TubeNet

I have recently bought a project tuba and although I realise that the old fashioned S shaped rotary valve linkages are no longer favoured I would appreciate advice on the cost of converting to another system.Uniball would be the most obvious choice, but I wonder if colleagues could offer advise on feasibility and costings.

I apologise if I am going over old ground - I did check old listings but didn't find a direct answer.

Many Thanks

not sure if you've seen this yet, but http://www.rickdenney.com/valve_linkages.htm

Assuming that you have the tools already, around 20-30 dollars?

If you have a Miraphone, they might send you the most recent version for free, even if you bought the tuba used.

http://www.miraphone.de/

If the S-linkages work,I'd advise leaving them that way. If they're a little noisy, see if you can tell where the noise is coming from (check for excess play between the various parts). Often, it's a simple matter to tighten things up a bit.

LoyalTubist wrote:If you have a Miraphone, they might send you the most recent version for free, even if you bought the tuba used.

http://www.miraphone.de/

is that a verified fact?

Yes, it is. When I lived in Indonesia I broke my fifth valve linkage. I wrote to the company and they send it to me for free. When I offered to pay them, they said that they would replace all my linkages for free.

It was true in 1997. And I received my 1962 Mirafone in 1973.

pulseczar wrote:not sure if you've seen this yet, but http://www.rickdenney.com/valve_linkages.htm

Assuming that you have the tools already, around 20-30 dollars?

Interesting. I'm curious how this has held up over time and whether it has required tension adjustments or not. It would be bad for one of these linkages to loosen up during a performance.

It has held up on my Miraphone 186 for approx. 10 yrs., now. Still going strong. Done by Mr. Denney, himself.

I would stick with those old S linkagages. Some heavier oil will help quiet them and just do as Chuck(G) suggested.
The last time I spoke with Lee Stofer about putting new Miraphone linkage on a tuba, he said it would cost nearly $800 in parts alone for a 5 valve (included valve spatulas).

lgb&dtuba wrote:

pulseczar wrote:not sure if you've seen this yet, but http://www.rickdenney.com/valve_linkages.htm

Assuming that you have the tools already, around 20-30 dollars?

Interesting. I'm curious how this has held up over time and whether it has required tension adjustments or not. It would be bad for one of these linkages to loosen up during a performance.

I've never needed to tighten the screws on the ones that I did. I take them apart for maintenance more often, and tighten them just short of binding.

The plastic wears very slowly and the brass parts do not wear at all with even minimal maintenance. Even if they did, they are easy to find and replace.

The ONLY argument against using these is that you can't stand the looks of them. I submit that the audience will never know, especially if you cover the threaded rod with brass tubes as I have done. But if you just can't stand the thought of using plastic anything, then there are metal ball joints that don't work as well but cost one or two orders of magnitude more. But they are shiny.

Rick "a form-follows-function sort of guy" Denney

TubaRay wrote:It has held up on my Miraphone 186 for approx. 10 yrs., now. Still going strong. Done by Mr. Denney, himself.

Ray, it's been more like 14 or 15 years. It was 13 years ago when I moved away from San Antonio. And I seem to recall I did yours before the Fiesta Texas gig. Time flies, eh?

Rick "who did his first linkage conversion on a Sanders/Cerveny 21 years ago" Denney

Rick Denney wrote:

TubaRay wrote:It has held up on my Miraphone 186 for approx. 10 yrs., now. Still going strong. Done by Mr. Denney, himself.

Ray, it's been more like 14 or 15 years. It was 13 years ago when I moved away from San Antonio. And I seem to recall I did yours before the Fiesta Texas gig. Time flies, eh?

Rick "who did his first linkage conversion on a Sanders/Cerveny 21 years ago" Denney

At least I'm not guilty of exageration. It sure seems like a long time since you left here, though.

Thanks, Rick. I don't care as much about the appearance as the functionality. From what you said they'll hold up well and not work loose at inopportune times.

My 25+ year old Sanders doesn't get taken into "mine is bigger/better/prettier/more expensive than yours" fights anyway.

Jim Wagner
Little German Band & Dancers
Raleigh, NC
www.prosit.org

Hey, lgb&dtuba - my 35+ year old Besson doesn't, either. But I bet we'd both have more fun between us than the rest of the band put together at gig!