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I have an Amati (Cerv) CBB-681-4 with an Amato water key. It has performed flawlessly and inconspicuously without attention or lubrication since I bought the horn used about 12 years ago. My new CBB-686-5 has a conventional lever-cork pad wkey. On other horns, that type has been pretty good with occasional cork replacement, but I did hook one on clothing and bent it up badly, years ago. Now, surfing on the 'net, I find a "Saturn" wkey (Is that available for tubas?).
Anyway, are there opinions on the reliability, effects on sound, or other aspects of waterkeys?
Are there other options (other than pulling slides)?

Conventional waterkeys are just 'OK' but do the job as far as I'm concerned. Amado waterkeys are a little more 'sexy' and less apt to get bent. I have yet to install a Saturn waterkey. I've looked and them and they appear to be pretty slick but waaaay too expensive... especially if you are looking into installing several of them on a tuba. ANY waterkey is a pain since the horn has to be at 'just the right' attitude for the water to drain.

I like simply pulling a slide to get rid of water because I can be assured that it's all coming out. And... I know exactly where that water is going to go when I dump it.

I have a Saturn water key on my PT-15 which works well. The big advantage I see with these is that they can be fitted with minimal lacquer damage - nice if being added to a newish tuba.

Thanks! It's great to get perspective on these "very minor" issues.
My own observations are that the Amado (not Amato, thank you!) has worked very very well for a long time, but the lever/cork is OK too. . . just more obtrusive. With my new horn, I've had more trouble with back-drip from the receiver than from water-key splatter. . . maybe I haven't worked that problem out yet. The angle of play/discharge with my old Amati worked pretty well... never noticed a problem. Must be my torso dimensions.
Anyhow, thanks for facts. . . and I will cease worrying about any effects on the horn's playing qualities.

Being of the short variety of tuba players, I like any spit valve that does not open when it hits my chair. Personally, I pull slides and make a lovely lake in front of my chair.

hrender wrote:... The Gnagey (w/ a King 2341 body) has a grand total of 1 water key, so pulling slides is a necessity to clear the horn. I, too, tend to irrigate my surroundings generously. When I'm someplace where I worry about leaving too much of a puddle, I put down a small towel to catch the mess.

Talk about slide pulling to get rid of condensation.... play a Marzan slant-rotor. It has three waterkeys and it's STILL necessary to pull slides to get rid of water... especially the main (which is on top) because water stands above the rotors... and the #2 slide on the back of the horn. Playing one of these things makes one feel a bit like a horn player! Great horns. But... one water-makin' son of a gun!

TubaTinker wrote:Talk about slide pulling to get rid of condensation.... play a Marzan slant-rotor. It has three waterkeys and it's STILL necessary to pull slides to get rid of water... especially the main (which is on top) because water stands above the rotors... and the #2 slide on the back of the horn. Playing one of these things makes one feel a bit like a horn player! Great horns. But... one water-makin' son of a gun!

I also filled in the one under the main and took it off.

What worked well for me in the symphony was to develop a "Marzan" twirl.
Sitting crossways in your lap, with your right hand in the tumb ring and depress all the keys. Holding it with the bell slightly down, turn it upside down, this empties that pesky 2nd valve.
And since the others are all pointed down when the horn is standing up, they're now all going down, into the main. Just empty the main, and you've got it all.

Since it's in your lap, and you're in the back, no highly visual antics, which the Bloke hates.
Only one slide. No "pfffft pfffft".
What could be qiucker, quieter, and easier?