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I just got married. I am pretty sure I will lose my ring if I take it off when I play. But I don't want it to scratch up my tuba at the first valve slide where I hold it.

Can anyone think of a good material to protect the outer slide from my ring without adding a new type of damage? A thick tape seems ideal, but I would think any adhesive that would actually stick will do more harm than good.

Congrats!

My vote is just leave the ring on, and whatever happens, happens. I cant remember ever scratching my tuba with my ring, and frankly, if you are keeping your hand there full-time, the sweat from your hand will wear away the finish eventually, too. I know what you mean though, at first it feels funny, but you'll get used to it.

Or, just stick the ring on your right hand when you play?

I took the habit of taking it off when I play. Actually it happened that more than causing scratches it was the ring that lost it's shine because of the continuous contact with the instrument. Moreover I really hated that ding noise everytime I happened to touch the bell with my left hand...

More young people these days are leaving their wedding band at home and are wearing these silicon bands instead. They can be gold colored and resemble a standard wedding band. Search online and you'll see many options.

I always took mine off very often -- I really don't like wearing rings -- and now, after 34 yrs, I've finally managed to lose it. I think I will eventually find it but I haven't seen it in 2-3 months.

+1 for silicon rings.

I wear them for work reasons, as my work environment is conducive to finger removal via wedding bands. Cheap, very replaceable, easy cleanup, and keeps digits intact. And doesn't scratch brass.

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I was actually hoping of something that would go on the tube rather than on the ring. Just not sure what...

Clear nail polish will provide a quick protection, may take a few layers to build up enough

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Buy another tuba, identical if possible.

Once a year, probably on your anniversary, send that to the shop to be refinished while you play the other.

Buying multiple tubas is far cheaper than getting your new wife mad. Just saying.

I cannot see a non tuba player understanding your obsession for not scratching a dented piece of metal being more important than your beloved wife's feelings.

They just don't get it.

There are people who wear a white glove to protect the tuba finish, and that would take care of the click. Also, you could tell your wife you bought it to keep the ring shiny.

Depending on your ring material, the tuba might be harder than it... my ring is gold, which is softer than the plating, so my ring gets scratched, not my slide. If you are really concerned, though, and don't want to remove your ring or wear a silicone one (my wife and I have silicone rings we wear at work due to risk of damage or getting lost), then a basic pleather wrap for the slide tip should suffice. There are threads on here that show how to make them. You might also be able to get a trombone hand slide protector and get it to fit the slide.

Get a ring tattoo. No clinking, doesn't scratch, no sticky tape necessary. It's forever. (this is forever, right?) And you won't lose it, unless you lose your finger.

Hup

bloke wrote:Something tells me that the Almighty probably won't condemn you if you decide that it's more practical to wear it on the other hand...

This is what I did, and I was never turned into a newt (as far as I can remember)...

In some other countries, it's customary to wear the wedding ring on the right hand all the time.

The late wrestler, "Ravishing Rick Rude" played a heel who was a woman chaser and a cad. In real life, he was anything but that. He was a happily married man with a family and wouldn't do his wife bad. "Ravishing Rick Rude" couldn't wear a wedding ring but Richard Rood refused to take his wedding ring off so, when he wrestled, he wrapped the base of his ring finger with athletic tape and a piece of pink flesh colored tape.

I suppose you could put a few layers of clear tape on the first slide or, when the nicks and scratches get too annoying, have the crook end of the first slide buffed and relaquesred. Shouldn't cost much if you even care by then.

That's an awesome degree of care! I wish my horns never got a bigger scratch than one from a ring. I wear a wedding ring and I couldn't say for sure if ever scratched anything. Getting in and out of rehearsal rooms accounts for almost every ding I've ever had.

I almost always have my diamond ring on, and sometimes I even need it to slap my tuba with it to help with percussive elements to the music. Then again, my tuba is so scratched and banged up, who'd notice if my ring added a scratch? After 24 years of marriage, wearing or not wearing a ring is irrelevant. I don't think I'd forget I was married just because nothing was adorning my finger. I think being a tuba player is enough to ward off any unwanted attention.

Apart from that, I also endorse the silicon ring or a tattoo. I love my bass clef tattoo and staff. Would be a cool ring tattoo, although tattoos on fingers not only hurt worse than any other location but also are more prone to fading/blurring. If you go that route, use only black ink, and know that it will probably blur.

basslizard wrote:After 24 years of marriage, wearing or not wearing a ring is irrelevant. I don't think I'd forget I was married just because nothing was adorning my finger
Apart from that, I also endorse the silicon ring or a tattoo.

Both great points. The OP just got married so it's more of an issue, I remember those days. I never knew of the silicone bands, great idea by many here. Although I dig tattoos, I've known three people with wedding ring tattoos and 2/3 regretted it YMMV

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My wife and I bought matching ones (for non-tuba reasons). Great decision all around.

My third valve slide ended up covered by a mass of shallow dimples (about an eighth of an inch across) from my wedding ring. The slide is Nickel/German silver, so it eventually tarnished to a dull grey surface.

Be careful what you use to shield the tuba: I laced on a leather guard over my top bow where I tend to grab the tuba when moving it about. The guard stayed there for about fifteen years (maybe twenty); it eventually started looking tired so I took it off to replace it, and found that something in the leather had taken off the lacquer and the top surface of the brass underneath, so I'm not sure the leather did any real good.

I considered binding it with handle-bar tape (from the bike shop), but the damage is already done, so there's not really much point, but in your case, maybe some plastic (non acidic) handle-bar tape, and a brief prayer to the gods of chemistry ? The tape I have in mind is not adhesive: you wrap it on to the handlebars (or valve slide) good and tight, then stick the free end down with a bit of sticky go-faster tape that comes in the package.

^ THATS the kind of thing I was thinking of.

Anyone have any clue if it will react poorly with the horn? (It's a lacquer MW 3450)

And the real question: if that works, what color of handle bar tape will give me the best tone?