King Tuba Rotary Valves

[Ken Herrick]

[quote="
When all's in good working order, they are magnificent and fast as hell.[/quote]

THAT is a major point that made me look for a King when I was in HS. Summer of 62, I was heading into HS soph year and was at U of IL summer camp. The top player had a Carl Fisher BBb 4 rv tuba (like a Mira 186) and was dreaming of a King rotary because "the valves are like lightning!)

I got a 3 banger monster a couple years later then after I started with Jake at NU my 4v. Jake could not believe how fast those valves worked! Compared to the York, well, there was not comparison for fast valve action.

In other ways the King compared very favourably too.

[toobagrowl]

Dunno why some ppl are surprised that King (HN White) made their own rotors. Aren't pistons by their nature more difficult to make? King made some of the best pistons, imo. Seems to me that rotors would be a "piece of cake" to make for the skilled workers at HN White. It is known that many of those skilled workers at the old American factories such as HN White, Frank Holton, JW York, etc were German/Czech immigrants bringing over their knowledge, skill and heritage in making those brass instruments

[Lew]

Here are a couple of photos of the King rotary that I used to own. I no longer have this, so this is the best I can do to show the valves. They don't look like trombone valves to me. I do know that this was the heaviest tuba I have owned. I usually have no problem resting a tuba on my lap for a long practice session, concert, or rehearsal, but I needed my stand for this monster.

[Frank Ortega]

I've always been curious why King would change their ferrule design for this model of tuba?
It's the only model King tuba I've seen this type of ferrule on.

Any thoughts?

[J.c. Sherman]

Those ferrules were hand made and hand seamed. Custom work for a custom ax.

[Dan Schultz]

Those ferrules were hand made and hand seamed. Custom work for a custom ax.

J C speaks the truth! I don't think there are any common King parts on the model 1291 .750" BBb rotary 'monsters'. Even the bells did not interchange with other Kings.

The .687" rotary Kings shared tubing, crooks, and main bugle parts with the King 1240/41 piston tubas.

Here are a couple of pictures of my 'monster': (The upright bell is not original and was fabricated by me).