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My next tuba build

Posted: Sun May 10, 2015 1:25 pm
by bububassboner
Well since I'm wrapping up the first build now and I'm still waiting for parts for two other build I decided to see what I could build from parts on hand. Holton monster Eb Bell, bottom bow, and top bow. Some random BBb bows and a miraphone 186 valve section and I got a little horn. Currently it's just a bit low of B but I'll do some cutting and get the pitch up to C. The wrap is a little out of the box but I was only work with a small box of parts. I'll post more photos as I get closer to finishing it.

Re: My next tuba build

Posted: Sun May 10, 2015 3:51 pm
by Ulli
Your big toes are nice. :lol:

Re: My next tuba build

Posted: Mon May 11, 2015 4:17 pm
by Billy M.
From the looks of it, it appears that the 4th valve slide will be behind a main branch. Much like a few others around here, I've always found the way that Miraphone routed the 4th valve on their BBb 186's to be a pain in the *** to deal with. You may want to consider rerouting that, if possible, so it isn't a hassle to work around.

Cool project. I have a Rusk-cut front action Chicago Holton Eb. Intonation is a little "fun" but the sound is classic York.

Re: My next tuba build

Posted: Mon May 11, 2015 4:45 pm
by Bob Kolada
Cool horn! Can't wait til SGM sees it. :mrgreen:
Billy, does your horn have a 20" bell, 4 front pistons, and a lengthened main slide?

Re: My next tuba build

Posted: Mon May 11, 2015 4:59 pm
by Billy M.
Bob,

Yes, that's the one.

Re: My next tuba build

Posted: Mon May 11, 2015 6:50 pm
by Bob Kolada
Nice! I know the guy that had it built, I've played it, and heard it many times. That's one of the best sounding horns I've ever heard. Different to my ears than the same guy's Yorks, fwiw.

Re: My next tuba build

Posted: Wed May 13, 2015 1:29 am
by Billy M.
I really enjoy it. The privileged tones are very good. 4th valve is a little stuffy (typical of bass tubas), and 2nd valve has weird intonation but the sound is something special.

Re: My next tuba build

Posted: Thu May 14, 2015 2:19 pm
by Tubajug
Very cool! If you could put the tuning slide at the top, you would have a "tune on the fly" system like some Marzans!

Re: My next tuba build

Posted: Fri May 15, 2015 9:50 am
by bububassboner
Billy M. wrote:From the looks of it, it appears that the 4th valve slide will be behind a main branch. Much like a few others around here, I've always found the way that Miraphone routed the 4th valve on their BBb 186's to be a pain in the *** to deal with. You may want to consider rerouting that, if possible, so it isn't a hassle to work around.

Cool project. I have a Rusk-cut front action Chicago Holton Eb. Intonation is a little "fun" but the sound is classic York.
Actually I made it so all the branches are behind the top bow. That way the rotor section could sit a little deeper in the horn. So no slides are behind and branches.

Re: My next tuba build

Posted: Fri May 15, 2015 9:51 am
by bububassboner
Tubajug wrote:Very cool! If you could put the tuning slide at the top, you would have a "tune on the fly" system like some Marzans!
I thought about that but this was a "parts on hand" horn. Had to get creative with it.