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I had my horn chem cleaned and new felts put on, dents out etc a few months ago.

However, over the course of the next few months the valves have begun to be louder than ever. Is it an alignment issue? I need to get it taken care up for a few reasons.

1) it's noisy

2) our college is moving to blind auditions next year...and frankly, the DOB knows I have the loud pistons..haha therefore......he'll know it's me....

Anyway, any thoughts on what could be the problem? I love good 'ol tuba's, but never have a clue when it comes to "problems"

Edit: The valves clunk and resonate throughout the horn. It doesn't sound metal on metal. When I remove the valve cap, the problem is still pretty much there. This may help further analysis.

It "sounds" to me like your tech merely put on felts to the alignment position, and did not put on thicker felts to account for felt compression as you play. Go back to your tech and have him re-do the job like he should have done in the first place to put on the slightly thicker felts. Then as you play, they will seat in to the proper alignment and that should take care of the noise. Do it now so they will be settled in by the time of your audition.

Or, as an alternative, depending on how much money you want to spend, you could go the Alan Baer route with his new system of brass spacers and O-rings:

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=27949" target="_blank

Yeah, I saw that in another thread. Interesting.

I'm not entirely sure it is the felts completely. When I took off the valve caps and used the valves there was still quite a bit of noise. Is this noise that gets "absorbed" by the felts too? Also, there is a considerable amount of "wiggle" for each piston. They're not in super tight, will that cause noise/problems?

It is probably time for either or both:

a) new valve guides (it will do wonders)

b) new (possibly shorter) springs (My pistons were clanky because the springs were too long and when the valve was pushed in the metal crushed on itself)

TMB

Thomas Maurice Booth wrote:It is probably time for either or both:

a) new valve guides (it will do wonders)

b) new (possibly shorter) springs (My pistons were clanky because the springs were too long and when the valve was pushed in the metal crushed on itself)

TMB

New valve guides are in my future perhaps.

Interesting that you mentioned the springs thing because as soon as I read that !!! The springs probably do clank. Maybe worse after they were cleaned because the gunk around them may have cushioned the impact?? Or not...but they're probably old and definitely crush against itself ...either way, I will take it in soon to get looked at, I guess.

A trick I learned at a Clark Terry clinic many years back is to put a thin layer of cork grease on the springs. In my experience it has decreased noise with no adverse side effects.

By the way, one other thing Clark said at that clinic that has stuck with me through the years is:

"The top of your range is not the highest note you can squeak out in a practice room. The top of your range is the highest note you know for a fact you can hit at the end of a three hour gig."

Lee Stofer had to use a lot of non-stock stuff to make those pistons work, and that was enough years ago that the felts, corks, spacers, etc are probably well worn and need to be replaced. Using generic parts may or may not work on that horn.
P.S. --> HETMANS

MartyNeilan wrote:Lee Stofer had to use a lot of non-stock stuff to make those pistons work, and that was enough years ago that the felts, corks, spacers, etc are probably well worn and need to be replaced. Using generic parts may or may not work on that horn.
P.S. --> HETMANS

I definitely use Hetmans.

Now I'm scared....what sorta things should I need to do? Any idea?

pierso20 wrote:2) our college is moving to blind auditions next year...

Blind auditions for band placement/seating?

Neat idea--anyone else do this at their school? I never had!

Yes, this is for band placement/seating. Next year is the first year that this is going to be done. We also will be auditioning before each semester rather than one fall audition for the whole year.

but this doesn't help my noisy valves!!!!!!!

noisy valves is a very general statement. Can you isolate the problem further?

One last thing to check is whether your top and bottom caps are on all the way. It will rattle like an old washing machine unless the caps are completely seated, top and bottom.

I checked. It's not a rattling kinda noise. It's mostly an dampened thud that resonates throughout the horn.

pierso20 wrote:I checked. It's not a rattling kinda noise. It's mostly an dampened thud that resonates throughout the horn.

It sounds like maybe your felts were replaced with ones with a higher density. Or... maybe they are already oil-soaked and compressed. If your tech also replaced the springs, perhaps they are stiffer than your old ones.

Another thing you should check is if all the soldered connections between tubes and braces are still tight.
On my horn, a connection between two tubes around the valve group got loose (oxidation due to ageing >30years).
If you push the pistons down, the two tubes make metallic contact, and that vibrates all through the horn.
Also, if the mouthpipe is soldered to the bell, that connection can come loose over the years, the tube can then vibrate against the bell.

Good luck !

oedipoes wrote:Another thing you should check is if all the soldered connections between tubes and braces are still tight.
On my horn, a connection between two tubes around the valve group got loose (oxidation due to ageing >30years).
If you push the pistons down, the two tubes make metallic contact, and that vibrates all through the horn.
Also, if the mouthpipe is soldered to the bell, that connection can come loose over the years, the tube can then vibrate against the bell.

Good luck !

thanks, funny you mentioned that, because that was a previous problem that was taken care of. Not sure what the real problem is, but I'm taking it in to the shop real soon. Maybe later this week.