Vibrating Kabs77 Kalison

[bordersm92]

Hello TubeNet,
This is my first time making a post so I apologize if my post isn't great! I recently traded for a Kalison (really love the sound, pistons, and the the overall feel of the horn). However, I have had an issue with vibrating noises when I play an open note, especially bad on the tuning C. I put rubber O rings on all 6 screws (and tightened them) of the removable valve section, ensured the fifth valve wasn't too lose, tightened the water keys, tightened the piston valve screws, and have done just about everything mentioned on a previous thread on this topic. I checked the soldering joints, but I am definitely not an expert and could have overlooked something.

Any thoughts?

[TheHatTuba]

Did you check the stopper on the first valve slide?

[bordersm92]

Did you check the stopper on the first valve slide?

I did. I have both sides screwed all the way in (both of them have little rubber O rings in them). Really love the sound on this thing without the vibrations

[imperialbari]

I assume valve buttons and valve caps were part of your good approach so far.

If the buzz continues, try grabbing the tuba hard at the suspicious places, bell rim, guards, ferrules, and slide bows, while playing the offending note. If you cannot reach all the places, you want to test, make another person do the grabbing.

If a good grab stops the noise, you have located the problem area.

The problem may be of a different nature, if a hard edged item is nearly stuck inside the tubing. Try flushing the tuba from the leadpipe end. Takes precautions in respect of a secure non-scratching and non-slipping placement of the tuba plus a safe strategy for emptying the tuba (I blow out the water until the tuba is light enough to hold while pulling slides).

Klaus

[bort]

Might be the piston valve springs.My 1291 did this for a while, but that was a long time ago, and I can't remember how to fix it!

[imperialbari]

Might be the piston valve springs.My 1291 did this for a while, but that was a long time ago, and I can't remember how to fix it!

Yes could be that problem.

Place tuba as level as possible on the valve button side.

Unscrew valve bottom cap. Re-screw it after making sure the spring end sits in the circular recess inside the bottom valve cap.

Klaus

[Nick Pierce]

It still might be the first slide stopper. Check and make sure there's no chance that the long screw is vibrating against the guides. I remember having similar problems when I first got my Kalison, and I wound up taking the stopper mechanism off completely (for this and other reasons). You might go ahead and take it off as well, temporarily, to see if that solves the problem.

[Michael Bush]

Might be the piston valve springs.My 1291 did this for a while, but that was a long time ago, and I can't remember how to fix it!

Yes could be that problem.

Place tuba as level as possible on the valve button side.

Unscrew valve bottom cap. Re-screw it after making sure the spring end sits in the circular recess inside the bottom valve cap.

Klaus

If it turns out to be a spring, and if it keeps getting out of place persistently, you might put in Mead springs. (http://www.amazon.com/Bocchino-Mead-Spr ... B00GT0HDMS) Admittedly the price is appalling for springs. They ought to be coated with gold instead of plastic for what they cost. But they will be quiet, and the coating does not come loose and jam your valves, as Yamaha's coated springs can do.

[cambrook]

I had a puzzling buzz on one of my tubas once, which turned out to be the "pearl" inlay in the valve-cap. Pulling it out and re-gluing fixed it..

[bordersm92]

Might be the piston valve springs.My 1291 did this for a while, but that was a long time ago, and I can't remember how to fix it!

Yes could be that problem.

Place tuba as level as possible on the valve button side.

Unscrew valve bottom cap. Re-screw it after making sure the spring end sits in the circular recess inside the bottom valve cap.

Klaus

If it turns out to be a spring, and if it keeps getting out of place persistently, you might put in Mead springs. (http://www.amazon.com/Bocchino-Mead-Spr ... B00GT0HDMS) Admittedly the price is appalling for springs. They ought to be coated with gold instead of plastic for what they cost. But they will be quiet, and the coating does not come loose and jam your valves, as Yamaha's coated springs can do.

I am not 100% for certain, but it does seem that the noise has stopped due to the first valve spring... would never have thought of that! Thanks! (of course it has been 9 years since I have played a piston horn...and I was in middle school ) It just seemed to only have made the noise on open notes so I was hell bent on it being a screw or something in or near the main tuning slide! Now, all I need to do is get this horn looking good as it seems it is taking a lot of tarnX and not coming off in some places .

[imperialbari]

Great!

Resonating buzzes take at least two factors: something that sits loose and the right frequency to make it vibrate. In your case the frequencies were wrong whenever any valve but for the first was pressed. Pressing the first of course removed the looseness of the given offending spring.

So it was really worthwhile asking on TN.

Welcome!

Klaus

[bordersm92]

Great!

Resonating buzzes take at least two factors: something that sits loose and the right frequency to make it vibrate. In your case the frequencies were wrong whenever any valve but for the first was pressed. Pressing the first of course removed the looseness of the given offending spring.

So it was really worthwhile asking on TN.

Welcome!

Klaus

Yes!! Thank you VEERRYYY much good sir!