4 or 5 valves?

[Tubajug]

I can probably already guess your responses, but with the Eb tuba I'm wanting to build, I'm really debating whether I should go for 4 or 5 valves.

I'm trying to do it entirely on my own and honestly, the linkage business is what scares me the most. I've got two 3-valve sections (big THANK YOU to Dan Schultz for finding a valve set in his spare box!) I'll be using to build a 4 valve block with, but I've really been grappling with whether or not I want to go to the trouble or expense of adding a rotor as well.

My other thought is that I've already got everything I would need to build it as a four valve, whereas if I go for 5, I'd need to save up for, find, and purchase more stuff.

Fire away!

[hup_d_dup]

Can you design the wrap in such a way that it would be easy to add a 5th valve at a later time? You would give yourself more time to confront the scary linkage.

Hup

[Tubajug]

Four it is! No solos for me, thank you. I imagine this being my polka horn and general, not wanting to lug a big horn, horn.

[Tubajug]

I'm not familiar with a quint valve, but I assume it's tuned lower than the standard 4th valve would be, making it possible to play those lower pitches without a 5th valve?

[Tubajug]

Well shoot....I might just have to go for five valves anyway.... I don't think my brain could handle any more fingerings with a different fourth valve configuration.

If I put the fifth valve right after the valveset, it would need to be 0.656 bore valve. I'd have to measure the large side of the MTS if I put it there.

[DouglasJB]

My Eb (now traded) was had a tritone 5th valve, a few of you have seen the video posted on Facebook.

[Tubajug]

I remember that horn! That's similar to what I'm doing. I'm putting Conn 12J valves on an old King Eb body.

[Tubajug]

bloke "I can't believe I'm being nerdy enough to check this forum."

Well I certainly appreciate all the "nerdiness" around here, it's very helpful. I think I'll proceed with the 5-valve setup. Linkage for that might be easiest right after the valveset, rather than on the other side of MTS. I'm thinking of doing it the way Sam Gnagey does on his horns:



(Picture is borrowed from a "For Sale" ad to show the type of linkage I've got in my head).

That kind of linkage looks easier to manage than when the rotor goes on the large side of MTS.

We'll see though! Thanks for all the input folks!