bags/cases - no one's business but my own

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Rick Denney
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Re: bags/cases - no one's business but my own

Post by Rick Denney »

sloan wrote:If putting TWO wheels on your case cuts the weight in half, does putting FOUR wheels on the case reduce
the weight to zero?

Why yes...it does!
Until you get to the staircase.

(I built a wood case for my Miraphone many years ago. I thas four wheels, but stairs happen. The case is in storage.)

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Re: bags/cases - no one's business but my own

Post by Ace »

I don't know why, but somehow this thread gives me images of big, hairy Bulgarian weightlifters at the Olympics. Just kidding, all you Tubenetters of Bulgarian heritage. I wonder if there are tuba players in Bulgaria.

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Re: bags/cases - no one's business but my own

Post by Tubainsauga »

Ace wrote:I don't know why, but somehow this thread gives me images of big, hairy Bulgarian weightlifters at the Olympics. Just kidding, all you Tubenetters of Bulgarian heritage. I wonder if there are tuba players in Bulgaria.
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Re: bags/cases - no one's business but my own

Post by Donn »

Ace wrote:I wonder if there are tuba players in Bulgaria.
Of course! But my understanding is that most Bulgarian tuba players are women, while the men play accordion, since the better accordions are of course quite heavy.
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Re: bags/cases - no one's business but my own

Post by Z-Tuba Dude »

Tubainsauga wrote:Image
"I lift things up....and put them down....."
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Re: bags/cases - no one's business but my own

Post by MikeS »

Donn wrote:
Ace wrote:I wonder if there are tuba players in Bulgaria.
Of course! But my understanding is that most Bulgarian tuba players are women, while the men play accordion, since the better accordions are of course quite heavy.
I'm not sure about that, Donn. Here we can see Yordanka Apostolova easily dealing with the equivalent of five of Bloke's tuba/case combos.

Image

She could probably even handle this one:

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Re: bags/cases - no one's business but my own

Post by tubajoe »

Tim Jackson wrote:I was just thinking about this subject the other day and found this:
http://www.accordcase.com/" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank , very cool ideas for cases. The 186 tuba case was built for TubaJoe.
I always hated carting my HB21 in the case... heavy tuba & heavy case... a real pain. I can say that when I was ready to sell the horn 8 years later it was in mint condition. I wonder what the costs are on the Accord cases??$$
The Accord is a good answer to this thread... it is both my gig bag and my hard case - my single every day case for every use. My 186 weighs about 18lbs, and the case is about the same by itself (with a lot of padding plus the backpack apparatus)

What you guys were talking about with cost is about right.... but when you add a Unitec or Walt Johnson plus a hi-end gig bag and it is not that far off. I no longer have to worry about mashing into a crowded subway car, tossing it in the back of a minivan with a drum set, tossing it under a bus with the luggage, worry about someone bumping it etc... I can then pick it up and put it on my back just like a gig bag and be on my merry way. It's enabled me to do more and relieved a lot of stress as far as my constant logistics go.

I don't like having to lug more than one tuba for one gig, and I don't like having to have multiple cases for the same horn!

Here's a recent photo:
TJ_accord.jpg
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Re: bags/cases - no one's business but my own

Post by tubajoe »

As far as it seems, Accord will make a case to fit any tuba, although there is a certain amount of *modularability* with the design / cushions etc. It seems as if it is a basic stock design(s) that they taper to the needs of each specific tuba. Every case is completely hand made so they can adjust it as needed. I had to provide them with a blueprint-style tracing with about 20 different measurement points that I shipped to them ahead of time. It takes about a month to receive the case once payment is made. (3 weeks production plus 1 week shipment). The company has been absolutely great to deal with... unprecedented, actually.

FYI, mine is the thickest of the bunch - the *flight* version, with the added backpack system.

I know there is a lot of curiosity regarding this case -- when I get a few minutes I'll write about the pluses and minuses of the case so far. To me, it's been a game changer.
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Re: bags/cases - no one's business but my own

Post by Dean E »

bloke wrote:I'm very excited at the prospect of restoring this 1960's-vintage 6/4 size case (which offers a glove-like fit for this instrument).
I will add wheels, a piano hinge, h.d. latches, and h.d. hinged handles. It will be coated with a "RhinoShield" type of substance
after I've addressed any currently-existing minor flaws in the case halves themselves. With 3" - 4" wheels, weight will seldom be an issue (less of an issue than when schlepped around in a Chronkhite bag). . . .
Good idea, Joe.

I recommend thinking about Kevlar skid strips for curbs and stairs. I have the Kevlar materials for my MTS and Walt Johnson cases (for the Willson 3050 CC).
Dean E
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Re: bags/cases - no one's business but my own

Post by Rick Denney »

tubajoe wrote:FYI, mine is the thickest of the bunch - the *flight* version, with the added backpack system.

