TubeNet

For some time now, I’ve been thinking about getting rid of my VMI 3301 for a tuba with rotary valves that would fit my hand more comfortably, but I have a hard time letting go of my VMI. I got it as a junior in high school from the brick and mortar Brasswind, brand new, and it’s been my only tuba ever since.

It got me thinking—anyone out there have stories of a tuba you loved and sold? Or didn’t sell because you were too sentimentally attached? Any legendary tuba love story you wish to share?

I’ll be writing about this topic and about tuba shopping for the next installment of my column on McSweeney's Internet Tendency. Thought it might be fun to brainstorm/swap stories.

(Pre-edited for non-tubists)

The first tuba that I owned was a Conn 24J--yup, the 4 top-action valve, forward bell BBb monster. Concert band was the first ensemble in which I played, and the Conn was bigger than the horns played by the other tubists. At 5'3" in height, playing that big Conn made me feel six feet tall. Since it was the only horn that I had at the time, I played that 24J for everything--even brass quintet.

One of the responsibilities of my job in the piano industry was (and is) to take inventory of schools' fleet of pianos and to chart the age and condition of each piano. One time, I entered a high school band room and spotted hanging on the back wall *gasp* four Conn 25Js--the same model as mine but with the original factory 24" upright bell. Suddenly, I pictured a way for me and my tuba to enter the realm of more "legit" ensembles.

I bargained with the band director, "I'll take the most dented of the four upright bells in exchange for my forward bell." I was counting on the likelihood that this band director was unaware of the relative rarity of the original factory upright bell.

"Why not? I'm sure that one of my tuba guys [sic] will get a kick out of playing a forward bell."

Feeling like the cat that got the cream, I quickly drove home, grabbed the forward bell, raced back to the high school before the band director could learn the ramifications of our agreement, and the trade was done.

I took the upright bell to Brass Bow, a well-respected repair shop whose principal technician is now employed by Yamaha, and had the dents removed. When I placed the newly-repaired upright bell onto the tenon of the collar of the horn and tightened the set screws, I thought, "Now I have a horn that at least looks like a concert tuba." I became bolder and even took a couple of auditions with that beast.

I had been self-taught on the tuba. Eventually, a friend suggested to me, "Look, you obviously love playing the tuba. If you're really serious about it, you should be taking lessons with a very qualified instructor." So I emailed Rex Martin at Northwestern University. Despite admitting what horn I was playing, he agreed to take me on as a student. He encouraged me to buy a better mouthpiece and made recommendations.

The following summer, I participated in the last Master Classes that Arnold Jacobs conducted at Northwestern University; he passed away the following autumn. On the first day of the week-long sessions, the morning consisted of his introductory thoughts and teaching sessions with a trumpeter and other instrumentalists. After the lunch break, he queried, "Why haven't we had a tuba player up here yet?"

"C'mon, Steve," bellowed Brian Fredericksen, Mr. Jacobs' right-hand man [there's a doubly un-PC term].

I tramped with my big ol' Conn 25J down the stairs to the stage.

"What are you going to play today?" Mr. Jacobs asked.

"One of the Vaughan Williams Folk Song arrangements," I replied.

I don't remember much after that; it's on YouTube somewhere. I know that I played no more than the first 4 phrases before Mr. Jacobs stopped me and my Conn to offer his thoughts.

In the break after my session with Mr. Jacobs, I was approached by David Fedderly, the soon-to-be retired Principal Tuba of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. Although David denies it to this day, he pointed at my horn and kiddingly asked, "Where did you get that trash can?" Indeed, with a bell whose diameter was still wider than virtually any other production model, the thing could be reminiscent of a big metal refuse receptacle that one sees in public parks.

In the following autumn, Rex Martin advised me that the Conn was holding back my progress and that I should begin looking for a good CC tuba. He gave me a list of brands and models to seek out. For months I followed the "For Sale" listings in TubeNet while continuing to play my Conn 25J.

Finally, in the summer of 1999, I saw an ad for a 4/4 Nirschl CC. The seller was willing to let me have the tuba on a week's trial. I took it to Rex for what was to be a 5-minute test-play. Five minutes turned into ten...then twelve. My heart was beating faster and faster.

After what seemed like an eternity, Rex leaned over and whispered to me, "This is a very special horn."

Now my heart was really racing, for I knew that I had found the tuba that I might have for the rest of my life, endorsed by one of the finest tuba pedagogues in the world. It also meant that I would have to say goodbye to my beloved Conn monster (I couldn't really call it my "faithful Silver" because, among other reasons, it had a lacquer finish) because I would need the proceeds from the sale of the Conn to help pay for the Nirschl.

I had one more fling with the Conn 25J. At the end of that summer, I participated in the International Tuba-Euphonium Workshop at the University of Oklahoma. I reasoned that I was not yet facile enough with CC fingerings to play the Nirschl in public, so I brought the Conn 25J. I also knew that exposing the Conn to lots of tuba players would provide a better chance to find a buyer for it. More than once during that week, a younger attendee would ask, "Is that a 6/4 tuba?"

The faculty consisted of Brian Bowman, Ted Cox, Sam Pilafian, and Deanna Swoboda. At breakfast one morning, I shared with Deanna the story of how I had now acquired the Nirschl CC that was waiting for me at home. When she learned who the seller of the Nirschl was, she exclaimed, "He and I were in the same tuba studio at school!" The tuba world is such a tight-knit circle of people.

