Long Island CL: "Kaiser" Tuba
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This is for posting links to off site deals that you are not personally selling,but wanting to pass along good deals
This is for posting links to off site deals that you are not personally selling,but wanting to pass along good deals
- bort
- 6 valves
- Posts: 11223
- Joined: Wed Sep 22, 2004 11:08 pm
- Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Re: Long Island CL: "Kaiser" Tuba
Take it to a reputable shop, set a budget, and have as much done as possible. Always start with a cleaning and go from there.
If you do decide to replace the valve linkages, have it done right, and don't slap on some cheap Chinese parts. Hopefully the bell isn't too bad, and there is still a lot of life left in this old tuba!
If you do decide to replace the valve linkages, have it done right, and don't slap on some cheap Chinese parts. Hopefully the bell isn't too bad, and there is still a lot of life left in this old tuba!
- sugawi
- 3 valves
- Posts: 399
- Joined: Sun Jan 25, 2009 12:00 am
- Location: Below the staff
Re: Long Island CL: "Kaiser" Tuba
To me looks similar to the one on the left:
Taken from B&F section here:
http://www.schneideruwe.de/tubamuseum.html
- sugawi
- 3 valves
- Posts: 399
- Joined: Sun Jan 25, 2009 12:00 am
- Location: Below the staff
Re: Long Island CL: "Kaiser" Tuba
I guess that's what the most fascinating to me about this tuba. I had 4/4 size Miraphones, Cervenys but this loud woofy dark rumble is something I've been looking for all my lifeGregTuba79 wrote:That thing is awesome, does it play really "woofy" though? I know from seeing different Kaiser's playing in person and Youtube because of that huge .855 ish bore they have more of a dark rumble than their smaller B flat counterparts.
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- 4 valves
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- Joined: Mon Jul 20, 2015 1:48 pm
- Location: North Eastern U.S.
Re: Long Island CL: "Kaiser" Tuba
Congratulations on a really nice find!sugawi wrote:I guess that's what the most fascinating to me about this tuba. I had 4/4 size Miraphones, Cervenys but this loud woofy dark rumble is something I've been looking for all my lifeGregTuba79 wrote:That thing is awesome, does it play really "woofy" though? I know from seeing different Kaiser's playing in person and Youtube because of that huge .855 ish bore they have more of a dark rumble than their smaller B flat counterparts.
The springs are fascinating. It looks like it has the gears for the thumbscrew adjustable clock springs, but thumb screws are gone and someone has squeezed in more ordinary springs to serve. And yeah, the compressed spring for water key is unusual too!
That instrument has a lot of character.
Play your heart out on it!
And thanks for posting the schneideruwe.de link, as it might prove useful to me!
Thanks for playing!
- sugawi
- 3 valves
- Posts: 399
- Joined: Sun Jan 25, 2009 12:00 am
- Location: Below the staff
Re: Long Island CL: "Kaiser" Tuba
Took it to Tim's Music (Sacramento) and Scott was there to look at it. The bell can be repaired and price is reasonable. There are several patches on a lead pipe and few other spots need to be checked for leaks and dents removed. When it comes to valve assembly he recommend Alexander, approx $1000 in parts and another $500 intallation/modification. He didn't recommend less expensive St. Pete's so Chinese were out of the question. Valve action is clunky and loud, so at least some adjustments will need to be done.bort wrote:Take it to a reputable shop, set a budget, and have as much done as possible. Always start with a cleaning and go from there.
If you do decide to replace the valve linkages, have it done right, and don't slap on some cheap Chinese parts. Hopefully the bell isn't too bad, and there is still a lot of life left in this old tuba!
- bort
- 6 valves
- Posts: 11223
- Joined: Wed Sep 22, 2004 11:08 pm
- Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Re: Long Island CL: "Kaiser" Tuba
Very cool! In my opinion, if it's something you want to use long-term (which it sounds like it is), then it's worth paying a little extra for quality parts.
It just brings to mind a certain classic Alexander I heard of a little while ago... which had been retrofitted with an inferior set of Chinese linkages. It was a real head scratcher to hear that such an extremely high quality instrument was quick-fixed with a low-quality part.
It just brings to mind a certain classic Alexander I heard of a little while ago... which had been retrofitted with an inferior set of Chinese linkages. It was a real head scratcher to hear that such an extremely high quality instrument was quick-fixed with a low-quality part.
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- 5 valves
- Posts: 1716
- Joined: Fri Jul 20, 2012 10:42 pm
- Location: Baltimore, MD, USA
Re: Long Island CL: "Kaiser" Tuba
One that was recently for sale at Baltimore Brass?bort wrote: It just brings to mind a certain classic Alexander I heard of a little while ago... which had been retrofitted with an inferior set of Chinese linkages. It was a real head scratcher to hear that such an extremely high quality instrument was quick-fixed with a low-quality part.
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
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
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- 6 valves
- Posts: 2790
- Joined: Tue Oct 10, 2006 9:37 pm
Re: Long Island CL: "Kaiser" Tuba
The action may be fine after the springs are tree built. Dan Schultz did my (since sold) F helicon and they were amazing afterwards. Not expensive either.
- sugawi
- 3 valves
- Posts: 399
- Joined: Sun Jan 25, 2009 12:00 am
- Location: Below the staff
Re: Long Island CL: "Kaiser" Tuba
Thank you for all advice. Even if I would go the least expensive route I would definitely try to fix current mechanism instead of throwing anything Chinese at it.
Previous owner was able to use it as is and he was so much better player than me. He was even playing this tuba in movie sets ("Enchanted", "Another You").
I have time to decide what to do since everyone seems busy with repairs for school season.
Previous owner was able to use it as is and he was so much better player than me. He was even playing this tuba in movie sets ("Enchanted", "Another You").
I have time to decide what to do since everyone seems busy with repairs for school season.
- Alex C
- pro musician
- Posts: 2225
- Joined: Fri Mar 19, 2004 10:34 am
- Location: Cybertexas
Re: Long Island CL: "Kaiser" Tuba
Great picture of the clocksprings and the adjusters! Thanks.
City Intonation Inspector - Dallas Texas
"Holding the Bordognian Fabric of the Universe together through better pitch, one note at a time."
Practicing results in increased atmospheric CO2 thus causing global warming.
"Holding the Bordognian Fabric of the Universe together through better pitch, one note at a time."
Practicing results in increased atmospheric CO2 thus causing global warming.
- MusicSmiths
- bugler
- Posts: 31
- Joined: Sat Jul 09, 2016 1:16 pm
- Location: Round Rock, Texas
Re: Long Island CL: "Kaiser" Tuba
The lyre holder reminds me of the tuba discussed here: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=78712&p=623492&hili ... an#p623492" target="_blank
Unfortunately most of the pictures are now missing... But my memory - such as it is - remembers seeing that lyre holder on that tuba.
Unfortunately most of the pictures are now missing... But my memory - such as it is - remembers seeing that lyre holder on that tuba.
David Smith
Wessex BBb Grand (5 valve)
Wessex Festivo
Wessex BBb Grand (5 valve)
Wessex Festivo