I know there is a lot of curiosity regarding this case -- when I get a few minutes I'll write about the pluses and minuses of the case so far. To me, it's been a game changer.
I see the ultralight version, which would satisfy most people's non-flight requirements, is a little over 13 pounds if I read that right the one time I could get that page to load. It also appears that they turn the tuba so that it sits in the case at an angle with the bell stack on the hinge side rather than on the handle side. That makes for a compact case. TubaRay used to have a German-made formed plywood case arranged that way, and it was compact enough to be a daily user though daily use eventually killed it.

I would consider such a case, particularly for my F tuba, which seems more vulnerable for some reason. But it would depend on the price.

Speaking of which, how much does it cost? I don't see any hint of pricing on their really terrible, flash-dependent, unreliable, non-standards-compliant, poorly served, and uninformative web page. And their importer doesn't have a web page.

Rick "not interested in the kicking the tires of a Rolls Royce" Denney
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Re: bags/cases - no one's business but my own

Post by oldbandnerd »

I know this is really about carrying tubas and keeping them protected while transporting them but I want to add my thoughts here as well about my euphonium case.
I wouldn't never allow myself to carry my horn in a soft gig bag. I don't trust me . I know I will damage it no matter how much I try to be careful. That being said I wanted the convenince of backpack straps and and lighter case as well and looked for 2 years before I bought what I am using now.
I bought it on Ebay and it has no brand name on it. Its mostly a very sturdy styrofoam shell that is molded on the inside to perfectly fit my horn. It is covered on the inside with the soft,fuzzy felt like stuf you usually see in cases. The outside is a nylon,cordura like material. I wouldn't go so far as to call it Cordura because I only paid $75.00 for this case. Whatever it is it's durable enough. It is strong enough to take what ever dumb thing I do to abuse it and is still very light.
Here it is for sale on a UK website : http://www.gear4music.com/Woodwind-Bras ... 4music/C81" target="_blank

Here's the same case but for a tuba : http://www.musical-bags.com/en//70/598/ ... e_in_c_86a" target="_blank
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Re: bags/cases - no one's business but my own

Post by Chadtuba »

Dean E wrote: I recommend thinking about Kevlar skid strips for curbs and stairs. I have the Kevlar materials for my MTS and Walt Johnson cases (for the Willson 3050 CC).
Where can you find these? A quick google didn't turn up anything but 3m tread tape.
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Re: bags/cases - no one's business but my own

Post by Rick Denney »

bloke wrote:' might be good...

...also might be one of those things that hits people in the head and knees...(??)
For some people, the head and the knees are just too close together to fit a tuba in between.

But I've been getting annoyed with my Altieri bag (again) because the tuba (the B&S F) sits too high. It doesn't clear the hatch on my car, and the whole point is that I can put one tuba in the car and then dismount the other tuba from my back, so that I don't have place either of them on the muddy, snowy, or greasy ground. It also find more things to run into, even the tops of door frames. If I loosen the straps enough to lower them, they catch my feet when I'm carrying it by it's (too)wobbly handle. I've nearly fallen a couple of times.

I've disliked Altieri bags in the past, and I keep having to remind myself why. They are well enough made but just don't have the best design for my purposes.

My big Protec bag hung too low. I solve that problem my removing the straps altogether and using a shoulder strap. The old RB bag (read: Cronkhite) that I use for the Miraphone (and that I suppose I'll be using again for the B&S) is the only one of mine that has the straps in the right place for me.

Rick "curious as to the price of the Accord alternative" Denney
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Re: bags/cases - no one's business but my own

Post by BavarianFanfare »

Bloke,

I am sure that the Unitec will not fit a 6/4 of course, but I am aware a Unitec will fit a Miraphone 186. These types of cases as you have said can really damage an automobile's interior. I own a Dodge 1500 Pick-Up Truck and carrying tubas is not a problem. However, what I get in space, I pay for in fuel cost. I have a bedliner in my vehicle, and have considered a camper due to the weather in southeast Texas. I have heard Anvil and even Unitec can manufacture a case to your liking, but I imagine that the cost would be high.
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Re: bags/cases - no one's business but my own

Post by MartyNeilan »

Rick Denney wrote:
For some people, the head and the knees are just too close together to fit a tuba in between.

But I've been getting annoyed with my Altieri bag (again) because the tuba (the B&S F) sits too high. It doesn't clear the hatch on my car, and the whole point is that I can put one tuba in the car and then dismount the other tuba from my back, so that I don't have place either of them on the muddy, snowy, or greasy ground. It also find more things to run into, even the tops of door frames. If I loosen the straps enough to lower them, they catch my feet when I'm carrying it by it's (too)wobbly handle. I've nearly fallen a couple of times.

