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Post a pic of the coolest tuba modification you have seen

Posted: Thu Nov 13, 2014 9:52 pm
by Chasetbr
Post a pic of the coolest tuba modification you have seen.
I am curious what cool things some of you have, have seen, or have made.

Re: Post a pic of the coolest tuba modification you have see

Posted: Thu Nov 13, 2014 10:01 pm
by Dan Schultz
Well... once upon a time it WAS a tuba!

Re: Post a pic of the coolest tuba modification you have see

Posted: Thu Nov 13, 2014 10:45 pm
by doublebuzzing
TubaTinker wrote:Well... once upon a time it WAS a tuba!
Yes, that's a bit of a modification :shock:

Re: Post a pic of the coolest tuba modification you have see

Posted: Thu Nov 13, 2014 10:57 pm
by ken k
Image

Image

Dr. Suessaphone made from an old Buescher. It can be played seated or standing without having to actually hold the weight of the horn. It has a Stewart Stand attached to the bottom bow.

I also did the same thing to my Boosey & Hawkes Eb tuba in order to raise the mouthpiece up to the proper height.

not very "cool" but very useful!

Image

Re: Post a pic of the coolest tuba modification you have see

Posted: Fri Nov 14, 2014 1:06 am
by Dylan King
Image

Re: Post a pic of the coolest tuba modification you have see

Posted: Fri Nov 14, 2014 3:14 am
by P@rick
Without doubt...
Image

Re: Post a pic of the coolest tuba modification you have see

Posted: Fri Nov 14, 2014 9:20 am
by AHynds
Not a picture, but a video of one of the godfathers of the tuba, Zdzisław Piernik, playing his prepared tuba. I highly suggest watching this whole video--even in his later years, he is still a monumental performer and musician.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3SwjZE-n-I


Aaron H

Re: Post a pic of the coolest tuba modification you have see

Posted: Fri Nov 14, 2014 11:08 am
by Tubajug
Dylan King wrote:Image
Whoa! Call me ignorant, but what is that? Some sort of compensating system?

Re: Post a pic of the coolest tuba modification you have see

Posted: Fri Nov 14, 2014 12:01 pm
by sousaphone68
Tubajug wrote:
Dylan King wrote:Image
Whoa! Call me ignorant, but what is that? Some sort of compensating system?
I think it's a double tuba the rotary valves bring in a different set of slides to change the key of the tuba.

Re: Post a pic of the coolest tuba modification you have see

Posted: Fri Nov 14, 2014 4:39 pm
by Bandmaster
goodgigs wrote:"My kingdom for a photograph !"
I wanted to remind all that Joe Selmansbuger is another of a small group on this board who is willing to
Ignore the posability of failure and just build what he wants. He built the "Bloke o Phone". WOW !
I don't have the photo but somebody should post it as it is a turn of the century Busher sousaphone converted
to be a five valve, CC Helicon. It looks like a million - make that two million bucks !

Although I don't like "bling", of this bling I could sing !
(It also plays well)
Do you mean this Bloke o Phone?
Image

Re: Post a pic of the coolest tuba modification you have see

Posted: Fri Nov 14, 2014 6:07 pm
by David Richoux
I saw this guy playing on the Charles Bridge in Prague. It was made from a left rotor system and body of a valve horn.
backwards tuba.jpg

Re: Post a pic of the coolest tuba modification you have see

Posted: Fri Nov 14, 2014 7:45 pm
by Pete Link
Here's my "mini T" from another thread. It's in CC and essentially sounds just like a cimbasso.

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=63705&start=36" target="_blank


Cheers

Re: Post a pic of the coolest tuba modification you have see

Posted: Fri Nov 14, 2014 9:52 pm
by Tubajug
Do you mean this Bloke o Phone?
Image[/quote]

Thanks for the great picture! That thing is GORGEOUS!

Re: Post a pic of the coolest tuba modification you have see

Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2014 12:38 am
by Donn
David Richoux wrote:I saw this guy playing on the Charles Bridge in Prague. It was made from a left rotor system and body of a valve horn.
It looks to me like a normal rotary valve section made for the right hand, just grafted on to what had maybe been a top valve tuba.

Re: Post a pic of the coolest tuba modification you have see

Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2014 4:03 am
by David Richoux
Donn wrote:
David Richoux wrote:I saw this guy playing on the Charles Bridge in Prague. It was made from a left rotor system and body of a valve horn.
It looks to me like a normal rotary valve section made for the right hand, just grafted on to what had maybe been a top valve tuba.
Yes, but it became more like a backwards Tournister design with the lead pipe coming to the other side of the body. He said it was made from two horns that he happened to find in the junk bin - they had to make due with what was available while the Communists were in control.

Re: Post a pic of the coolest tuba modification you have see

Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2014 1:00 pm
by The Big Ben
The Sellmansburger Helicon is one of the most amazing horns I have seen.

I'd like a "baritonbasso" as shown earlier in the thread. Too bad I have no fabrication skills. Would a baritone/euphonium bell grafted onto a Wessex tournister make one of these?

Re: Post a pic of the coolest tuba modification you have see

Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2014 1:08 pm
by The Big Ben
KiltieTuba wrote:
sousaphone68 wrote:
Tubajug wrote:
Whoa! Call me ignorant, but what is that? Some sort of compensating system?
I think it's a double tuba the rotary valves bring in a different set of slides to change the key of the tuba.
Yes, it's a double tuba in F and CC. It uses a rotor similar to the old change valve on some European French horns.
That must be a beastly heavy horn. A player would have to be strong like Tommy to survive. Did he use it very much?

Re: Post a pic of the coolest tuba modification you have see

Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2014 2:02 pm
by bisontuba
KiltieTuba wrote:Image

It's technically a small-bore Eb tuba in flugelhorn/baritone shape, but you can call it a contrabass flugelhorn (though it's technically a bass flugelhorn). Not unlike Carl Kleinsteuber's contrabass trumpet, except that it has 90-95% conical tubing. It takes a tuba mouthpiece.
+1
Mark

Re: Post a pic of the coolest tuba modification you have see

Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2014 6:59 am
by pjv
:evil:

Re: Post a pic of the coolest tuba modification you have see

Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2014 8:49 am
by sousaphone68
This is the coolest tuba modification that I have seen combining plastic fabrication and custom made 4 valve block. Done by Brian Kane/goodgigs