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A few months back I decided that I needed to try learning on an F tuba. Found an old (ca. 1920s) Cerveny on eBay, bought it and did a play condition "overhaul". It is wonderful and seems just perfect for me - I can play effectively as low as I normally do on my BBb's and the high range is much easier. As a bonus it only weighs 13 pounds.

Then recently a slightly newer Kaiser model of effectively the same horn showed up so I needed it as well. Kaiser weighs 3 pounds more, has a huge sound and needs BBb amounts of air (20.2mm bore vs. 18mm bore of the 4/4). I seem to be hooked on helicons.

Wow that's big, for a little F tuba. I had a Amati F, not nearly as old but still clock springs. It's the best for riding comfortably on your shoulder, very stable. As long as you fit the leadpipe.

Donn wrote:Wow that's big, for a little F tuba. I had a Amati F, not nearly as old but still clock springs. It's the best for riding comfortably on your shoulder, very stable. As long as you fit the leadpipe.

The 4/4 Cerveny is similar in size to the newer Cerveny/Amati heli's (the ones with the "straight" valve clusters) and I think the same bore of 18mm. I have a soft spot for old horns and these two are very good looking and both now function like new (valves, linkages and slides gone over).

I can deal with the lead pipes on both but am planning on adding a four or five degree "kink" to a mouthpiece for adjustment. Not bending but cutting a narrow pie sliver, bending and soldering back together. Will keep you posted on the success or failure of this.

Bigtubby best wishes for the neck alteration, (I would never attempt). Check around and see who can fabricate a neck to your specs. Your helicons look nice. I really like the balance and sound on most of the helicons I've played. I recently bought a French helicon BBb 3 piston Hilleron, reminds me of a 186. Pitch is available with a handful of alternates, very usable.

One of the best, BEST BBb horns of any shape that I've ever had the pleasure of playing is a
Böhm and Meinl helicon. The horn plays super easy through a wide range with lots of bass quality plus accessible colour. Thanks Dan S

Soon I hope to play the new Wessex helicons.

..I love my Sousaphones but ....the helicon makes more sense

Joe

groovlow wrote:Bigtubby best wishes for the neck alteration, (I would never attempt). Check around and see who can fabricate a neck to your specs. Your helicons look nice. I really like the balance and sound on most of the helicons I've played. I recently bought a French helicon BBb 3 piston Hilleron, reminds me of a 186. Pitch is available with a handful of alternates, very usable.

One of the best, BEST BBb horns of any shape that I've ever had the pleasure of playing is a
Böhm and Meinl helicon. The horn plays super easy through a wide range with lots of bass quality plus accessible colour. Thanks Dan S

Soon I hope to play the new Wessex helicons.

..I love my Sousaphones but ....the helicon makes more sense

Joe

Thanks! I could fabricate new or modify existing neck but they are both very close.

My plan is to modify a mouthpiece so that the cup isn't quite square to the shank. That way rotating it in the receiver (along with turning the neck) will allow a range of positions much like the "bent" tuning bits do.

FWIW before and after of the 4/4 Cerveny.

These photos only show what you can see - other work includes freeing badly stuck slides, fabricating a new lower lead pipe receiver, repairing broken solder joints, refitting valve pivots and snugging up the "S" links.

It is now a joy to behold as well as to play.

I have one in the key of F that's about the size of yours pictured on the left. it's huge with a bell more suited for a large BBb. The valves are just like the one on the right but they are all tapered. Carvery made some really cool stuff back then, way ahead of their time. It appears as though both of yours a f helicons.

mctuba1 wrote:I have one in the key of F that's about the size of yours pictured on the left. it's huge with a bell more suited for a large BBb. The valves are just like the one on the right but they are all tapered. Carvery made some really cool stuff back then, way ahead of their time. It appears as though both of yours a f helicons.

Yes, both are in F. The Kaiser (left in photo) is vaguely the size of a BBb - the bore is the same as Cerveny's 4/4 BBb tubas (20.2mm or .795" like the CBB-681 that the Miraphone 186 is modeled after) and the main bugle is BBb sized as well. It has a really nice, big sound.