TubeNet

http://www.ebay.de/itm/130647614605

5th valve looks like having a long semitone loop.

Seems like a lot of work to try to make one of those things play in tune!

The point of bringing this link was related to somebody’s ideas about the ideal euphonium being front action, non-compensating, and having pitch controlling options to get the range a tritone above the open pedal in tune. A long 4th slide pull was suggested.

This sample has two other solutions to this pitch controlling issue.

The placement of the trigger on the 3rd slide over the 4th slide is not entirely obvious to me. Maybe technical reasons, maybe a desire to control 23 fingerings with a 3rd slide set to exactly a minor third.

My preference for the 5th slide would have been a long whole step, but the long semitone is known from the Sansone type 5 valve single Bb horns. I have seen a Miraphone Symphonic (?) 3+2P non-comp euphonium with a long semitone in the 5th slide, so the idea is not unique.

Where I see this sample as unique, is about the bell front plus 5 pistons and no 2nd smaller bell. The American 5 pistons samples I have seen documented all had the 5th piston as the change valve for 2nd bell.

This instrument was custom made by a smaller boutique shop. Its 442Hz pitch is referred to as being low. But when played brittle and loud it will come up to pitch.

Klaus