HELP! Conn 32J middle register tuning

[tuba_jon]

Hi everyone,

I just got back into playing tuba after being away from it for about 12 years. I decided to go back to college for an IT degree but joined the school's wind ensemble to get back into shape playing.

I'm currently borrowing a 4-vale BBb Conn 32J from a friend. My main issue is that while the horn holds its tune perfectly in the upper/lower registers... The F/E/Eb on the horn are all literally 1/2 a step flat. Originally I thought it may have just been my chops needing to come back but even with all the tuning slides all the way in, the horn won't get those three notes to play.

As a stop-gap I've been using 2-3-4 for F, 2-4 for E, and 1-2-4 for Eb but it's not really a permanent fix. I've had the other two tubists try the horn out and they're having the same problem.

What in God's name could cause a horn to have pitch issues with just these three notes? Again the Bb/A/Ab are all in tune above and below these problem notes, and then D/C are fine too.

Help!

-Jonathan

[Lee Stofer]

This could possibly be caused by a leak at a particular joint in the instrument, a dent in just the wrong place, or a solder glob at just the wrong place. This would probably take a bit of inspection to find and correct, but a 32J is certainly worth repairing!