TubeNet

Sometimes your mind is less transparent than your tuba, Brian. So in a way I read your post as a statement of love.

Glassl is defunct now after several generations of makers. The last owner retired some years ago, but I spoke with him on the phone back in 1997. His instruments had a good reputation, so he was able to sell his very costly oval Baritone with leadpipes out of Sterling silver and with a tilted tuning slide for the 4th loop allowing for the slide pulling y used in tuba playing.

I haven’t heard the valves of the Glassl fibre tubas being bad, yet I set one obvious reason for them being vulnerable. Normally rotary valves are secured within a pretty stiff main frame of brass tubing. The fibre frame may flex a bit forcing the knuckles to squeeze the rotor casings just a tiny bit out of round.

Klaus

There is a German word for instruments specially decorated for use in festivals, carnivals, etc. The word escapes me at the moment, but this instrument seems to be specailly constructed for festival use and probably fits the definition.

This one is in the Bavarian colours.

The word you are thinking of might be Guggenmusik, which to my knowledge is more at home in eth northern Rhineland than in Bavaria.

Klaus

That is the word--thanks. And, you are right, this one is decked out in Bavarian white and blue. Same concept, though, I think.