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I recently picked up a freebie junker horn. It's pretty rough. Bad patch jobs, slides that don't look like they were meant for the horn, an unusable case that was full of who knows what, all red and black all over it. But, I mean, free tuba.

After flushing it, scrubbing the black and red off, and getting the rotors all fixed up, it's almost a decent horn. Though I'm sure I found more than a few spots of red rot and it's on its way to the graveyard, it'll work as a good loaner horn or nasty weather horn.

I figured it was a 186 and so I sent Miraphone a note asking about it. They confirmed that it's BBb-86A, but couldn't identify an age. Anyone have any guesses?

Pictures might help...

http://musictrader.com/?page_id=435" target="_blank

1966? Strange that Mirpahone didn't tell you that.

Looks rough but doesn't totally look like hell. I've seen worse cost more!

Awesome, thanks. I wonder why Miraphone didn't have that as well, but I always see people on this board with tons of history knowledge.

I've seen (and owned) worse as well, but when I flushed it and saw water flowing from the bell/bottom joint... I knew what I was in for.

Thank you!

Hello - it is very close to mine, the CC version, mid 1960's. If the basic horn is still there (overall playing characteristics, compression, valves, the condition of the metal after bad repair jobs), I would put money into it, again depending on it's condition. Only you can determine this. A repairman with integrity will tell you the truth about restoration, or a big time pro who knows these instruments. I personally don't display serial numbers, 30XX is sufficient. I know of one of these models owned by a university music department, same vintage and still kicking - the tuba students always vying for it's use, consistently drawn to that "186" sound.

I would hardly call that a junker!

kathott wrote:Hello - it is very close to mine, the CC version, mid 1960's. If the basic horn is still there (overall playing characteristics, compression, valves, the condition of the metal after bad repair jobs), I would put money into it, again depending on it's condition. Only you can determine this.

There is a difference between "restoration" and "play condition"
The shiny beauties posted by Dan Oberloh and Lee Stofer are "restored". These treatments are basically opening your wallet and taking out whatever it takes to make it look right.
An instrument which has had all of the big dents taken out, ugly repairs rectified, valves overhauled so they work right and generally made to look OK is "play conditioned".

As of those pictures, it had the black and red crust buffed off, the major bell folds rolled out, and the rotors rebuilt.

It is getting close to playing condition. It will most likely never get restored. I'll have it up and running and in someone's hands soon, I'm sure.

If the rotors are good, as you say, solder the joints that are coming apart, hard solder whatever holes are developing from red rot, and play it 'till it dies. It's a better horn than the pictures might indicate.

Need help dating a tuba? I'd suggest flowers... and valve oil.

...I'll show myself out.

(Seriously, congrats on your free horn!)

I'm a newbie here, so be easy on me! I bought a BB about 25 years ago north of Los Angeles. It was rough looking, but I liked the old, unshiny look and it seemed to play ok. I hadn't played tuba for about 20 years so I wasn't picky. Since then, it has sat in my living room unplayed. I looked up the serial number of 219x and it seems to be from 1962? Not sure whether I should keep it or sell it. And, if I do sell it, should I post it here? ANy suggestions? Price? Thank you!

EvanG wrote:I'm a newbie here, so be easy on me! I bought a BB about 25 years ago north of Los Angeles. It was rough looking, but I liked the old, unshiny look and it seemed to play ok. I hadn't played tuba for about 20 years so I wasn't picky. Since then, it has sat in my living room unplayed. I looked up the serial number of 219x and it seems to be from 1962? Not sure whether I should keep it or sell it. And, if I do sell it, should I post it here? ANy suggestions? Price? Thank you!

Fix it and play it.

wow - that looks better then the one my son plays in middle school!

From the looks of the style of bell it might be pre World War Two. In many cases records were wiped out due to bombing, artillery, etc. Just put down old. Not bad looking for nothing. Tusabtuba

A pre-WII Miraphone would be something of a sensation.

WWII was very destructive, yes, but it hardly could have destroyed the archives if the Miraphone company.