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Hey Everybody,

I was just curious to ask if it is normal for a gig bag to push the valves of a tuba part of the way down, and if that can cause any damage. I just don't want my valves to get bent. Has anybody ever bought or made something that will hold the valves all the way down to prevent any stress or bending of the valves.

Any thoughts or recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in Advance.

Hey Trevor,

I was worried about that same thing a while back when I got my new CC. However, because I didn't have a hard case for it I had to use my gig bag to take it everywhere. I have done this all semester and have not had any problems with my valves.

I don't think that the valves are being hurt at all when I carry it on my back because most of the force is at the bottom of the bag and the bottom bow. I also don't think they are being hurt when the bag is laying down with the valves up (how it is when I lay it down anywhere). The only time that I think there may be slight sideways force is when I carry the bag to my side, which I don't do very often due to practicality.

I had thought that it would be neat to have a felt-covered piece of something to put over the valves; foam, plastic, or wood.
Or if you had time you could just remove the valves and springs when you would be carrying the tuba a long way.

That's a long way to say that I do not think that gig bag usage will damage your valves. I am just always aware of what movements I am making with my bag to avoid dents and "bents"

(My horn is HEAVY, which would make any damage worse that if it were a lighter Gronitz F, or PT-20)

Clay

clagar777 wrote:I had thought that it would be neat to have a felt-covered piece of something to put over the valves; foam, plastic, or wood. Or if you had time you could just remove the valves and springs when you would be carrying the tuba a long way.

Donna Altieri used to provide a pad with velcro straps for just that purpose with her bags. I don't know if she still does.

The Altieri piston-protecter thing is really great, but it takes some time to put it on the horn, before loading it into your gig bag, which in and of itself takes too long, especially if you have to pack up your tuba stand, seat cushion, sudoku books, coffee mug and seventeen mouthpieces.

It IS a great product, and very effective, but if you are late to arrive, it takes time to get off of the horn, and makes that lovely velcro noise, just when the oboe plays their A.

I usually use it for when I travel by plane, and have to check it as baggage; it greatly reduces the chance of damage to the valves from a hard impact.

If you want piston valve protection for gig bag use, this is your best option.

CJH

bttmbow wrote:... seat cushion ...

Is this one of those cello seat cushions? I've been thinking about getting on of those.

bttmbow wrote:The Altieri piston-protecter thing is really great, but it takes some time to put it on the horn...

I agree...I think I used it for 1 week before I realized I didn't have the time to mess around with it. It now sits in the bottom of my gig bag, waiting for its occaisional use.

It's now been 3+ months since I've used it, without a single problem.

I use a pink plastic bedpan I scrounged from a hospital stay (similar to a large Rubbermaid Servin' Saver) over my valves when using a gig bag. I put a garden hose around the edge for cushioning. I place this upside down over my valve section and my gig bag holds it in place. My gig bag fit a little too tight in this area for my liking.