Vintage Russian tubas

[Gus_Pratt]

I've bought 3 Russian tubas and one helicon off of eBay. I didn't pay a whole lot of any of them. The helicon I paid $300, plus $140 shipping, and the 3 tubas I paid about $160 each plus $120 shipping. These were all from the same seller in Ukraine, not the seller in Belarus. They all needed a little bit of work, but not much. Bell is likely to get damaged some in shipping as they are thin metal, but also easy to repair. These were basically early St. Petes and played exactly like the St. Petes. The one that I liked the most had the Soviet state quality mark. The valves were a lot better, and it had a bigger bore. I'd suggest looking for the quality mark as it was the Russian quality control system.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_qua ... f_the_USSR" target="_blank

[sugawi]

Regarding helicons, all I see on eBay and other sites are Ukrainian that we’re made in Kiev. I haven’t seen any that were made in Leningrad, Russia. I have one that was made in 1950 and that one is different from the other half a dozen or so I played from 1950’s and 1960’s. The one from 1950 has a larger bore by around 3 millimeters then other ones I played. All of them were good players with large bore being my favorite.

As far as Russian tubas made in Leningrad there’s much more information available. I would not limit Leningrad (St. Petes) tubas that have USSR (CCCP) quality mark as better ones. From my research all Leningrad tubas from 1979 to 1984 had that mark and other years didn’t. After 1982 quality was inconsistent but I would evaluate each instrument individually. Also I haven’t seen any Ukrainian helicons with quality mark. But from what I remember all helicons I have seen were made before 1978.

Here is some information from blog in Russia regarding Leningrad tubas, I’m posting below some rough translation.
http://tuba.bbcity.ru/viewtopic.php?id=111

Before 1962 Logo on the bell with just letters with 4 digit year of manufacture.
From 1963 Logo as treble clef (on trumpets it from 50’s)
From 1968 price listed; 3 valve BBb 200 rubles, 160r for Eb.
From 1969 Year is recorded as the last two digits of the number
From 1976 Logo on the bell as lyre inside the ellipse.
From 1980(1979?) Soviet state quality mark on the bell added.
Throughout year 1984 there are many changes; appears Logo of lid of grand piano, year of manufacture disappears,
quality mark becomes large
and then disappears. In the same year appears the first production 4v BBb, with price of 378r. In regards to instruments of those years I have heard only swear words from tuba players.

In 1987 price changes, BBb 3V 220r, Eb 185r.
In 1990 there is a new old label, the price disappears.

[Dan Schultz]

I bought a very early raw brass four rotor BBb 'Leningrad' (pre-St. Pete) a few years back. The rotors were typical pre-Tuba Exchange ... meaning the machine work was horrible aside from being worn out. Vinnie did A LOT to bring these horns up to standards. It was so old it had aluminum bumper plates and stop arms. I bought five brand new raw brass rotors from the Tuba Exchange and the horn turned out to be excellent. I should have kept it. Those .83X" rotors haven't changed in decades.

I wouldn't be afraid to buy another one now that I know parts are still basically the same.

[sugawi]

Some more information on history here:
http://www.tuba.org.ru/int.php

Here is a rough translation (with help of google translate) of interesting events on how tubas were chosen and an amazing skill blind person had to design a mouthpiece by feeling face and lips of a musician. I have read that there were several custom mouthpiece makers but non of them were allowed to leave their names or initials due to strict government laws.

In 1957, 9 tubas from the Leningrad factory of musical instruments were sent to the All-Union Competition of Musical Instruments. The competition was held in the State Academic Bolshoi Theater of the USSR - "behind the screen". On all 9 tubas played V.Dosadin. They selected 3 tubas. After the contest, one of these tubas was acquired by Big Symphony Orchestra, the other by performer himself and another by Bolshoi Theater. V.Dosadin played on his tuba throughout his entire performing activity and was very pleased with it. * The mouthpiece, in which V.N.Dosadin played for 30 years, was made back in his student years by Moscow master Samsonov. This master was blind and was not a musician, but he had such an extraordinary talent that he could, feeling the face and lips of the performer, then carve (handmade?) the mouthpiece, which exactly matched the musician.

http://www.tuba.org.ru/kniga20.php

[edsel585960]

I recently bought a helicon off the seller in Ukraine. Needed some work but I did not pay that much for it to begin with. He does an excellent packing job and the shipping is pretty fast considering it's coming from halfway around the world.

[kingconn]

What is the bore of the Eb. The reason I ask, I saw an old BBb with a bore significantly smaller than the St Pete BBb.

[Gus_Pratt]

Thanks for the info everyone. Good to hear the experiences have been somewhat positive. The helicons interest me the most since it seems like an easy and cheap way to own one. Good to hear the sellers are reputable too.

The way I got around the concern on whether the seller was reputable or not is I bought a $20 item from the guy for Ukraine first, and once that arrived with no glitches I went ahead and took the plunge for a helicon.

[groth]

Thanks for the info everyone. Good to hear the experiences have been somewhat positive. The helicons interest me the most since it seems like an easy and cheap way to own one. Good to hear the sellers are reputable too.

The way I got around the concern on whether the seller was reputable or not is I bought a $20 item from the guy for Ukraine first, and once that arrived with no glitches I went ahead and took the plunge for a helicon.

Tell me you didn't buy the bronze bust of Stalin too?

[Gus_Pratt]

Thanks for the info everyone. Good to hear the experiences have been somewhat positive. The helicons interest me the most since it seems like an easy and cheap way to own one. Good to hear the sellers are reputable too.

The way I got around the concern on whether the seller was reputable or not is I bought a $20 item from the guy for Ukraine first, and once that arrived with no glitches I went ahead and took the plunge for a helicon.

Tell me you didn't buy the bronze bust of Stalin too?

I did not. I bought one of the cute glass figures for a friend who collects glass octopi.

[ken k]

Anyone have an Eb helicon they would like to sell???

ken k

[Gus_Pratt]

Anyone have an Eb helicon they would like to sell???

ken k

The guy on eBay from Ukraine just listed one for $250 plus shipping.