TubeNet

Hello All
Can anyone tell me what make/model this tuba is. It was purchased used by a friend while he lived in Germany. Stands 42" tall with a 17.5" bell, BBb key. 3 rotary valves. Only thing I can find on the horn is simple engraved words on the bell front saying 'something' over the word 'Dusseldorf'. Numbers on the valves are stamped '49' on all three and '13' on the paddle support bracket. The photos may not show it well, but the bow guard has a prominant keel that if held improperly really hurts after a while. Any help would be appreciated. I would also like to be able to disassemble the rotars and clean, any help with that would also be appreciated.
Thanks
Joel (Smokeytuba)

The main rule in asking such questions is never filtering information by ones own understanding, but always give full information. In this case readable shots of the engraving may be the easy key to an ID by those in the know.

Klaus

I definately can't get a photo of the lettering. It appears to be either somewhat buffed out and re-finished or done very lightly by hand and is someone's name and city. The most I can make out of the first line is ...'FE?C.??VCS' and thats really straining so even those may be wrong.
Joel

Smokeytuba wrote:I definately can't get a photo of the lettering. It appears to be either somewhat buffed out and re-finished or done very lightly by hand and is someone's name and city. The most I can make out of the first line is ...'FE?C.??VCS' and thats really straining so even those may be wrong.
Joel

The VCS sequence might be possible in Latin, but not in German. The reason I need those shots, is that I know likely spelling patterns in German. Working on second hand interpretations is not likely giving results. What you tell doesn’t fit even remotely with the names of makers from Düsseldorf that I know of. But of course my list is not complete.

Klaus

I may have sounded rough, but I am most interested in getting an ID on that tuba myself.

There may be an alternative to photography in transmitting the maker’s name to my computer screen. I haven’t seen it tried on brass instruments, but archeologists sometimes fix a piece of paper on top of an engraved or etched text. They then rub the paper over the letters with a soft pencil. That makes the edges come out darker than other areas.

You may try this and upload a photo of the rubbed paper.

Klaus

Klaus
I'll try the rubbing. Initially tried with a pencil, no luck. I'll try a crayon and let you know.
Joel

Well rubbing the writing isn't working, pencil, crayon....I've even tried writing over the engraving with the crayon and lightly rubbing it off, still no luck. Here's what I've been able to actually see in all types of light....First word definately starts with 'F E ? C. ? ? C S E' and perhaps a last letter that I can't see. The second word below is definately 'DUSSELDORF' with the U having the .. above it. I'll take more pics of any part of the horn if anyone thinks it'll help ID it.
Thanks again.
Joel

I cannot extrapolate to anything likely from the letters told of.

Took a look at the photos again and noticed there being no pitch conversions, which would place it after 1920.

Klaus

In the motorcycle world, there is a model known as a UJM, Universal Japanese Motorcycle. I would say this is a UGT, Universal German-style Tuba.

I think I've solved the mystery, I believe it to be a tuba built by Friedrich Moser out of Dusseldorf. That's according to what I found out at hornacopia(?). Anybody else trust this site?

Horn-u-copia.net is usually a bit more reliable than some "Wiki" sites. I have posted a few unusual horns there and the discussion forum was helpful. YMMV.