TubeNet

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=74966&p=601931&hili ... on#p601835" target="_blank ?

There is one measurement that will determine the X/4 of a tuba. The circumference of the bell at the bell/bottom bow ferrule. 19"+= 6/4 17-18.9"=5/4 less than 17"= 4/4

I was always curious to find out how a smaller bore valve set would work on a 6/4 horn. I've seen (via the internet, never in person) more than 3 with a King .687 bore set added on to them during a conversion process.

I've got to imagine the most difficult part would be adapting the bore at the dogleg (usually around .812 or thereabouts on the Holton and York, excepting the Martin) to the smaller King large size tuning slide of .750.

FWIW, every Martin 6/4 tuba I've played (more than a few) don't seem to suffer at all from the smaller bore valve sets they sport.

Thank you Stryk, that is very nice of you to offer. Believe it or not, I've never been to Florida, but my daughter is in Ft. Lauderdale right now on vacation with her new husband....

I really like the 20" bell on that horn. The 6/4 Yorks came with a 22" bell (excepting the 2 Chicago ones, of course), and believe it or not, those two extra inches make a big difference in projection (and not necessarily in a good way....)

bloke wrote:There were some King .750" bore valvesets - both on a few tubas and (more often) on some sousaphones.

I've seen that as an option in the old H.N. White catalogues, but I've never seen one in captivity....

There were 5 silver four valve Short Kings with .750 bores when I was at West Point. They also had a 1241 and this difference in the length of the valve stems was very noticeable. They blew and sounded great but all the guys played on their own Mirafones or Meinl Westons. I used one quite a bit and our section leader used to refer to it as "that Arnold Jacobs horn". They went to the crusher while I was still there.