First Model), 4 piston valves-1 rotary, custom tuner

 

• Yamaha F Tuba 621 S (pictured at right with second bell), 4 piston valves-1 rotary (also a second bell that goes into the 4th slide makes this a double-bell tuba).
• Yamaha Eb Tuba, silver, 4 upright piston valves
• Diston Eb Tuba (pictured right), silver (c. 1896), 3 upright piston valves
• Keefer BBb Sousaphone (pictured 2^nd row left), silver (c.1916), 3 piston valves
• King BBb (pictured top right and 2^nd row right), recording tuba, 3 piston valves (c. 1950) “Old #1”

This instrument was recently given to me by the music school at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Old #1 was the instrument that I played all through college and even won my audition for the U. S. Army Band on it. In 2003 I was back at IUP to receive a Distinguished Alumni Award and was surprised when the IUP tuba professor, Gary Bird, my former tuba teacher, William Becker and my band director, Dan DiCicco made the surprise presentation (see top-right picture — making the presentation (left to right) William Becker, Gary Bird, Me, and Daniel DiCicco). When I got it back in L.A. I had Don Sawday do some minor repairs and re-lacquer job. It plays very well and is a prize possession.

Custom tuners by Robb Stewart in Los Angeles.

On all my tubas I use a new Yamaha Jim Self signature model made by Hiroaki Imaoka mouthpiece — which is like a Miraphone C-4 rim with a deeper cup.  This mouthpiece was originally designed by Norm Pearson.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I use both large and small Humes and Berg tuba straight mutes.  Tommy Johnson and I share Humes and Berg bucket and cup mutes — but I dislike all mutes.

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Other Brass

Cimbassos

• Yamaha F Cimbasso (pictured at right), brass. Made from Yamaha 621 F tuba parts by Keiji Sone.  Shaped like a large euphonium with trombone like bell. Sometimes called the Tubasso or Jimbasso.  (One of a kind).  (I use a special Yamaha F Tuba mouthpiece on this cimbasso).
• BBb Cimbasso (pictured below right), brass, 3 piston valves and an FF attachment. Made from Mirafone contra-bass trombone, King sousaphone and Conn parts by Larry Minick. L-Shaped, over-the-shoulder. (I use a Bert Herrick mouthpiece on this cimbasso.)
• Kalison F Cimbasso (pictured below left), silver, 4 pistons, 1 rotor, large bore.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Others

• Yamaha Bb Euphonium 321, lacquer, 4 upright piston valves with a special tuner by Bob Pallansch. (On Euphonium I use a Mirafone Jim Self model mouthpiece which is like a my standard tuba rim and a Bach 6 1/2 AL Euphonium cup.)
• Mirafone BBb Contra-bass Trombone, lacquer, (c.1950’s).  Assembled by Larry Minick with added rotary FF attachment by Bob Pallansch.
• Conn 62H Bass Trombone, red brass, slide and 2 rotors F&D, (I also have a special valve section made by Larry Minick.)
• Minick Super Bass Trombone (pictured below), brass, slide, 3 piston valves and an F attachment. (One of a kind.)

On Bass Trombone I use a special Marcinkiewicz mouthpiece which is like my standard tuba rim and a Bach 1 1/2 G Bass Trombone cup.

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Other Instruments

• Fender Precision Electric Bass (1964) (pictured at right). It has soul: it was once owned by Ike and Tina Turner’s bass player.
• Washburn Vulture II Fretless Electric Bass (pictured below center)
• Kay Jazz String Bass
• Steiner EVI (Electronic Valve Instrument) (pictured below), midi wind synthesizer.
• Guitars: Conn Classical, Yamaha Flat Top, Fender Telecaster (copy)
• Pianos: Yamaha C7, 7’4″ Grand; Yamaha YPP50 Digital Piano
• Drums: Ludwig, Camco, Zildjian set