Odd leadpipe and valve slide layout

Bandmaster · Post by **Bandmaster** » Sat Dec 02, 2006 7:33 pm

Look at this old Vega tuba. Can someone explain the concept behind the tubing arrangement used on both the leadpipe and the valve slides?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0060161991

The leadpipe is REALLY long and what is that weird looking wrap above the pistons?

quinterbourne · Post by **quinterbourne** » Sat Dec 02, 2006 8:27 pm

Makes my fingertips hurt looking at that thing.

Chuck(G) · Post by **Chuck(G)** » Sat Dec 02, 2006 9:24 pm

I've got a French-made Eb stencil horn that has a 32" long leadpipe. Terrible player--the octaves don't even line up.

tubaguy9 · Post by **tubaguy9** » Sat Dec 02, 2006 10:42 pm

quinterbourne wrote:Makes my fingertips hurt looking at that thing.

EEEh...not that bad. The only problem is that it doesn't have valve buttons. If you're a repairman, you can fix that.
Here's the troubling thing for me:

VEGA SOUSAPHONE

And this is what a sousaphone looks like?

Last time I knew, a sousaphone looked like this:

But then again, maybe it's my eyes again (viewtopic.php?t=17609)

windshieldbug · Post by **windshieldbug** » Sat Dec 02, 2006 11:33 pm

Aw, c'mon, everybody knows that you play a Vega sousaphone flat, and to the left side...

Bandmaster · Post by **Bandmaster** » Sun Dec 03, 2006 7:33 am

Me thinks that this was some lame brain attempt to make a Bb out of an Eb. All that extra leadpipe has to be there for some reason. If you look at the rear view it has a fairly short tapered body like an Eb tuba would have.

Shockwave · Post by **Shockwave** » Sun Dec 03, 2006 12:34 pm

Is that a Buescher sousaphone valve section? I bought an extremely old Eb bass saxhorn from a guy who had been using it in the key of BBb. All he did was secure the 4th valve with tape and pull the tuning slides waaay out. It actually did work, but the horn does play a bit better in Eb.

-Eric

windshieldbug · Post by **windshieldbug** » Sun Dec 03, 2006 1:38 pm

If you need more confirmation, check out the ex-mouthpipe soldering line right where it should be for top action (plus the old 3rd valve slide mounting scars... )

iiipopes · Post by **iiipopes** » Sun Dec 03, 2006 10:37 pm

And the strange bend in the inner bow right at the valve block.

Brassdad · Post by **Brassdad** » Sun Dec 03, 2006 11:31 pm

[quote="Scooby TubaThat's classic! So, there really is a little "truth" in their advertising!

There's probably some "Chevy" Vega in there, too![/quote]

Beat me to it.

But if you buy it, you could go here for practice....

windshieldbug · Post by **windshieldbug** » Sun Dec 03, 2006 11:43 pm

Scooby Tuba wrote:There's probably some "Chevy" Vega in there, too!

KevinMadden · Post by **KevinMadden** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 7:50 am

I hear this was designed by, and played first by a very famous man!

Vincent Vega?