A Musician's Hangout
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I wonder where you put in the blank DVD?seller wrote:Besson Recording Tuba
What a novel concept -- three top valves plus a change valve on the side! Looks almost exactly like a compensator.The Big Ben wrote:http://cgi.ebay.com/Besson-Recording-Tu ... dZViewItem
What a jumble of tubes! The seller says that it is an EEb/BBb horn. Push a valve and more tubing gets put in to make it play in BBb.
Have a look.
What'll they think of next -- maybe using a "copper-zinc alloy" instead of that common old "brass" stuff? 
Well, to get a double tuba then, you probably have to swap out the tubes in the amp!the elephant wrote:No, no, no … It is reel-to-reel!windshieldbug wrote:I wonder where you put in the blank DVD?seller wrote:Besson Recording Tuba
The Big Ben wrote:The seller says that it is an EEb/BBb horn. Push a valve and more tubing gets put in to make it play in BBb.
I am just amazed at how widespread this "fourth valve=double tuba" misconception is. You see it over and over, especially on eBay. I have a section mate who is under the illusion that the purpose of the flat whole-step fifth valve on his high-priced German rotary CC is to turn it into a BBb when you would need that kind of magic. When I suggested it was really just to improve his lower register intonation, I got a blank look.clueless eBay buyer vs. clueless eBay seller Q&A wrote: Q: Are you sure the 4th valve changes this to BBb? Typically it would take the key down 7 steps to the key of "F" (duplicating the 1 & 3 valve combination). You're saying this one only drops the tone 3 steps. The tubing coming off the 4th valve appears to be too long. Mar-13-08
A: This model is a compensating horn. Playing first and third transfers the air through a different set of tubing that puts it in tune. The fourth valve changes it to BBb.
Not going to lie.. the first time I saw a CC tuba with 5 valves i thought the same thing... I was in middle school though FWIW.WakinAZ wrote:The Big Ben wrote:
I am just amazed at how widespread this "fourth valve=double tuba" misconception is. You see it over and over, especially on eBay. I have a section mate who is under the illusion that the purpose of the flat whole-step fifth valve on his high-priced German rotary CC is to turn it into a BBb when you would need that kind of magic. When I suggested it was really just to improve his lower register intonation, I got a blank look.
Eric "who did not bring up the subject again" L.
Truth be told, that's what it really IS... the rest of the horn just doesn't play so well in tune then!KevinMadden wrote:I had a friend who is a Euph-ist and recently bought her first Euph, its also the first 4 valve (3+1) Euph she's played. She thought that the little cap that holds the fourth valve down when the horn's in its case was for when you wanted to play the horn in F!
It works fine, though, as a compact, easy-to-handle-and-transport "substitute alphorn" ...windshieldbug wrote:Truth be told, that's what it really IS... the rest of the horn just doesn't play so well in tune then!KevinMadden wrote:I had a friend who is a Euph-ist and recently bought her first Euph, its also the first 4 valve (3+1) Euph she's played. She thought that the little cap that holds the fourth valve down when the horn's in its case was for when you wanted to play the horn in F!
, but yeah there sure is a lotta tubing there, so I guess this is the rare true double tuba. Sheesh, what a maintenance nightmare. I agree. 4 valve compensating tubas (and euphs) are double tubas just as much as compensating double french horns are. Maybe that wasn't the goal of the Blaikely compensating system. They were likely not sold as "double tubas" but that is indeed what they actually are.J.c. Sherman wrote:This is a recording bell version of the typical Besson Imperial Eb. And it is a double tuba - a compensating double in Eb/BBb. Could've been a good value - just need a YEP 321 bell for it.
J.c.S.
