TubeNet

their answer to the Olds O-99-4:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Reynolds-contem ... 2ee1006bb2" target="_blank

These horn must have been made when Reynolds was on it's last feet. My high school had two Reynolds Contempora tubas, purchased circa 1964. These were the ones with the spring loaded 1st valve trigger, that trigger being its only redeeming feature. Well, maybe not but I have no fond memories of those horns.

The 4-valve version of this horn doesn't show up too often. When I've played one of these or an O-99 recently, they always play better than I remember them in school.

ISTR bloke posting fairly recently that when he plays at a school, he always plays one piece on one of the school tubas to demonstrate that they're (usually) not as bad as the kids think. But as usual, the search function doesn't return anything.

Anyway, someone snapped it up.

Alex C wrote:These horn must have been made when Reynolds was on it's last feet. My high school had two Reynolds Contempora tubas, purchased circa 1964. These were the ones with the spring loaded 1st valve trigger, that trigger being its only redeeming feature. Well, maybe not but I have no fond memories of those horns.

The models with the 1st valve trigger were bigger, right? closer to King 1240 than Olds 099? A few have been hanging around on ebay at pretty high price, last time I looked, but I guess they'd been there long enough that it would cast some doubt on the prices. I'd trade a somewhat beat but playable King for one, though.

Alex C wrote:These horn must have been made when Reynolds was on it's last feet. My high school had two Reynolds Contempora tubas, purchased circa 1964. These were the ones with the spring loaded 1st valve trigger, that trigger being its only redeeming feature. Well, maybe not but I have no fond memories of those horns.

Granted that I haven't seen everything that was ever made... but, there were two varieties of the Reynolds 'Contempora' tubas. The ones I've seen with the first valve trigger were MUCH larger horns. Both of the horns pictures were badged 'Contempora'.