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Interesting tuba acquired
Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2016 6:56 pm
by bisontuba
Hi-
Picked up an interesting tuba. It is an older Kaiser Alex 164 BBb 4 rotary tuba with detachable bell up and front from the late '50's:
Wish it was a CC, but oh well. Needs two bell flanges and screws replicated, new rotor screws, new water key spring, valves cleaned, aligned, and new bumpers, lime deposit removal (thankfully, the brass is not rigid but flexible so chem bath will do the trick), dent work, etc. Taking to my repairman tomorrow to leave it & have it done, then we'll see. Plays quite nice--everything moves and works.
HUGE tuba--.846 bore, upright bell 17.75", bell front 25.5"...The mthpce it came with, a Bach Mt Vernon 7, had sooo much electrical tape wrapped around it for the humongous receiver..
Mark
Re: Interesting tuba acquired
Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2016 7:10 pm
by bort
VERY cool!!
Re: Interesting tuba acquired
Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2016 7:21 pm
by T. J. Ricer
Now that is cool!
Re: Interesting tuba acquired
Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2016 7:29 pm
by circusboy
Re: Interesting tuba acquired
Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2016 7:38 pm
by Dan Schultz
Nice!
Re: Interesting tuba acquired
Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2016 8:04 pm
by Tubajug
That's a big ol' bore right there! Nice horn!
Re: Interesting tuba acquired
Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2016 9:32 pm
by bisontuba
Old 4v CC Mirafone 186 vrs 'The Beast'
Re: Interesting tuba acquired
Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2016 9:52 pm
by Tubajug
I was going to ask for a comparison photo, so thanks for reading my mind. That bottom bow is just huge! That's the part that really gets me!
Re: Interesting tuba acquired
Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2016 10:50 pm
by bisontuba
*
Re: Interesting tuba acquired
Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2016 10:53 pm
by Art Hovey
How's the high F (in the staff) pitch?
I tried one of them at the Alex factory in 1962, and that's what I remember.
Re: Interesting tuba acquired
Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2016 11:13 pm
by bisontuba
Right on!! For the size of this beast, it shouldn't be close, but this thing is remarkable...lucky find....
Mark
PS ...and that is with using a Kanstul Geib with A LOT of Teflon tape wrapped around the shank to fit the huge receiver....
Re: Interesting tuba acquired
Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2016 12:26 am
by Heavy_Metal
Alexander Über Alles!
(drool............
)
Re: Interesting tuba acquired
Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2016 2:27 am
by edsel585960
That is a sweet old Kaiser! Enjoy!
Re: Interesting tuba acquired
Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2016 4:44 am
by imperialbari
Congratulations!
How does it look with the recording bell?
Klaus
Re: Interesting tuba acquired
Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2016 6:26 am
by bisontuba
'Everything' is HUGE on an Alex Kaiser....
Re: Interesting tuba acquired
Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2016 7:58 am
by imperialbari
Thanks!
Klaus
Re: Interesting tuba acquired
Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2016 12:27 pm
by Ben
Great find. If we are ever in the same place, you can compare it to my 164 C.
Cheers! (and that Eb is still in my grasp, thinking of ways to get it in performing condition)
Re: Interesting tuba acquired
Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2016 12:33 pm
by arpthark
Cool, Mark! Where do you find all of these unique horns? Is there a cool-old-tuba wholesale warehouse I'm not aware of?
Re: Interesting tuba acquired
Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2016 12:56 pm
by Timswisstuba
If it is the horn I am thinking of this horn has already had a home in Buffalo before. It is a nice horn.
Re: Interesting tuba acquired
Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2016 1:35 pm
by bisontuba
Tim-
Nope--Scotty's old Kaiser WAS OLD---but he had banged it up so much that the bell metal would bend if you sneezed. I think it was turn of the Century--19thC. That was traded off to a guy in California years ago....
BTW, the present Kaiser horn is now at the repairman's.....
Mark
