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Well, I got to sub on tuba last night in a local community orchestra on Tchaik #6. Woo hoo! I don't have designs on the tuba position because I'm not that fond of performing (unless he actually wanted to give it up) and am happy to just go in and sub. I admit I took a couple hours and wrote in all the fingerings on xerox copies of the parts, because I only know about 1/3 of them so far, and it was necessary. I know from past experience that it will take me 2-3 months to get really, really solid on fingerings with all the key signatures. Parts of T6 are in five sharps....and that is a lot of valves mashed on an Eb tuba. A# being open, etc.
I still think this is one of the finest instruments on the planet, and definitely the perfect one for me. What a range the thing has....and all of it easier than on any other tuba I've ever played. Woo hoo again! T6 goes from G below the staff to D above the staff, so you get to use a whole lot of that range.
I'm getting it ultrasounded today, because I seem to be getting some kind of sinus bug every time I play it. It "looks" clean but who knows what is down in the works, and I find it impossible to not at least partially inhale through the instrument. So ultrasound it is, forthwith.
I am in love, drastically in love.

MaryAnn wrote: Parts of T6 are in five sharps....

I always liked rehearsal better too!!

New tuba.
Orchestra sub.
Tchaikovsky 6.

Sounds like a great day to me!

Yup. And now back from the ultrasound, cost $60 and he rolled out some very minor bell dents to boot. The string repair guy there said when the brass guy got the tuba out of the bag, he had to put on his sunglasses.

Oh, and when I picked it up, the brass guy first showed it to me, then put the bonnet on, then set the bag on end and lifted the tuba up with one hand and lowered it into the bag, like it was made of styrofoam or something. I cannot even lift the tuba with one hand, much less hoist it above the bag and gently lower it with one hand. Along with not being strong enough, I am not tall enough. Still trying to find an appropriate case for me that doesn't involve intense effort just to get it in and out.

I bet if you spent your days repairing tubas, after a while you'd be plenty strong!

MaryAnn wrote:Yup. And now back from the ultrasound, cost $60 and he rolled out some very minor bell dents to boot. The string repair guy there said when the brass guy got the tuba out of the bag, he had to put on his sunglasses.

Oh, and when I picked it up, the brass guy first showed it to me, then put the bonnet on, then set the bag on end and lifted the tuba up with one hand and lowered it into the bag, like it was made of styrofoam or something. I cannot even lift the tuba with one hand, much less hoist it above the bag and gently lower it with one hand. Along with not being strong enough, I am not tall enough. Still trying to find an appropriate case for me that doesn't involve intense effort just to get it in and out.

Lee Stofer showed me a trick that might work for you when I got my new horn from him. Put the bonnet on the bell, then stand the tuba on the bell. The bag should just drop over it then. Worth a try.

That is actually how I ended up doing it, with the top loading bag. Still very awkward for me. However, I took advantage of a seasonal online sale and have a new MTS 1204 that is supposed to arrive soon, with easy local return should it not turn out as hoped. Hopefully the combined weight of case plus tuba is not too much for me to get in the car; my guess is that it will be half my own weight. Even you strong guys, imagine hauling around and lifting something half your weight every time you want to take it somewhere, and with your strength cut in half. The 283 is heavier than my 184 was, or I am weaker, or both. But with a wheeled case I think both I and the tuba will be safer.

Oh and the ultrasound got a lot of grunk out of the leadpipe, and some stuff out of the valve section. I imagine it was the stuff in the leadpipe that was giving me problems. Only the Shadow knows what grows.....

oh, and the result of my unwitting audition on Tchaik 6 is that I am now the tuba player for that orchestra. Just like that. I think the resident player, who is known to have "spouse problems" in terms of going to rehearsals, found my willingness to play the out he was looking for. So whew that really WAS quick. I think we have Pictures coming up in the spring.....but I have played it before. Would prefer to pass Bydlo on to the trombone section rather than attempting it on the euph again. Yikes.
And I admire his dedication to his marriage but wish, for his sake, that his spouse could understand a little better.

How we must suffer for our art...

<to the audience>

"We've suffered for our art...
Now, it's YOUR turn"

And now.....the MTS 1204V's description says it fits the NStar. It does not; the tuba is an inch too long and an inch too wide to go in this case without sitting on the lid. I hope you have a great mental picture of what a tuba would look like after a person sat on the lid of a hard case to get it to shut.

Edit: it is not the MTS site that says it fits the NStar, but tuba and other vendors who say so.

Great pic, Mary Ann. And the NStar looks nice too.

MaryAnn wrote:the tuba is an inch too long and an inch too wide to go in this case without sitting on the lid. I hope you have a great mental picture of what a tuba would look like after a person sat on the lid of a hard case to get it to shut.

In theory it will only take one or iterations of this and you're done - perfect fit after that. Might be worth thinking about another way to go about it, though - if it were just too wide, OK, but the too long issue might be better done some other way than sitting on the case. Calling Dr. Procrustes ...

Perhaps you might want to consider an Accord Case. Lightweight carbon fiber and custom fit. Can be used as a flight case, hard case and a gig bag - can be worn backpack style.

Expensive, but then again you own a very nice expensive horn.

TubaJoe (Joe Exley) on this board has one. viewtopic.php?f=2&t=46462

Thanks. The expense, since I'm retired, is an issue, and I doubt I'll ever travel with it. I'm just trying to find an easier way to haul it about town than the otherwise fine Altieri top loader on my back, with me tottering dangerously across the parking lot. Leaning towards a small hand truck and some bungies.

I admire his dedication to his marriage but wish, for his sake, that his spouse could understand a little better.

Music is a demanding mistress.