I took advantage of the opportunity to have a private lesson with Sam Pilafian. I played the Hindemith Sonata for him on the Conn. He had suggestions in all three movements. At the end of the lesson, he smiled broadly and asked, "You know what this means, don't you?"

"No." I really had no idea.

"I've got a friend coming here who can handle the piano part of the Hindemith Sonata. You're gonna perform it for the Grand Finale Concert of the Workshop!"

I'm not a "soloist" kind of guy. I much prefer to play in ensembles. I would not have volunteered for this, especially with a horn that "was holding me back." But there I was that evening on the stage playing the Hindemith, the final time that I would play the Conn 25J in public.

The 4/4 Nirschl CC, built in 1994 by Walter and his staff at his shop in Geretsried, is still my "main axe" to this day (although not the only tuba in my arsenal). It's a magnificent tuba, as close to what's labeled a "point and shoot" horn as one could imagine: great intonation, beautiful, warm, even timbre below, above, and in the middle of the staff.

But I wish that I could have afforded to keep that Conn 25J. That big, galumphing tuba was lots of fun to play. I still think of it fondly, particularly when I see someone playing a big ol' Conn in a Dixieland/trad jazz band.

Thanks for the tuba-star-studded epic, Steve! I would have missed out on the 24J experience if my dad hadn't had one in the rec room for years when I was growing up. He let go of it, but we all fondly remember it.

Mine is a "can't part with it" tale. Believe it or not, this is the short version!

Like a large number of players, once I graduated high school (way back in 1980!) I no longer had the use of the great Mirafone 186 my high school had allowed me to play and I did not have enough funds to buy a tuba. I played trombone prior to tuba and had managed to get a good deal on a trombone so that became my weapon of choice. Fast forward about 6 years and I had joined the Navy as an Aviation Electronics Technician and was stationed in San Diego. I returned from leave one day and a co-worker showed me a classified ad he had spotted the week before advertising a used tuba for sale. I had no idea what to expect so I called to see if it was still available. The owners really had no idea what they had at all. The only info they had came from Brent Dutton at San Diego State and Matt Garbutt of the San Diego Symphony. The woman on the other end of the phone was extremely candid and gave me more information than a buyer should probably be armed with going into negotiation. I mulled the situation for a couple of weeks and discussed finances with my CFO (spouse) and finally decided it was worth checking out and seeing if I could negotiate a better price than the posted one. I was amazed at what I found when I arrived to inspect and play it.

It was in rough shape at the time but it's a F. Besson, 6-valve French C. Three top and three side valves. I had no idea of the age but could tell from the bell markings and construction it dated back to at least 1920. At the time there was duct tape over a crack in the leadpipe and there was a split in the bell lip but the bell was so solid that it didn't vibrate or buzz and the response from the horn was really good. I was able to make a good deal and took my treasure home. I took the horn to a local repair shop to consult regarding repairs. We decided to leave the bell alone to keep it intact and they repaired the leadpipe and a damaged spit valve.

I played that little Besson semi-professionally for about 3 years until a nice re-enlistment bonus and a very understanding wife allowed me to buy my Rudy Meinl 3/4. The Besson was relegated to increasingly less play and longer terms of storage. I decided about 4 years ago I should pull it out of the attic and sell it so someone else could enjoy the horn. The only problem with that plan was that I decided to play it for a while. Once I felt the response and heard the sound coming out of the bell I couldn't sell her. Instead I made arrangements for Lee Stofer to do a long, leisurely overhaul. He did an amazing job and identified some other problems I wasn't even aware existed. He also did some research for me and was able to date my tuba as a 1911 model. Since I got it back from Lee I have used it for brass quintet and for pit work. The compact size works well in those confined spaces. I'm in love all over again and doubt I will ever sell.

Cool story! I bet the advent of the Internet has made it slightly less likely for all of us to have a historic instrument fall in our laps, but what a great find.

I have a very sentimental favourite horn. It is a King "Symphony" BBb Recording bass that was purchased for me by my parents in the summer of 1976 for $250.00 from a music teacher in Utica, New York. I had never seen one of these horns in person and was 15 years old at the time, so what did I know? Turns out, not very much. I took the horn home and played it for my last year of high school and then joined a very good community band as the fifth tuba and realized the tuba and I had a long way to go to be good enough to play in that band. I stayed for two years and then left to finish my university degree. I went into rural teaching and did not play again for fifteen years. The small town I lived in did have a band and I enjoyed playing in it for three years. I eventually retired and returned to the city and rejoined the band I had played in so many years ago. It has now been four years and I am just now feeling comfortable in the group. The horn is nickel plated with a very nice engraving on the back of the bell. It turns 85 years old this year and sounds better than ever. I have several other horns I do play, however this one is the true favourite having been with me for nearly 40 years now. I look forward to playing for many more years and then passing it on to someone who will appreciate it as much as I do.

You might want to keep the one you like so much, at least for now. Keep shopping and get the best horn you can. A spare horn is not a bad thing.

roughrider wrote:I look forward to playing for many more years and then passing it on to someone who will appreciate it as much as I do.

Good point about tuba legacies. Sounds like a great tuba!