Tuba Disaster!

[roughrider]

This past Saturday night was our final concert of the season. We performed at the oldest and largest church in the downtown area. After a program which featured Bach and Verdi, everyone packed up their instruments and began to leave. I exited through a back door which led down at least twelve very narrow stone steps. At the bottom of the steps and very close to them was our moving truck for all of the equipment. The rear door of the truck was open with the lip of the bed exposed. As I was moving down the steps I tripped and ended up airborne heading for the lip of the truck bed face first. I realized I needed to protect my face so I lifted the bag up and put it in front of my face. The bag and tuba inside it acted as an airbag and protected me as I slammed into the truck. I then somehow ended up spinning and landed flat on my back on the pavement. I have been very sore since then and I just returned from our fantastic local instrument repair person. The bell of the horn has been bent
down significantly on one side and their is a very large crease on the back. The valves and slides have not been affected. Kevin looked at the horn for a long time and whistled as he surveyed the damage. He said to come back in about ten days. Kevin is a terrific repairman and I trust him completely however this thing looks like a truck hit it or to be truthful it hit a truck. Anyway, hope springs eternal for my VM1 103 4 valve BBb tuba. I am lucky that I have my King horn to play on in its place.

[bort]

Ouch! That really stinks! But glad you are okay though! Tubas can be fixed WAY easier than people.

[If memory serves correctly...] Roger Lewis was in a bad car accident a few years back, and the mangled tuba behind him literally saved his butt. I believe he sent the tuba back to the factory to be rebuilt, and I'll bet he'll never part with it.