TubeNet

Through some good luck and meeting an incredibly generous person, I came into possession of this horn:

http://s36.photobucket.com/user/timayer ... g.html?o=3" target="_blank" target="_blank

It's a Boston Musical Instrument Company BBb tuba from (what a quick search showed at least) 1916. The bell shows it as being made for the St. Mary's Band in St. John, New Brunswick.

All the valves work, and most of the slides move. It has a good, clear sound. It will take some getting used to the (very) small mouthpiece. The intonation is good, as long as I use 3rd valve instead of 1+2 on bottom-line G.

At some point I'll send it out for an refurbishment. There are some dents, and at least one of the sections of tubing is loose (brace missing? solder issue?). But I've never had a horn simply for the fun of the horn, and this one is tickling me. So I'm going to spend some time with it first.

I am very happy that a fine old tuba, and a part of our collective history as musicians that play the tuba, has a good home. Enjoy your "old timer" tuba!

Mark

Looks like mine, but a bit "newer":

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=86303" target="_blank

They are cool tubas, without a doubt! Mine is high-pitch, so I either have to play it with a period ensemble, or use a tuneable electronic piano, as I did on a recent recital.

I haven't had a chance to sit down with a tuner yet, but I suspect this one is playable in high and modern pitch. There are two removable tubes (one on each side) of the main tuning slide that add several inches to the horn. When I get a chance I'll take measurements and some more pictures of those and play around with a tuner. It may be that it plays in high and not-quite-as-high pitch, rather than 440, but I am optimistic.

JCalkin wrote:Looks like mine, but a bit "newer":

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=86303" target="_blank" target="_blank

They are cool tubas, without a doubt! Mine is high-pitch, so I either have to play it with a period ensemble, or use a tuneable electronic piano, as I did on a recent recital.

I was wondering if you found a way to perform on it! What did you play?

Tubajug wrote:

JCalkin wrote:Looks like mine, but a bit "newer":

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=86303" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank

They are cool tubas, without a doubt! Mine is high-pitch, so I either have to play it with a period ensemble, or use a tuneable electronic piano, as I did on a recent recital.

I was wondering if you found a way to perform on it! What did you play?

I did a little Beelzebub. Seemed fitting given the age of the horn, even if the Yamaha Avant-Grand we used to accompany it was a bit anachronistic.