Me & My Tuba, Add You & Yours

[bigbob]

Great looking tuba.. nice repair work..........................................bigbob

[MartyNeilan]

Thought I'd post a pic at last. Here's me with my 1940 Martin BBb, complete with a Lee Stofer/Kanstul repro bell.

That engraving pattern was copied off the back of the recording bell of my Martin when Lee worked on it. It is now in their templates, looks good on the front of an upright bell. Another horn I greatly regret selling.

[Tuba Guy]

I must admit, I cheated. The 7-string isn't mine. But I do play 6-string bass, an Ibanez SR506. Amazing deal for $630. Full equalizer on it!
The 7-string is over $1200 new...check it out.

For a bass that cool, it's forgiven
My philosophy (at the moment) is to get really good on my 4 string Ibanez. After I'm in a comfortable place with that, I may eventually look at a 5 string. I'm not really sure what it was (probably just my inexperience), but the last time I played a 5 stringer, it just felt like the last one got in the way.

...and it's a little sad that we're so used to tuba pricings that 1200 for a bass doesn't seem totally rediculous (compared to 18k for a Baer?)

[Mcordon1]

My philosophy (at the moment) is to get really good on my 4 string Ibanez. After I'm in a comfortable place with that, I may look at a 5 string. I'm not really sure what it was (probably just my inexperience), but the last time I played a 5 stringer, it just felt like the last one got in the way.

...and it's a little sad that we're so used to tuba pricings that 1200 for a bass doesn't seem totally rediculous (compared to 18k for a Baer?)

(starts rant)
My 4-string's neck was very bent from string tension, so the action was high and any fret past the seventh was flat(the 22nd was about 35 cents flat). It was seven years old, and I played it to death. I needed a new one. I was inspired by Jean Baudin and other Extended Range Bass players, so I decided to get a 6.
Until fairly recently, the few times I picked up a 5, 6 and 7-string, I would get lost on the fretboard very quickly. Not really "in the way", just "which string is this dammit".
Moving to 6 was a little scary. One BIG trick for getting used to the strings was just isolating the 4 middle and thinking of the high C and low B as extensions. I know someone else that like thinking/looking at them as 2 groups of 3. That didn't go as well with me.

You should totally get a 5, the extra range is SO nifty to have. Getting used to the low B isn't that bad either.

And yeah, tuba prices are bullplunky. What holds all of us back from getting better equipment.

[Paul Scott]

I think that Lee told me that he used your bell for a stencil, Marty-thanks for confirming that. I really like that pattern myself. The original Martin upright detachables that I've seen (and there ain't that many of them out there) all had only "The Martin" engraved on them. If there's anything different on original Martin detachable uprights I'd been interested in knowing about it.

They are big 'uns BUT the bore at the valves is only about .715. I know that many sources give .730 but the calipers prove otherwise.* The bell on mine is about 21 inches in diameter, (originals that I've seen have all been 20 inches). I've found that the mix of a smaller bore with a large branch and bell expansion makes the horn very veratile.

All repairs are now done by Matt Walters- a person I am very thankful for (and I'm certainly not alone in that thought!).

And thank you, Adam-Merry Christmas to you as well!

Paul
*Had to edit this-I was using faulty calipers, (a digital model ) that originally told me the bore was .690. Not true-bore size on the Mammoths was .715. Moral of the story-don't buy cheap calipers!

[TubaTodd]

re: Paul Scott

Beautiful horn and wonderful engraving work on the bell. I play on a MW 2165 and that horn looks considerably bigger...dare I say almost 7/4. How does it compare in size to other large monsters? Secondly, is that a sousaphone bit coming off the leadpipe? Can you explain that? Thanks

[Tuba-G Bass]

Me playing my Rudy at the Bangor, PA Tuba Christmas on Dec. 24th.
We rehearsed in a bank, then played outside.

[Paul Scott]

In response to Tuba Todd's questions re my Martin-

The horn is is roughly 36 inches long and about 18 inches at the widest point. It is large but I've seen bigger ones, (some of the old Conns are bigger).

Here's a shot of a York BBb, the Martin BBb and the Chicago York CC #1 (I think). This should give a good idea as to its' relative size.



That isn't a set of sousa bits but a precisely fitted two-piece adjustable leadpipe, (very handy when dealing with different chairs and angles of view).

[Arkietuba]

Here are a few more pics


I was trying to be "artsy"...pretty sure I failed

Here's one with the flash on...it kinda caught me by surprise

Here's one with my Conn 20K from the 1950's that is held together with tape and still sounds better than our brand new Yamaha sousas!

[imperialbari]

Your sound must have some bleaching effect, as there is more orange colour to the left of the bottom bow than to the right of your bell.

I see that the dark area to the left is a school of birds- Did your sound kill all those birds that were to the right?

K

[Arkietuba]

Your sound must have some bleaching effect, as there is more orange colour to the left of the bottom bow than to the right of your bell.

I see that the dark area to the left is a school of birds- Did your sound kill all those birds that were to the right?

K

Indubitably!

[Dave Seip]

Hopefully this link works...

[UTSAtuba]

@ArkieTuba

Gnagey CC?

[Arkietuba]

@ArkieTuba

Gnagey CC?

Correct!

[imperialbari]

Hopefully this link works...

I may have missed a previous post of your, but which brand and model is this sousaphone? The bell diameter appears to be moderate, but then the flare has some depth to it (it is not just a shallowly pressed flare like with some older European sousaphones).

Klaus

[Mcordon1]

Hopefully this link works...

My sousa's bow touches my hip bone when I wear it...(I'm 5'11'')... yours doesn't even touch your naval! Beastly.

[Dean E]

This is my grandson Warren and Yamaha F YFB-822S Custom at the Cleveland, Ohio, TubaChristmas (November 2009).

[700g]

my 186

[700g]

the gazebo is located in sou indiana

[Dave Seip]

I may have missed a previous post of your, but which brand and model is this sousaphone? The bell diameter appears to be moderate, but then the flare has some depth to it (it is not just a shallowly pressed flare like with some older European sousaphones).

Klaus

The engraving says it's H.N. White. I've seen a few come through my store's repair shop that say King but manufactured by H.N. White, but mine doesn't have a secondary brand on it. If I had the cash I'd love to hand it over to Badger State Repair for a total overhaul...maybe someday. I really like it, though, I feel like it's really well-suited to the "acrobatic" stuff I play.