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I've 'reversed' several tubas and doing it with a euphonium shouldn't be too difficult. Start with any brass 'beater'. Take it apart and reassemble the bugle reversed. Switch the first and third valve circuits and bend a new leadpipe.

Schilke used to custom make left hand horns from top action Yamahas.

This is where a trombone has an edge over a euphonium. You can assemble it either way. (assuming no trigger)

I did that when I injured my rotator cuff, played trombone left handed a couple of years.

Mark,

I am taking delivery of a Wessex Festive in the next two weeks. We should take a look and see if this valve setup might work. It looks like the valve front might work for reaching around.

Mark Finley wrote:I just remembered she said she has lost control of entire right arm. Might make controlling a slide or even just holding a trombone backwards difficult

That would be a problem. There is some embouchure control that generally occurs with the support hand.

Yeah, I have done it a few times. In my opinion, Kings are the best models for this kind of procedure. front action is easiest and ends up with the bell facing the same way as standard top action euphoniums.

Best Regards

D.C. Oberloh
http://www.oberloh.com

Dan, that King is absolutely beautiful - if it weren't for the engraving, one could be fooled into thinking they are looking at an exact reverse image - - -

Beautiful yes, but reversing that valve block must have been quite a chore!
I had an informal student a few years ago who was playing a front-action 3-valve baritone horn left-handed.
I had a top-action horn (also 3 pistons) which found to be much easier to play left-handed, so we swapped.

I have a euphonium that I found years ago in a Goodwill store that had been turned around to be left-handed. I usually play it at TubaChristmas every year. (Time to get it out; this is the only time I play.) It is an approximately 100 year old Grand Rapids (York stencil) top valve horn. I don't know about posting pictures on here.

My granddaughter just started in band on trumpet this year. She is left-handed, so I want to keep it for her if she ever wants to play a real instrument.

If you have the skills and tools to disassemble and solder back together a horn, like others who do those things say, it should be fairly easy to reverse one.

alfredr (rank amateur)

Mark Finley wrote:I just remembered she said she has lost control of entire right arm. Might make controlling a slide or even just holding a trombone backwards difficult

I guess that would rule out a "marching" euphonium, out of the box, but that might be an interesting starting place for a conversion.

Art Hovey wrote:Beautiful yes, but reversing that valve block must have been quite a chore!
I had an informal student a few years ago who was playing a front-action 3-valve baritone horn left-handed.
I had a top-action horn (also 3 pistons) which found to be much easier to play left-handed, so we swapped.

This topic came up before awhile ago. I have a 3v top action BBb and I looked at it to see if it could be played left handed. Well, it could but a little ungainly. If the valve black was rotated 30-40 deg. it would be easier to operate the valves. The lead pipe would have to be modified or replaced and the bracing would need to be modified. So, a lot of effort for? Dan's front action was a lot of work, too, but it came out really nice.

Seriously, has changing to the french horn been considered? The valves operate with the left hand and, if the right hand could be put into the bell, it wouldn't have to do much (for a beginning/average school player) except sit there.

Mark Finley wrote: I'm tempted to find a three valve yamaha and flip it. I would imagine the hardest part would be reversing the bend in the lead pipe.

A replacement pipe from Allied filled with pitch shouldn't be too expensive and you can bend it how you like.

In my collection I have a nice left-handed baritone. It is an upright bell front-action Holton, from 1925, satin silver in a molded hardwood case. Totally original.


I bought it for the novelty, and because I played the right-handed version of the same horn in high school.
It has served its purpose, having been to a couple of TubaXmases and survived some Oktoberfest action.
I might be willing to sell/trade or do a reasonable rental for a worthy cause such as this. It's better that it gets played by someone who really needs it.

aqualung wrote:... I might be willing to sell/trade or do a reasonable rental for a worthy cause such as this. It's better that it gets played by someone who really needs it.

A wonderful offer.

I’d be willing to pitch in some funds to help her out.
Mark, let me know if you move forward on it and how I could contribute.
‘Tis the season (just about).

Mark,

I would also be happy to pitch in for such a great cause. As Kirley said "tis the season"

With tubas, they make the convertable top action, where you change the leadpipe to but it on your shoulder. is the joint symmetric, such that you could mount the leadpipe on the other side of the bell for left-handedness?

If not, do they make a left-handed leadpipe? Not that i know anything, and it may be close, but not truely left-handed if slide pulling is considered.

Anyway, best of luck in left-handed endeavors! Lemme know if i should be helping, beyond randomly speculating. on the nature of things.

There is certainly value in ambidextrous tubas. For what it is worth, in street bands, the sousas you can reach valves with your left hand means arm hand signals can be passed on without being blocked by the bell. Even so, it is still more awkward.