What to Do with My New Tuba?

[Getzeng50s]

I say You should Practice it as for the AGR, im getting one tomorrow.. its comming alreadyattached to the new tuba i just bought Hehe i feel like a kid in a candy store. awwww yea

[JayW]

Well, Silver will tarnish, although with a good polish it can be kept to a minimum. Gold will not tarnish as it is naturally unreactive, of course the $$$$ you are talking for gold plating a tuba would probably be quite hefty. But if you are willing to pay out the $$$ then go for it. As for doing the "two tone" thing , that is something an experiences plater should have little trouble with, or at least make it look like it was no trouble. Although he is not around these days, Kelly O'Bryant had his yamaha pretty much a two tone....with the main bodt of the horn silver and gold slides, etc... sounds like you want the opposite, which i imagine is equally doable. Perhaps contacting Andersen Plating would be more hlpe in terms of practicality and of course the all important $$.

let see some pics when you are done with it ....and congrats on the new horn

[tubeast]

Well, my brother has been playing this real nice big silver plated Bach bass-bone for fifteen years now. He uses something called "Miracle Cloth" soaked with some kind of detergent and simply wipes his horn off every two weeks or so.
The horn looks as good as new, although he said at some places the brass is starting to peek through the plating.
He also commented that the silver will tarnish less if he makes sure he keeps it out of the daylight as much as possible.
I, too, am looking forward to getting a glimpse of that finished horn of yours.

Hans

[Rick Denney]

I don't want to lacquer it. I'm considering silver-plating or gold-plating. The supposed benefits of silver-plating are not things which I want. Do silver-plated tubas tarnish? If I gold-plate the instrument, is it possible to keep certain parts silver-plated (since silver-plating is first)? For example, the things on the valve slides and the 'Mirafone' ring around the bell.

The only benefit from silver-plating is that it looks better, and that is a matter of taste only. Any other differences will are related to other differences, or are myth and lore.

You have given a new case study in the phrase "gilding the lily". Gold plating on a Miraphone would cost more than the instrument, and it would wear quickly. The gold alone would cost close to $3000, plus the cost of plating and preparation. I think you're looking at between $4000 and $5000, even if you could find a place to do it.

And to do it right would suggest silver-plating it first, so you can probably add to my amount.

Both require the same preparation as lacquer, which is a complete buff job.

By the way, the silver-looking bits on a Miraphone are solid nickel-silver, not silver-plated. If you had the horn plated, you would definitely want to plate over those parts. They need lacquer to keep from eventually turning gray.

Silver does tarnish if it is exposed to air. You can prevent that for a long time by keeping it sealed in its case when not in use.

Were it me, I would just remove the remaining lacquer, polish it out once, and let it age naturally.

I'm also thinking of a Dillon adjustable gap receiver. I have read a bit on old TubeNet about it. "They" say that it is supposed to help change the resonance and articulation of the instrument, but others say that it would help me to fit my American shank mouthpiece into the European leadpipe. If it can do both then I will be happier. Has anybody tried to uninstall one of these?

The AGR is used to adjust the gap between the end of the mouthpiece shank and the joint between the receiver and the leadpipe. It's not used to accommodate different shank tapers. But an American-shank mouthpiece should fit fine in a Miraphone--My Conn Helleberg fits fine in my 186. The euro-shanked Laskey does not fit as well in the Miraphone (though it's acceptable), but it's perfect in the Holton. Try it before you decide it doesn't fit. I would rather replace the mourhpiece or receiver outright than spend more for an AGR, unless it's the qualities of the AGR that I want.

Rick "who thinks gold plating is for Chuck Daellenbach only" Denney

[Rick Denney]

So I'll have to ensure that my teacher knows what they do. I'm having difficulties getting clear tounging at certain times and so it may be useful in any case.

If you are having difficulties with clear tonguing, I don't think the AGR will solve your problem. But if you have an Alex receiver and want to be able to use normal mouthpieces, you're going to have to do something.

One thing I would consider is replacing the Alex leadpipe and receiver with a Miraphone leadpipe and receiver. It probably won't cost more than an AGR and it may solve more problems. The German instruments usually don't have a joint between the receiver and the leadpipe (Miraphone may be an exception), and the AGR isn't necessarily appropriate with that design.

I'm a little confused by this instrument. I don't recall a Miraphone with a tuning slide that goes straight out the bottom. The valve branches look Miraphone. Oh, it's a 190. Nevermind.

Rick "who'd rather have an Alex bell than leadpipe" Denney

[Thomas Maurice Booth]

You could get the satin silver one the bulk of the horn and get gold plated accent or shiny silver polish accents...then you'd be big pimpin' homey...

Bling Bling,

Thomas "Gansta Man" Booth
Aerospace Engineer and Professional Pimp