missing the tubing between the fourth valve and the main tuning slide, and the slide itself. Looks like the rest of it is there. Price is a bit high for its condition, but maybe he'll drop it if it doesn't sell the first time............
Principal tuba, Bel Air Community Band
Old (early 1900s?) Alexander BBb proto-163
1976 Sonora (B&S 101) 4-rotor BBb
1964 Conn 20J/21J BBb (one body, both bells)
1970s Marzan Slant-rotor BBb
~1904 York 3P BBb Helicon
Old Alex Comp.F, in shop
Principal tuba, Bel Air Community Band
Old (early 1900s?) Alexander BBb proto-163
1976 Sonora (B&S 101) 4-rotor BBb
1964 Conn 20J/21J BBb (one body, both bells)
1970s Marzan Slant-rotor BBb
~1904 York 3P BBb Helicon
Old Alex Comp.F, in shop
Principal tuba, Bel Air Community Band
Old (early 1900s?) Alexander BBb proto-163
1976 Sonora (B&S 101) 4-rotor BBb
1964 Conn 20J/21J BBb (one body, both bells)
1970s Marzan Slant-rotor BBb
~1904 York 3P BBb Helicon
Old Alex Comp.F, in shop
What is the risk on the horn in the above link being that it is all the way in Germany? I have actually contacted the seller and this is the response I received.
Hello,
I do not play, so I dont know if it is playable at the moment. I guess it needs service before it is playable. Please see the describtion: "The instrument is in used condition, with several big dents and bents. (please make sure you see all pictures) . I guess it is not in playing condition at the moment! Two slides are moveable. The valves are moving quite easy and fast, but may need a drop of oil. One of the braces is missing (not a big thing for a repair shop to fix"
Best regards,
Frank
I'm actually looking for one of these tubas but I am hesitant about rolling the dice on this one. Any opinions?
As with any used tuba, it's best to figure on spending several hundred dollars to get it properly serviced. Keep that in mind when you bid. There are several dents in that horn that look critical, especially the big one in the leadpipe. Also, some of them were tuned a bit flat, but that's an easy repair- see the second link in my original post. Bloke or TubaTinker could be more specific.
But these horns are known to be good players, and some can be very good. If you have a good relationship with a good shop, that may tilt the balance in its favor.
For the record, my Sonora is basically the same tuba, though newer. So I'm just a bit biased
Principal tuba, Bel Air Community Band
Old (early 1900s?) Alexander BBb proto-163
1976 Sonora (B&S 101) 4-rotor BBb
1964 Conn 20J/21J BBb (one body, both bells)
1970s Marzan Slant-rotor BBb
~1904 York 3P BBb Helicon
Old Alex Comp.F, in shop
For sure, the apparent condition of this tuba puts it in the fixer-upper category.
The seller has been around for a long time and sells a lot of old brass out of Germany. I'd trust him to put up a pretty accurate auction, and to know how to get it to you overseas fairly economically. Of course that can always go wrong, but at worst ... well, it needed fixing anyway. I've bought something from him, an F helicon, but I think one of our forum members may have actually visited his place while stationed in Germany - it's in a nice town near Stuttgart, I think.
Principal tuba, Bel Air Community Band
Old (early 1900s?) Alexander BBb proto-163
1976 Sonora (B&S 101) 4-rotor BBb
1964 Conn 20J/21J BBb (one body, both bells)
1970s Marzan Slant-rotor BBb
~1904 York 3P BBb Helicon
Old Alex Comp.F, in shop
My opinion -- I think this is all a LOT of trouble to go through for very little gain. There isn't exactly a shortage of old German tubas here in the US.
Well I bought a B&S 101 that was within driving distance today. My american shank mouthpiece is too small for the receiver. It came with a GBH stamped mouthpiece that does fit but is pretty rough. Do these tubas take a European shank or something larger?
Not sure exactly what size the GBH shank is, but this isn't the first time we've heard of an older B&S taking a larger size shank. Minkrott's tuba (referenced in the second link of my original post) has the same size receiver. By the mid-70s when my Sonora was made, a standard American-shank receiver was at least an option since that's what mine is.
Here is a link to an earlier discussion of shank sizes, with dimensions that you can check yours against. Matt Walters, who is referenced in that thread, would be a very good person to contact if you're looking for a mouthpiece to fit your horn- he works at Dillon Music.
Principal tuba, Bel Air Community Band
Old (early 1900s?) Alexander BBb proto-163
1976 Sonora (B&S 101) 4-rotor BBb
1964 Conn 20J/21J BBb (one body, both bells)
1970s Marzan Slant-rotor BBb
~1904 York 3P BBb Helicon
Old Alex Comp.F, in shop
