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Re: Alex CC

Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2019 12:03 pm
by bort
It's beautiful! This tuba didn't sell the first time around -- I can imagine a 3 + 2 setup is not going to be popular with many people. Not to mention, this pretty much makes slide pulling impossible (if slide pulling is needed).

Re: Alex CC

Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2019 1:55 pm
by bort
I noticed that too about the gold/yellow brass. Didn't bother me, and personally, I'd bet that apart from playing it next to 100% yellow, 100% gold, or the opposite combination... it wouldn't really be much of a consideration later on if you like the tuba.

I've thought about this Alex for a little while now, and I wouldn't mind owning it, at least for long enough to try it out and make my own opinions. After you spend 6 months to buy and repair a tuba from Venezuela, few things seem like bad ideas anymore... :roll: :)

Re: Alex CC

Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2019 4:49 pm
by Mark Horne
I agree with Wade that the better setup is the rose brass bell with yellow brass body - which my Alex has. This horn was discussed on another thread here and I had noted that one of the left hand valves appeared to be a long half step instead of a whole step and I observed that you wouldn't be able to play low Db assuming 1-3 were standard. Someone else had posted that there are 3+2 French/Belgian systems that have a 3rd valve as two whole steps. Looking more closely at the 3rd valve tubing (there have been other pics of this tuba on the 'net) I believe this to be one of those having two whole steps for the 3rd valve (and thus fully chromatic to the pedal C). I could handle a 3+2 arrangement, but certainly not a two step 3rd valve. I would imagine that this horn would have very limited application in the US without some significant mods.

Re: Alex CC

Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2019 5:10 pm
by bort
This is what they told me when I asked about the valve setup:
The main 3 valves are normal and what you would expect. The first of the other two valves (Left hand) is a standard "F-valve" (down a perfect 4th). The second LH valve lowers the pitch a major 2nd.

Re: Alex CC

Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2019 2:10 am
by Mark Horne
Wichita Band is a credible company and I don't believe that they would intentionally mislead anyone. However, there are a few things about their ad that I find problematic. They also have this tuba listed on Reverb.com and that is where larger pictures can be seen. They say the LH 2nd valve is a major 2nd, but unless there's an optical illusion, I see that valve tubing as clearly shorter than the 1st valve. This makes a long minor second a more likely case. Also the third valve tubing has a pronounced additional arc (reminiscent of the old style 4th valve loops), that looks to be significantly longer than the 3rd valve on my own Alex (there only needs to be another foot or so of tubing to make two whole steps). They also state that there is no serial number but guess the age to be 1995-2000. As I understand it Alexander has been using serial numbers since the late 1970's. The valve linkages appear to be of an older vintage, and in addition the rotor cap engravings are not of a recent vintage, but more along the style that I have seen in older (early '70's or before) Alexander horns.

It would be great is someone could play test this thing and confirm what the real setup is.

Re: Alex CC

Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2019 1:01 pm
by bort
Mark Horne wrote:Wichita Band is a credible company and I don't believe that they would intentionally mislead anyone. However, there are a few things about their ad that I find problematic. They also have this tuba listed on Reverb.com and that is where larger pictures can be seen. They say the LH 2nd valve is a major 2nd, but unless there's an optical illusion, I see that valve tubing as clearly shorter than the 1st valve. This makes a long minor second a more likely case. Also the third valve tubing has a pronounced additional arc (reminiscent of the old style 4th valve loops), that looks to be significantly longer than the 3rd valve on my own Alex (there only needs to be another foot or so of tubing to make two whole steps). They also state that there is no serial number but guess the age to be 1995-2000. As I understand it Alexander has been using serial numbers since the late 1970's. The valve linkages appear to be of an older vintage, and in addition the rotor cap engravings are not of a recent vintage, but more along the style that I have seen in older (early '70's or before) Alexander horns.

It would be great is someone could play test this thing and confirm what the real setup is.
Thanks Mark. Yeah, simplest answer here is just to play the thing. Or -- gasp -- maybe call them on the phone and ask (I can make phone calls on this thing too?!). :tuba: :tuba: