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Leather Tuba Hand and Arm Guards???

Posted: Sun Jun 18, 2006 5:08 pm
by Water Music
Does anybody have any experience using a Tuba with Leather guards on it? Does it affect sound or anything of that nature of the Tuba. Just asking because I want to get one, such as this, basically because I like the look of it, and I'm tired of finding new scratches on my bottom bough.

THANKS

Posted: Sun Jun 18, 2006 5:22 pm
by SouthsideBrass
I can't answer your question but need to thank you because I've been looking for someone who does this for my sons 2 horns. Thank you for posing the link.

Doug Black, Sr.
Sold my horn to get my son his F horn.........

Posted: Mon Jun 19, 2006 10:34 pm
by windshieldbug
I've never used one on the bottom bow; I used wraps on the bows of the main slides and valve slides of the symphonic horns I used, and never noticed any detrimental result, only positive because the grip I got! :D

Cloth wraps

Posted: Mon Jun 19, 2006 10:46 pm
by tbn.al
I've got an old German tuba that ruins my pants and shirts because it's raw brass. My wife made some wraps out of heavy black cotton duck which I tied on with shoe strings. It looks awful, but it didn't change the sound at all.

Posted: Mon Jun 19, 2006 11:23 pm
by DaTubaKid
I know a horn player who used tennis racket wrap (the leather stuff they wrap around their handle for better grip) where he grips the horn with his left hand. I was somewhat shocked to see it (I thought maybe the adhesive would be bad for the horn). It seemed to work well for him, and it was cheap too!

Posted: Wed Jul 19, 2006 1:15 am
by tubafatness
I just had to put one of these on the right bow of my tuba, in playing position. I was tired of having the copper from the raw brass finish make my right wrist green. I just went out to Hobby Lobby and got about $6 worth of supplies, and made it myself. All you need is about a foot-by-foot piece of leather, (depending on your horn,) and some lacing to connect the edges together. But be careful putting the holes in the leather; I about cut my finger open while putting them in myself.

Posted: Wed Jul 19, 2006 1:54 am
by Chuck(G)
Don't put leather on a silverplated horn. There are chemicals used to tan leather that will corrode most metals, including silver.

Better to use vinyl/naugahyde instead.

Guards

Posted: Wed Jul 19, 2006 9:21 am
by tbn.al
Larry Black would be your man if you need leather. http://www.leatherspecialtiesco.com/
I made mine out of heavy cotton duck (tent material) and it did not change the sound at all. I covered the areas you suggest in your picture, but mine is a one piece that runs from the bottomo bow all the way to the leadpipe.