TubeNet

So, I have been crashing the Orlando area scene as a bassist lately, and I hear on almost a daily basis to get a tuba. Guys over here want bassists to have that double if possible.

Being a eupher, a BBb would definitely be the easiest switch, so I just got a real beater horn super cheap. If anyone has been browsing ebay lately, it was that 12J with the smashed bell. I didn't really care about anything else than the valves working and there being no leaks. It seems as though this horn just needs the leadpipe soldered back on, and I should be able to honk out notes.

I am curious, though, about stripping the horn down to the raw brass. The lacquer is mostly gone from the horn, anyway, leaving red spots, so I figure it would be an interesting project. I've always wanted to try it, but never wanted to on any decent horn to start with, and certainly not on my Willson silver horn or silver trombone. But a friend pointed out that I will most likely end up with green hands and stained clothing. So, I was wondering what the experience is with this. Does it always happen? My Willson is eight or so years old, and after much intense use, there is no wear on any of the plating at all, so the extent of my knowledge of the oils in my hand is that they don't eat through silver.

Nick

Unless you sweat sulfuric acid, are caught playing in acid rain, play after eating hard boiled or deviled eggs and then fart a lot while you play, your silver plating will hold up very well. Just take time to keep it polished and looking good.

My question actually was how owning a raw brass horn would affect my cleanliness...as in will my hands and clothes now be funny colors? My mention of my silver horns was just to show that I at least know I don't eat through silver. I do know people whose sweat has eaten right through their silver finish.

...fart a lot?!

I played an unlacquered brass Alexander CC tuba for years and had no problems with either my hands or clothes soiling.

Awesome. Thanks. Does that require lots of polishing and whatnot to keep it from doing that, or does it not matter?

Nick

If not stained with water or held by too acidic hands, bare brass will develop a brownish patina, which will help preserving the metal. I wouldn’t let green spot develop, but otherwise it is prohibited to polish my bare brass instruments.

Congratulations on the tuba. I hope you will get it in working order.

Klaus

Thanks, I hope to get it done soon. I probably won't worry about the bell, as this is just to get my chops going, and I plan to buy a better horn as soon as I can afford it. That bell is in bad shape; it's smashed flat and even has some tears in it. But I'm picking it up tomorrow.

While I'm at it, what are some good horns for a jazz bass player that's looking into sticking around that genre? I don't plan on becoming a symphonic player, but using it when the bands want it.

I'm thinking about the Conn XX J series, probably in the upper numbers, or some of the King BBbs. Front action valves and a recording bell would be preferable, for obvious reasons.

Nick

Do you expect to play mostly amplified or mostly non-amplified? If the tuba most shall act as a sound generator to be electronically enhanced, then you might get away with a smallish instrument.

Klaus

Thinking about unamplified; good mics these days are incredibly expensive. Then again, I'm not sure how well I'll take to any tuba, I've actually never played one past the fooling around in high school.

Nick

As I understand it, a reasonably prominent TubeNet’ter not short on relevant instruments for his versatile playing jobs uses a medium priced bass drum microphone for sousaphone and helicon jobs, so that he doesn’t risk loosing or ruining costly high end microphones.

Klaus

I would love to know who so I could talk shop. I've been curious as to exactly what goes into that signal chain for a tuba.

I also figured if I get a mic, it would be great if it could be used on my upright, too. I doubt a kick drum mic would work on a double bass, though.

Nick

With regard to the lacquer, leave it on. It may be sealing up some leaky joints.
If you play in hot, humid weather your hands will sweat and will get a little green where they touch raw brass. If that bothers you then wrap plastic tape around the parts that you touch. (You may have to experiment to find the best brand.)
For a microphone, I find that a Sennheiser snare drum mic (dynamic) is perfect for the tuba. Just bolt it onto the bell. It is durable, lightweight, has a smooth response and good dynamic range. It can take whatever sound pressure you can give it without clipping and puts out all audio frequencies.

That makes sense. I live in Florida, so one thing we know about is humidity. What is the mic plugged in to? A bass amp? Directly into the PA?

Nick

I usually plug it into a bass amp on a chair directly behind me. Sometimes in a large venue the sound man will tap into the bass amp's line output and feed it into the house PA. You have to ask him politely not to put it into the stage moniters, because they usually just muddy up the tuba sound. Sometimes the sound guy likes to plug the tuba mic directly into the PA. You have no control over it then; it can work well or can be pretty awful depending on the length of his ponytail.