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Oh come on Brett! This is too much waiting!, (if I feel like this... I just wonder how are you feeling...)

Not yet...

...

Of course we care!!!

The wait must be getting agonising! It only took 5 weeks to have my old King Monster completely rebuilt - including silver plating back in the 60's and that seemed like a long time.

Good things come to those who wait!

Joe, I was actually wondering if the tuba was shipped back to Venezuela.

But thanks, to all... it will be done soon, I do believe that. I haven't owned a working tuba since May, so I am more than ready to get this fixed and move on with life. Not how I wanted all of this to go down... but when do we ever get to choose that!

And.... it's back! Literally just picked it up from the shop.

Everything is fixed, looks nice, and the 5 notes I got to play were great. Looking forward to finally playing this tuba!

Congratulations!

Nice! Hopefully you’ve got some good before and after pics!

I probably won't have the after pics until Sunday or Monday. I don't have two boys, ages 3.5 and 1.5 years... so there was a lot of excitement and commotion last night around the tuba.

I'll have it at the St Paul TubaChristmas tomorrow afternoon, my first real chance to play it for an extended amount of time.

Actually Joe, that was the plan all along -- busted. Buy a tuba in early summer, wait 6 months, and then use it for the first time at TubaChristmas.

bort wrote: I'll have it at the St Paul TubaChristmas tomorrow afternoon

I've enjoyed following your story and very cool you are back in business! Now that your baby is finally dressed for the party, DO watch for those wayward shuffling feet, moving chairs, and anything else looking to take her down. I played a concert Friday night. As we were packing up, best I can compare it to was an old-time board game of mouse trap. I took my eyes off my tuba for a couple of seconds to pack up my music. I had placed my tuba in a spot which I felt was in the clear. Someone moved a rolling stand holder, which bumped into something else, which bumped into something else, which grazed a vertically standing trombone case, which fell horizontal only a foot or so from my bell. Whew, dodged a big one there. Be careful out there but most of all enjoy and have a great time!

bloke wrote:Have you dropped it down the stairs, yet?

Narrow backstage cement or carpeted home, either way a most distressing thought.

Although I did have to walk down a flight of snowy, icy stairs outside the church today... no, I didn't drop it. Actually, I had the tuba in the bag on my back, and carried my 16 month old son in front of me at the same time... and no, I didn't drop him either.

Here's a quick photo of the tuba:
I'll admit, this view looks pretty much the same as before, but no bell dents. Besides the dent work, there were other less visible issues that were discovered and addressed (leadpipe was very out-of-round, many bad solder joints/missing solder joints, air leaks (from the previous two issues), water key issues, and other things as well). None of those things are really visible from photos like this; it'll never be a pretty looking tuba.

The tuba is now fully repaired and fully functional and ready to go. Maybe a few minor tweaks left to do, but I think I'm all set for a while.

I used it at TubaChristmas today, and thought it worked great (from what I could tell -- obviously not the best place for "listening" or "musicality".) That was the first time I've played in a long time, so I SUCKED... but the tuba was a lot of fun to play, and I did well enough for TC and sitting in a church pew (TIGHT FIT!). Looking forward to rebuilding my chops!

bort was kind enough to let me play his new horn after the TC last night. Huge, crystal clear sound with minimal effort. Solid, open low range. I won't be surprised if the 2019 St. Paul Tuba Christmas will be bort and his 130-piece band.

Thanks Frank -- I believe your phrase was "You'll never struggle for volume"

Was great to meet you (and Brian -- opus37) as well!

I disagree.... I think that is a beautiful horn! I've only played one PT7 many years ago, and loved it!!!!

^ I think Bort's tuba looks good too, but he is kinda known to want his tubas looking "like new" as possible.

@ Bort -- If you wish to 'pretty up' your tuba a bit, you can have (probably someplace that doesn't take as long) some music shop or repair person clean/lightly 'buff' the raw brass parts and spot-lacquer them for not much money, or even try it yourself

Thanks guys!

Yeah, from a few feet away it really doesn't look too bad... it's a big tuba, and big tubas always have a lot of stuff that you sit next to, and you see all of it. There's a lot of lacquer (and other) wear, so no, it doesn't look new. That doesn't bother me really, it doesn't need to look new or shiny for me. It's just the evidence of repairs, and some of the raw brass/splotchy lacquer wear doesn't always look "pretty."

My last tuba was silver plated and like 98% condition. No, I don't expect the PT7 to ever look like that. I think it's just that I take really good care of my instruments, so they typically look good and stay looking good. This tuba's condition wasn't great when I got it, and I would have never let an instrument in my care get in that condition. But now that it's fixed, I don't intent to let it get back into any state of disrepair again. It'll be a little worn and show the wear and evidence of repairs. But it isn't going to change very much from what it looks like now.

BTW, I've had the PT7 for 1 week now. Still in the honeymoon period of course, but I like it a LOT so far!

Doc wrote:Bort,

I’d like to get my kaiser buffed and spot lacquered. Maybe we can get buff jobs, then compare notes, pics, and share some sound samples (still waiting for some sounds, bro... ). Or duets and beers sometime?

I forgot... I'll try to post something next week. Meet in South Texas in the winter...?

And probably no buffing and relacqering in my near future. I will say though, this must have been a great looking tuba when it was new!