I've disliked Altieri bags in the past, and I keep having to remind myself why. They are well enough made but just don't have the best design for my purposes.
I love Altieri bags for exactly the same reason. I typically play tall tubas, but am not that tall myself. With other bags, the bottom of the tuba will often whack me in the back of the legs as I walk - this seemed to be worse with the "RB" style. The Altieri sits high enough on my shorter frame that I can go anywhere without discomfort. And yes, I do have to "dismount" the bag before I can lean over into the back of my car.
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Re: bags/cases - no one's business but my own

Post by Bandmaster »

bloke wrote:I'm very excited at the prospect of restoring this 1960's-vintage 6/4 size case (which offers a glove-like fit for this instrument).
I will add wheels, a piano hinge, h.d. latches, and h.d. hinged handles. It will be coated with a "RhinoShield" type of substance
after I've addressed any currently-existing minor flaws in the case halves themselves. With 3" - 4" wheels, weight will seldom be an issue (less of an
issue than when schlepped around in a Chronkhite bag).

This case will easily fit in the back seat of my Toyota Corolla, leaving room for a front-seat passenger and storage of a passenger's
instrument (along with our suit bags, etc.) in the trunk.

Image
Here is the very same project that I have going. This is the original case that came with my Holton 345. It was fairly beat up when I got it, but still usable. I stripped it down, reglued all the joints, then fiberglass reinforced all the joints, filled all the holes left over from the various hardware pieces with glue and toothpicks, and filled and fiberglassed all the cracks. I decided the thumb ring and valves needed just a little extra roon, so I used an ovel paper plate as a template, cut the hole and then fiberglass in the paper plate to fill the hole. I made a bracket to mount wheels on the case and they work great. I got the wheels and all the new hardware from Ohio Travel Bag using the catalog on their website. I have a little clean up to do yet and then its off the upholstery shop where they will apply the leather hide I found at a very good price on eBay. All the foam is cut and ready to be glued in covered with black cotton velvet lining.

Outside of the lid with oval paper plate, note the two screws holding the wheel bracket at the lower left corner.
Image
Inside of lid
Image
Bracket and wheel
Image
Dave Schaafsma
Image
1966 Holton 345 | 1955 York-Master | 1939 York 716 | 1940 York 702 | 1968 Besson 226 | 1962 Miraphone 186 | 1967 Olds | 1923 Keefer EEb | 1895 Conn Eb | 1927 Conn 38K | 1919 Martin Helicon
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Re: bags/cases - no one's business but my own

Post by Dean E »

Chadtuba wrote:
Dean E wrote: I recommend thinking about Kevlar skid strips for curbs and stairs. I have the Kevlar materials for my MTS and Walt Johnson cases (for the Willson 3050 CC).
Where can you find these? A quick google didn't turn up anything but 3m tread tape.
Happy hunting!

Grainger:

Acetal Copolymer (aka Polyoxymethylene)
http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/plasti ... 1sZ1z0neji" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank

Extruded Nylon
http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/plasti ... 1sZ1z0n4ud" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank

///////////////////////////////////
McMaster-Carr:

General high-performance plastics (including Nylon variants)
http://www.mcmaster.com/#nylon-sheets/=g600og" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank

Kevlar
http://www.mcmaster.com/#kevlar/nylon-sheets/=g5zj3u" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank

Nylon
http://www.mcmaster.com/#nylon-sheets/=g60002" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank
Dean E
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Re: bags/cases - no one's business but my own

Post by rodgeman »

oldbandnerd wrote:I know this is really about carrying tubas and keeping them protected while transporting them but I want to add my thoughts here as well about my euphonium case.
I wouldn't never allow myself to carry my horn in a soft gig bag. I don't trust me . I know I will damage it no matter how much I try to be careful. That being said I wanted the convenince of backpack straps and and lighter case as well and looked for 2 years before I bought what I am using now.
I bought it on Ebay and it has no brand name on it. Its mostly a very sturdy styrofoam shell that is molded on the inside to perfectly fit my horn. It is covered on the inside with the soft,fuzzy felt like stuf you usually see in cases. The outside is a nylon,cordura like material. I wouldn't go so far as to call it Cordura because I only paid $75.00 for this case. Whatever it is it's durable enough. It is strong enough to take what ever dumb thing I do to abuse it and is still very light.
Here it is for sale on a UK website : http://www.gear4music.com/Woodwind-Bras ... 4music/C81" target="_blank" target="_blank

Here's the same case but for a tuba : http://www.musical-bags.com/en//70/598/ ... e_in_c_86a" target="_blank" target="_blank
Does anyone sell these cases direct?
I contacted the above link and they do not have a Mirafone 186 BBb case - only a 186 C.

Thanks.
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Re: bags/cases - no one's business but my own

Post by ghmerrill »

That looks suspiciously like (i.e., it appears IDENTICAL to) the case that came with the Mack Brass Chinese compensating euph I got just last week. Yup, that's it -- down to every visible detail.

It DOES appear to provide a lot of protection -- though it also seems a bit bulky to me.

My major concern is the thickness and durability of the nylon cover. It seems VERY thin compared to my elderly Giardinelli tuba bag. So I'm a little skeptical about how well the outer cover will hold up. However, I'm thinking that when it starts to go I may build an "outer case" out of plywood/expoy in the manner of a "stich and glue" kayak.
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