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Hey folks, long time lurker here. I am primarily a trombone player, more bass trombone than tenor these days, and I recently started playing a lot more tuba. I own an Olds 099 (3 valve) that is pretty beat up. I got it on Craigslist about 5 years ago for $400, just for fun! At the time, it was barely playable so I let a buddy tinker with it and he used epoxy to seal a leak in the lead pipe. I took it to a repair guy to do some minimal soldering to make sure the thing would hold itself together, and I ordered some new springs and felts. So it works, and I'm only ~$500 in for a tuba! But it is quirky.

I'm starting to play it a lot more in a chamber ensemble to hold down bass lines when the bass bone just doesn't punch enough (it's brass quartet + drum set, and we play silly -- but sometimes really challenging -- pop/rock/jazz arrangments), and its flaws are starting to glare.

Not being a regular tuba player, and not knowing enough about tubas in general, I'm drawn to the shiny, affordable Wessex line. First the Mighty Midget, but then after some reading, I'm thinking about the Mosel. My question is though, should I invest in the Olds rather than buy new? Is it a decent enough horn with some love? I think it needs a new leadpipe, some valve work, and several slides pulled, at the minimum. Dent work in the bottom bow would also be good.

Considerations: as a doubler and not a large human, smaller is better for me. Are parts even available for the Olds anymore? Would it end up being a big custom job that would cost an arm and a leg? Could I get something that plays well out of the box for less hassle? Could I even find anyone to buy the Olds off me or will it just take up space anyway?

And a bonus question: surely a different mouthpiece would help on the Olds. I'm playing a Bach 18. What do you suggest?

I have an Olds 099-4 which is the same horn but with 4 valves. The guy who sits next to me in the band has the 3 valve model.

A Bach 18 should work fine. I have tried a Bach 18 and, while the sound is good and it is very playable, I prefer the funnel cup of a Helleberg. I use a Schelke Helleberg and the other guy uses a Denis Wick but offhand, I don't know which model. I used a Conn 120 Helleberg for a few years and was offered the Schalke and like it. We both get lots of sound out of our horns. Not quite sure what you mean by quirky because we have pretty good intonation and sound with ours. Physical condition makes a difference.

There were about a million of these made and, if in reasonable condition, it should do fine. The lead pipe can be replaced with a generic one that a competent tech bends to fit. If there are large dents, it is entirely possible that there are air leaks at the end of the dents. A tech can push them out and patch/repair any leak. Valves can be lapped or refurbished.

Is it worth it? I don't know. It is your money. Wessex and Mack and a few others make horns which are a lot of value for the money and they sell lots of them to people who like them. The Mosel is $1600 in brass and a few hundred more in silver. The Mighty Midget is about $2000 in lacquer and a few hundred more in silver. You could get a lot of repair work done for $4-500. If you are a bass bone player who wants to double casually, the Olds in good condition should be fine. But, again, it's your money.

If you like it, then I'd say hell yes. Mine played a whole lot better with the replacement leadpipe, and a valve alignment - that's a simple inexpensive procedure that lines up the piston with the tubing at the valve ports. You don't likely need a fourth valve, and if you don't need a shiny nice looking tuba, you might be done right there.

Would need more details on alleged quirks. Until then it should be a far more solid joint than those others you're looking at.

And this tuba is sensitive to a too-shallow mouthpiece, a Helleberg 120S will eliminate that. For quintet with high stuff I bet a slightly smaller helleberg would be a good all-rounder, like Wick 2L or Schilke 67.

I had a Conn 2 with mine, which is similar to a Conn 7B but with not so flat a rim. Faxx makes an fhb 7B that would do, if you can find it - the brand seems to have disappeared somewhat from online catalogues over the last year.

climbingoddess wrote:
Not being a regular tuba player, and not knowing enough about tubas in general, I'm drawn to the shiny, affordable Wessex line. First the Mighty Midget, but then after some reading, I'm thinking about the Mosel.

I'm torn between those as well.

Go for the pencils, CD, hat AND the pen/stylus/light!!



I've been advised that the Conn/Helleberg is the way to go with smaller tubas.

Which is OK because I like the way they feel better anyway!!

I'm rather partial to Olds 99's. They play big for their size and don't break your back when you pick them up. I have a mighty midget. It's a cool little horn and has good sound (better with microphone) but it's no Olds. I would probably stick with the olds or try to use it as a partial trade for a Bach like bloke suggested. In the end, if you really like the horn you have, fix it and enjoy it.

If you can get it fixed up to your liking for another $500, then do it. I would not put a total of over $1,000 into that tuba though, if it were me.

About 17 years ago, I had one of these -- it was missing the 3rd valve and a valve stem was broken off but otherwise just a few small dents. It had been given to my high school band director. He told me he was going to use it as a planter in his garden, which I thought was a dumb idea for something that was generally not in bad shape. I asked him if I could have it instead, and he agreed, on the condition that I get it repaired and come back to play it for him.

So, I spent about $900 to get it repaired (fix the valves, new leadpipe, and some other work), and it really played quite nice for what it was. I came back the next year and sat in with the band to play it, and he was pretty surprised that I actually fixed it.

About 5 years later, when I decided to move on to something else, I got $700 for it as a trade-in, so I figured for $40 per year, I owned a pretty decent tuba... and that ain't bad!

bloke wrote: just fwiw...
A tuba built this well - and in the USA - today would surely have to cost (new) $6500, minimally.

Two Similar USA built instruments new: Conn 12J (3v) w/case $6200 Conn 5J(4v) w/case $6700

Mine is the 4 valve version and it had some mods done to it before I bought it. It's great as far as I'm concerned. I primarily play in quintet now and it's perfect. I use a Bach 18 but after the previous posts, I'm going to try my helleberg again.

Thanks all, this is great advice & info. The quirks I am referring to are the trouble it has centering pitches. It could absolutely be operator error, but I haven't had to work this hard on other tubas. It's totally playable, I just have to wrestle with it more than I want to.

I think I'm going to commit: have it looked at by a repair tech -- setting a budget that feels reasonable -- and try some different mouthpieces. Seems like she's probably a keeper.