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Does anybody know of the best way to fly with a tuba? I flew to Arizona a few weeks ago, and after my return trip, my bell was quite wrinkled. I just wanted some opinions on the best padding or the best flight cases out there. Thanks!

EH

SpartanContra wrote:I used to have a unitec universal flight case...thing was a tank! big and heavy, but it had enough foam around the horn (plus spacers for a good fit) and thick enough walls and hardware, I would challenge any airline loader to wreck it. (or the horn within!)

I believe our American airlines would be more than willing to accept your challenge--and win!

bloke wrote:In such situations, you always need to insert an inflatable ball (or an equivalent size taped-up ball of large-bubble bubble-wrap) down into the bell throat...one that will extend beyond the rim at least far enough to prevent the rim of the bell from banging against the end of the case when the airline hostlers throw it.

The method of inserting an inflatable ball was once recommended to me by Neil Tidwell and I never had a problems after that with damage to a tuba bell from an airline. A true story:

About 15 years ago I was subbing for James Jenkins in the Alabama Symphony and I was using, at the time an old Hirsbrunner 4/4 tuba that had the old plywood "Swiss made" POS case. I had to play a Saturday night concert and get back to a 10am Jacksonville Symphony service. I flew on a Delta flight that left Birmingham at 5:30am Sunday and I changed planes in Atlanta. After I got off my first flight, I decided to watch the ground crew unload my tuba from the plane. As the horn wobbled down the conveyor belt it fell off the side and slammed onto the tarmac. The sudden surprise of this consequently made me rip a HUGE fart out loud in the terminal! I was sure that when I arrived in Jacksonville that my horn would look like a crushed beer can.

Thankfully, I had taken Mr. Tidwell's advice and placed an inflatable ball in the bell. When I opened the case in Florida, the horn was in excellent shape without a single crease in the bell. I also was glad that I didn't mess my pants!

I will say, that I have not flown with a tuba in about 5 years and hope to never do it again. Flying with a tuba sucks!

-Matt

That's just the thing, I put my 4/4 in a unitec 4/4 case, and the bell was just crinkled pretty badly. Next time I'll try to use the bubble wrap or the inflatable ball a try. Thanks a lot!

Joe,

Do you think the Walt Johnson cases protect tubas the best?

I've been flying a lot with my Eb, and instead of an inflatable ball, I take my second pair of shoes, put them soles-together, and put them in the bell toes-first like a very bad mute. If there's any metal on your shoes that might scratch the finish, wrap 'em in a t-shirt.

Small shoes in a BAT will just slide down and vanish, but big shoes in a smaller horn will stick out of the bell and keep it from hitting the wall of the case when it's dropped. I don't usually have a need for an inflatable ball on the road gigs, but I need the shoes.

bloke wrote: I saw a horribly bent-up/beat-up Johnson case that belonged to a military bandsman recently (Hirsbrunner in for repair). None of the dinks in the tuba were attributed to having occurred when in that case. I'd still use the inflatable ball in the bell throat if the case is to be "in for it".

I had a MW 2165 severely damaged in a Walt Johnson case about ten years ago. The bell had a slight crease around the edge of the bell but every brace that held the valve cluster to the outer bows was bent, including the leadpipe. I think one of the problems was that the tuba plus the case weighs 88 lbs and this makes for a lot of moving mass either in baggage handling or turbulence while in flight. The other problem was the kind of braces that were being installed at that time by MW were poorly made.

That accident was actually the best thing that happened to that horn. Matt Walters rebuilt it during the summer of 1996 and there was no comparison to the rebuilt version to the old original "undamaged" instrument.

This is nothing new. The Sousa band had to leave a subcontra in England because the ship either wouldn't or (supposedly because of space available) couldn't take it home. Granted it was only used for the last chord, but it's still a shame.

Ha, Ha! Actually, urban legend/myth is that it ended up in the basement of Paxton's for who knows how many years, and the current whereabouts, if it still exists, is speculative. If anyone has an update, please post.

When I was in the Army, we used cases on wheels which worked well when we flew on Air Force carriers...

But I remember one instance that was quite funny. When I was in the 19th Army Band at Fort Dix, we always flew the same C-130. It was relatively easy to push the wheeled cases up the ramp and carry a suitcase at the same time, except when we took both upright tubas and sousaphones. I was pushing both of my tuba cases up the ramp when one went astray and slid back down the ramp. After getting the upright tuba in place (quickly), I had to chase the sousaphone down the runway at McGuire Air Force Base, as the pilot had already started up the engines. I think that sousaphone probably traveled about 60 mph! (I didn't!)

Something to remember;

a tuba can actually "damage itself", even if the case has sustained no damage.

When something that heavy is dropped high enough off the ground, the weight of the tubing is becomes more than the braces can handle (or the opposing tubing).

If one really wanted to go it as safe as possable, you'd have to brace and cushion the inner-tubings as best as possable.