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Sure.. How about this one it's supposed to be his first CC in 6/4.......just waiting for Canada to call<s>

tstryk wrote:Frankenporn?

Now THERE'S a word you don't want to Google.

I've never seen a Gnagey tuba I didn't like! I *almost* bought one sight unseen instead of my Mirafone 188. Love the Mirafone, but still SO curious about the Gnagey... after all, Mirafone has made more than a few 188's. Gnagey has made only a few, period!

I was recently at a rehearsal at a high school, with my Gnagey Holton-King 4/4, and was asked to briefly play a new school tuba, a Yamaha BBb (rotary valves, don't know the model). It played alright, spoke easily, did not have the horrible high G they had years ago. Easy to play, good valves. Then I went back to my Gnagey, and was astonished by the room-filling sound it had, compared to the pea-shooter. I realized how spoiled I have become, playing a tuba that can, if required, lay waste to a large ensemble without breaking a sweat.

If you've never played one of these, you should find someone near you and offer to bring the beer (I prefer dark beer, preferably Czech; none of this Budweiser/Miller swill).

Only two other people have ever played mine, and both had the same response after just one note: Wow!

They are beefy horns, and take a back seat to nobody.



SK (Dallas area)

Here's a BBb Frankentuba which I put together a few years ago using a King valve section and an old Besson body. One of my tuba students has been using it and likes it a lot more than the brand-new silver YBB-321 that his high school owns. It does have better intonation than a lot of new tubas. Don't know if I'll ever get it back from him.

https://www.box.com/s/hbjefyo8xszl03qiz8md

I have made a couple.

1. My Connveny. 2. Miranolds. 3. Austrian Conn Eb.

skeath wrote:I was recently at a rehearsal at a high school, with my Gnagey Holton-King 4/4, and was asked to briefly play a new school tuba, a Yamaha BBb (rotary valves, don't know the model). It played alright, spoke easily, did not have the horrible high G they had years ago. Easy to play, good valves. Then I went back to my Gnagey, and was astonished by the room-filling sound it had, compared to the pea-shooter. I realized how spoiled I have become, playing a tuba that can, if required, lay waste to a large ensemble without breaking a sweat.

If you've never played one of these, you should find someone near you and offer to bring the beer (I prefer dark beer, preferably Czech; none of this Budweiser/Miller swill).

Only two other people have ever played mine, and both had the same response after just one note: Wow!

They are beefy horns, and take a back seat to nobody.



SK (Dallas area)

man do I love that feeling of opening the horn up. I am curious if Gnagey ever made a 6/4 BBb.

Yes he did and before he made the CC Maybe he'll send you a pic..BB

Thanks, Mark!
The Conn Eb plays better than it looks. The valve section came from two short action sousas. The 20" bell doesn't hurt with sound production either.

Would it count if I put King 2341 finger buttons on my MW 2145??

hrender wrote:

bigbob wrote:Sure.. How about this one it's supposed to be his first CC in 6/4.......just waiting for Canada to call

Bob, I gotta say, given how long you've wanted a 6/4, I am very happy to hear of you finally getting one.

For what it's worth, here's a bad phone pic of my Gnagey Cleveland/King. Smaller bell than most of his horns, and only a 4v, but a lovely sound (IMO) nonetheless.

8211766544_57c9586e24_z.jpg

I think the phone pic is great ....and thank you ..I have tryed to trade artwork. and small money for a long time finally My lovly wife said go get a small loan bob I'm tired of you moping around the house playing Airtuba<s>...SOOOO finally I'll soon have my 6/4 and best of all it's a Gnagey which I will love and cherish(gee sounds like a love affair to me) haha...Sorry guys I'm just so happy!!.........BB

I recently bought Sam Gnagey's latest masterpiece. Its a Holton/King 4/4 5-valve CC. The bell is from a 1923 Holton Eb with top action valves, and the rest is from a mid-70's King 2341 BBb. I've had it for about a month now, and while I'm still getting used to the new fingerings, I've still been able to use it for a couple of orchestra performances

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid= ... =3&theater

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid= ... =3&theater

Sorry 'bout that, I'm new here, and not the most computer savvy person. Does anyone know how to attach pictures so they actually show up on the page like the other posts?

Alright, I think this should work:

I don't know what happened with those other pictures, but I think this one should show up better. Thanks for the advice.

BART - about as FrankenTuba as it gets:

Nearly 100 year old German 6/4 body, most likely originally high pitch BBb, cut to CC.
MW "small piston" valveset off an early 2165 with heavyweight caps replaced by custom MAW lightweight caps.
Original leadpipe, cut and rebent with Dillon mouthpiece adapter insert.
One original Kaiser sized rotor kept and relocated for 5th valve (plumbing and linkage pending.)
New B&S tuning slide inners and outers to allow offset for valve clearances.
Saturn water key on main slide (will eventually add two more.)
Just installed BlokeButtons™ today!

Great looking horn Goodigs!!!Gots some low a kicken don't it?!I love seeing and hearing these beautiful instruments It's like looking at a ffine piece of artwork....Hell! It is artwork... You can play!! BB

not your father's frankentuba in that it is not made from more than one horn, but rather just reconfigured to be able to play it standing up (or sitting) without having to hold it.



I call it my Dr. Suessafone

ken k

YORK-aholic wrote:No laughing! Yes I know the top of the fourth valve tubing looks a bit square but its what I had and seems to work just fine.

You can always go back and change it. It would look a little nicer if the fourth valve tube had the same curve as the bow but it's pretty nice for a rookie effort. You took some care crafting this.

How well does it play?

skeath wrote:I was recently at a rehearsal at a high school, with my Gnagey Holton-King 4/4, and was asked to briefly play a new school tuba, a Yamaha BBb (rotary valves, don't know the model). It played alright, spoke easily, did not have the horrible high G they had years ago. Easy to play, good valves. Then I went back to my Gnagey, and was astonished by the room-filling sound it had, compared to the pea-shooter. I realized how spoiled I have become, playing a tuba that can, if required, lay waste to a large ensemble without breaking a sweat.
SK (Dallas area)

Okayyyyyyy.... The YBB-641 rotary BBb has a large .812" bore valve set. Don't the Gnagey 4/4 tubas have the medium-small King .687" bore valve sets pasted on them? Maybe you are talking about sound dispersion?

too "thinking tuba players still judge a sound too much under the bell instead of "out front" in the audience, where it matters most" ba

P.S. - Goodgigs, I like your B&F tuba. Dunno if I'd call it a true Kaiser though - seems more like a 4/4+ or compact 5/4.