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I picked this horn up on Ebay thinking I could use the bell on another horn that was pretty well hammered. It's missing the third valve and the fourth valve was driven up from the bottom and suffered serious damage that was repaired in a rather sketchy fashion. Also, about half of the top and bottom caps are missing. Still, it's an interesting design and I notice it's not covered on Conn Loyalist. I'm assuming there's no chance of finding replacement valves and having new ones made would be cost prohibitive. I just wanted to check in to make sure that butchering this one for parts wouldn't be a crime against humanity.

I appreciate your input.

The four-valve setup is probably the most unique feature of that horn.

I'd be interested in the bell diameter, valve diameter, and bore, measured on the second valve slide. I asssume that 3-valve Eb models were very common, but I could be wrong.

I started on tuba in the 5th grade on my school's Conn (or perhaps it was a Pan American) 3-valve Eb like that.

Bore is .620. Valve bore is .887. Bell is 14" in diameter. I guess as small as it is, it's more of a EEb euphonium than a true tuba, but it is interesting that it has the fourth valve. I though the wrap was interesting too. Different from most of the Conns I've seen from that era.

I'd love to get it playing again, if anyone has a third valve piston that's the proper size, and with the appropriate top and bottom caps. I should be able to get the fourth valve going again, or send it off to someone who could get it done. I guess without that fourth valve piston it's scrap.

Doesn't bloke have a similar horn?

Since the big problem is the missing third valve, you might be able to find one since there were so many of the 3v Eb horns made. Sam Gnagey uses the bells and bottom bows from this era horn for his creations so, perhaps, he would be able to tell you where to look. He was selling off his "boneyard" in order to move his shop last month as stated in this thread:

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You could PM him here.

The top and bottom caps could be machined by someone who does that sort of restoration work. I'd bet if you found someone with a valve, they would have the caps, too.

Is this a national treasure? I think not. Having had four valves at one time, is not the same as having four valves. At best ... ask Bob how many people are hot to get their hands on a small bass tuba. We take a moment to cherish it for what it may have been in decades past, but no crime in salvaging a useful bell from it.

Dan Oberloh in Seattle can probably help you. He's pricy but one of the best.

Still it may be in place to keep the proportions right. Was this tuba ever a great one?

Klaus

These tubas are what I wish were still being manufactured for use in junor high school bands. I've actually considered one of these for smaller gigs. You're right -- with so many 3-valve horns out there, I didn't know there were any 4-valve horns.

Before chopping it, I would investigate what it would take to make it playable as a 4-valve, because this gives you low Ab (1+4 lip down or 1+2+4 lip up), low G (2+3+4), etc., that the 3-valves can't do unless they have decent false tones, which most don't. I'm not talking about any full-blown restoration, just get it up and running.

I guess I'll hang onto it and watch Ebay for another similar horn for parts. Kind of a big thing to keep around, but I guess that's why we have attics. It will give me something to take apart and un-dent over the summer.

I'm still hoping someone has the necessary parts lying around on a bench somewhere. Then again, with the state of my bench it's possible that I have the necessary parts lying around!