TubeNet

Hey everyone,
I need a GOOD picture of a good adjustable thumb ring.
Thanks alot.

GOOD enough for you?

Is that a PT-20? looks JUST like mine.

I've wanted to change the thumb-ring on my King 2341 for a long time. During a long show, I'll sometimes loose feeling in that thumb. I may be a candidate to remove the thumb-ring altogether, I don't know...

Anyways, sometime ago a person that frequents TubeNet (I can't remember who!) shared pics of his tuba and I liked his thumb-ring set up and saved the link...

Make the image full-size to see things better!

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I hear the Jell-O topped valve caps improve your tone. Is this true?

Casey Tucker wrote:Is that a PT-20? looks JUST like mine.

VMI 3302

Casey Tucker wrote:Is that a PT-20? looks JUST like mine.

Hate to tell you this, but it IS yours... checked in your case recently?

my heart skipped a beat.

trseaman wrote:I've wanted to change the thumb-ring on my King 2341 for a long time. ....

I've never been a fan of the 'dinky' King thumb-rings. I don't have any experience with the newest ones, but on every King tuba and sousa I've ever had to spend much time with, I've always put on a much larger thumb-ring.
To the original poster.... I've not seen an adjustable thumb-ring that really yanked my crank. What's the point of having one since they are not really very adjustable.
Just figure out where you need a thumb-ring to be and put one on that gives your thumb PLENTY of room to reposition your hand if you want to.

Ditto. The purpose of a thumb ring is not just to keep your thumb from getting tangled up in the rest of the linkage. It must be substantial enough to use as a fulcrum of sorts, whether you just touch the tip of your thumb to it to anchor your fingers, grab the thing for dear life, or anchor the back of your thumb to it to use a thumb trigger.

I've had the thumb ring redone on my 186 for that very reason. Sat with the tech, had him take the ring and diamond plate off, reposition it where I needed it, hard soldered it, and carried on.

iiipopes wrote:Ditto. The purpose of a thumb ring is not just to keep your thumb from getting tangled up in the rest of the linkage. It must be substantial enough to use as a fulcrum of sorts, whether you just touch the tip of your thumb to it to anchor your fingers, grab the thing for dear life, or anchor the back of your thumb to it to use a thumb trigger.

I've had the thumb ring redone on my 186 for that very reason. Sat with the tech, had him take the ring and diamond plate off, reposition it where I needed it, hard soldered it, and carried on.

There are two advantages to the adjustable model shown in the picture. One is that the ring can be positioned below the point where the first valve branch turns back into the crook going into the first valve. Instruments with the first valve branch entirely above the first valve slide (like all instruments with a York-style valve body--including my Holton) require somewhat of a reach for the thumb. This device makes it possible to put the ring lower on the instrument. Resoldering the existing thumb ring will require soldering it to air.

The second advantage is that it sometimes takes quite a while to settle one what is really the most comfortable position. Quick adjustability is not a requirement for me (it may be for you). The strength to hold up the instrument such that the method shown is inadequate is also not a requirement--I never trust any thumb ring that much. Repositioning it without needing a visit to a tech or damaging the finish ARE requirements.

I actually forgot to discuss my thumb ring location with Joe when he had my tuba last year. The ring on the Holton puts a callus on my thumb at the first joint, which is means my first thumb joint is doing all the work of holding up my hand and arm.

Rick "who looked closely at those M-W adjustable thumb rings" Denney