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Re: Rudy carcass...

Posted: Tue Nov 12, 2013 8:37 pm
by bort
How does this happen? Remains after a crunched valve block? Almost like seeing a junker Rolls Royce, it just seems wrong to see a Rudy in this condition.

Re: Rudy carcass...

Posted: Wed Nov 13, 2013 3:41 pm
by eupher61
Well. .. Phillips does replating etc. While sad and unusual it seems not too unlikely that this would show up there.

Re: Rudy carcass...

Posted: Wed Nov 20, 2013 1:08 pm
by Lee Stofer
Yes, the Rudolf Meinl bells are quite hard, which makes them play with York-ish tendencies, but also makes them pretty brittle.
Unfortunately, some repair technicians in the Dept. of the Navy found that out the hard way.

When I was stationed in Norfolk, VA, I discovered that the Navy way of doing business had been that, if a Navy-owned instrument was being turned in for disposal, they would cannibalize it to stock parts drawers.

After I retired from the Army, I think bought the 5/4 carcass that Bloke mentioned, and earlier this year had it completely restored by Rudi, Jr. It had to have a new bell, and a number of valve parts were missing. The process was not cheap, but Rudi upgraded an early-'80's 5/4 BBb with the latest mouthpipe, thumb ring and other parts, and made it an absolutely exquisite horn, probably even more so than when it was new.

During the time I was at the School of Music in Norfolk, I repaired and put back into service two Rudolf Meinl tubas that had left an Army Band, and had been transferred to the School. One was this same 5/4 BBb, and the other one was a 4/4 BBb. When I bought the 5/4 from Mississippi, included in the loose parts with that horn was a full set of 4/4 Rudi rotors, back bearings, back caps, stop arms, etc. So, to whoever bought the 4/4 carcass on Ebay yesterday, I think I have the valves to your horn! I also happen to have in stock a new valve lever-and-linkage set, and thumb ring for that horn.