Question on King bore size

[EdFirth]

The West Point Band had four squatty four valve front action Kings that resembled the current model and one two piece King. The two piece had the same length valve stems as the current(.687) Kings but the squatty ones had Much longer stems. Our section leader told me they were large bore and I was the only guy who used one Everyone else played Meinl Weston or Mirafone. They got scrapped while I was still there which would've been around 73' so it's anybody's guess as to when they were made. I wonder if this was a special order kind of thing. If I had been sucessful in my attempt to liberate one I'm sure I would still be playing it. Ed

[bisontuba]

Hi-
Check out the website for some info--great site!
Mark

http://www.hnwhite.com" target="_blank

[hbcrandy]

For ten years, I owned and played a custom, 5 piston valved CC King tuba that was supposedly made for Fred Geib. I got it from Warren Deck. The tuba had a .750 valve bore. The plumbing and valves were configured like the one in the photo that you posted. This tuba had a detachable upright and recording bell and was gold plated. Warren said that it was made in 1925 for Mr. Geib. The valves were configured in the Sander valve system that Mr. Geib seemed to prefer. 1, 2 and 3 were normal. 4 was a slighlty flat 2,3 combination like the 5th valve on the old Miraphones. 5, which stuck out the left side of the tuba past valve #4 was the downward perfect 4th that is common on most 4 valved tubas today.

[Dan Schultz]

I am the happy owner of a 1927 King 1240 "Symphony Bass" similar to the one below. One thing that is different is the bore size, .750 vs. the usual King .687. ....

Where did you measure the bore?

[hbcrandy]

hbcrandy wrote:For ten years, I owned and played a custom, 5 piston valved CC King tuba that was supposedly made for Fred Geib. I got it from Warren Deck. The tuba had a .750 valve bore. The plumbing and valves were configured like the one in the photo that you posted. This tuba had a detachable upright and recording bell and was gold plated. Warren said that it was made in 1925 for Mr. Geib. The valves were configured in the Sander valve system that Mr. Geib seemed to prefer. 1, 2 and 3 were normal. 4 was a slighlty flat 2,3 combination like the 5th valve on the old Miraphones. 5, which stuck out the left side of the tuba past valve #4 was the downward perfect 4th that is common on most 4 valved tubas today.It sounds like an interesting horn. Do you have a picture of it that you could share? I'd be curious to see the layout of the valves and tubing.

I do not have a picture that will show you the valve configuration, only a shot of me playing it with the quintet where the bell and top bow is visible. Mike Lynch now owns the tuba. If Mike is watching the forum, maybe he would be kind enough to photograph it and post it.