TubeNet

Anyone found a good gig bag for a bell front (fixed bell) tuba? The horn in question is a 1930's King BBb with a 22" bell.

I don't know of any 'off-the-shelf' gig bags for bell-front tubas but if you give this company a call, I'm sure they can come up with something.

http://www.altieribags.com/

I've had hard cases for the horn like you have but they are real beasts... weighs about as much as the horn! About the best thing I've found to haul around bell-front horns is a grocery cart like 'granny' used to use!

bloke wrote:

TubaTinker wrote:About the best thing I've found to haul around bell-front horns is a grocery cart like 'granny' used to use!

I've recently moved and everything is in disarray (and in many unknown locales), but someone gave me one of those things in perfect shape...I've never used it for anything...

I believe it folds down fairly flat, and when you want to use it, the "cage" opens up to a pretty good-sized rectangle.

Works great for most any tuba... with or without a gigbag. The only 'improvement' I've made to my grocery cart is I've added a piece of that corrugated plastic sign material to the inside of the front and bottom. Those two pieces of plastic are attached with wire ties and they simply fold up with the rest of the cart. The piece in the bottom keeps stuff from falling through and the piece in the front keeps valve stems from getting tangled in the wire mesh when hauling a front-action horn without the bag.

ggdadams wrote:Anyone found a good gig bag for a bell front (fixed bell) tuba? The horn in question is a 1930's King BBb with a 22" bell.

I have a 4 valve King of roughly the same vintage with the same 22" fixed bell. I use the larger of the two ProTec bags. The bell, and horn, fit snugly. I've had the thing for about 10 or 12 years, and have never had any problems.

I would love to have a gig bag for my bell-front King. So far I have been able to provide a seat and seat belt for it in my car or van. I padded my hand truck with carpeting and bungee the tuba to it.
The old eefer has a 24" bell and so far I have not cronked it on anything.
The one time the tuba had to ride in the U-Haul trailer, I suspended it in the air above the p.a. and stuff with lots of rope. We all bring quilts,throw pillows and life vests to pad the load in the trailer.

Since my Conn 36J's bell is attachable, I use 2 gig bags; a normal tuba bag for the body and a sousaphone bag for the bell.

I also find 2 gig bags to be much easier on my back and easier to get into the car. It also seems to be safer. I prefer to load them in and out one at a time. Even if I do have to carry them both, splitting up the horn seems to make it easier to handle. (Often I put the body in the bag on my back and carry the bell in my hands or sling the carrying strap over my shoulder).

Good luck, Patrick

I've always wondered about bags. I own a mirafone bell front 3/4 with a 17" front bell. I really wish someone would make a nice bag for front facing bells. I was thinking maybe a body...bag with a bell "pocket on the outside to eliminate the need for 2 bags. Sadly no one has anything like that. Maybe you know sombody that sews?

Bloke, You guys got me punching in to all these links you post.
Michael Savage has a great face for radio.