Well some kid...

[Richardrichard9]

Decided to use my tuba case as a chair.

My high school band takes a trip down to the elementary school (attached to the high school and middle school) every year to show off our instruments and such so they can choose one for the next year. Because of the elementary only being down the hallway a bit, we all take out instruments out of our cases and carry them down there, along with that we take ALL the chairs and stands from the band room.

I Latched the fabric handle on my case, but didn't zip it up, and set it upright. Well some idiot kid comes along, and decides since there are no chairs, that he will take my tuba case and lay it on it's back, and sit on it where the bell is.

Since the case wasn't zipped up, the pressure from his weight blew apart the zipper breaking it in two pieces. Meanwhile (thank god she was in there) my sister and a few of her friends witnessed this.

I am not sure if there are anyways to fix the zipper without taking it completely off, but I definitely want this kid to pay for what ever needs to be done to fix it.

Does anyone know a way I could go about getting this fixed? Where and such. It was a BRAND NEW case that came with my BRAND NEW tuba in December. The case alone costs $500, so I don't care if it is just a zipper, it really shouldn't have gotten broken.

[Todd S. Malicoate]

Zippers aren't difficult to fix. Anyone reasonably adept at sewing can replace one.

Perfect argument for not even having your personal horn at the school...too many students have no respect for other people's (or the school's) property. Sitting on a tuba case? Idiot is certainly an appropriate adjective.

Understand, I'm not blaming you for what happened, and I agree with you that the "kid" in question (wouldn't he have been a high school student since he was in the high school band room?) should pay for the damages, but I hope you will re-think using your personal instrument and case at the high school in the future unless you can put your equipment in a secure location 100% of the time. You were fortunate the only damage you've experienced to your very expensive instrument and case is the zipper...next time it could be a huge dent in the horn. Leave them at home and use a school horn at school!

[Richardrichard9]

The kid was a 7th grade student. The school I go to is very small, and most of the rooms in the high school and middle school are shared. There is only one band room between the middle school and High School.

Last year, when I bought this tuba, I made the choice, for both college reasons and for personal reasons, to start playing on a C tuba. And my school doesn't have a C tuba. So I would have to resume playing the BBb tuba if I left my horn at home.

My tuba IS locked up in a room while not in use. I was told the room would be locked up while we were in the elementary school, so I felt no harm in leaving my case in the corner, seeing it was supposed to be secure. Our presentation ran into 3rd period (wasn't planned to), and that is when the 7th/8th grade band has their class.

[Todd S. Malicoate]

I was told the room would be locked up while we were in the elementary school, so I felt no harm in leaving my case in the corner, seeing it was supposed to be secure.

Exactly my point...you were counting on other people to secure your property ("they told me the room would be locked up"). I'm telling you (through personal experience as well as seeing it happen to many others) that you must take personal responsibility to never leave your equipment where there is the slightest chance someone could damage it.

Last year, when I bought this tuba, I made the choice, for both college reasons and for personal reasons, to start playing on a C tuba. And my school doesn't have a C tuba. So I would have to resume playing the BBb tuba if I left my horn at home.

You only play one hour (I would assume) in band class at a "very small" high school. Surely you can negotiate that time on a Bb tuba, and spend a larger amount of practice time on your C tuba at home. Just think, you'll be fluent in both in no time...that can be a very handy skill to have in college.

The choice is, of course, yours. I just think, perhaps, the damage to your case was a wake-up call. I don't want you to have to post sometime in the future about how you "just went to the hall for a quick drink" and somebody picked up your tuba and accidentally dropped it. Next time you're in the band room, take a look around at the school instruments and note the condition they are in. Need I say more?

[sungfw]

Since the case wasn't zipped up, the pressure from his weight blew apart the zipper breaking it in two pieces.

How did the zipper break? Did the slider itself break, or did the sides simply separate?

If the slider broke, you can get a replacement at any fabric store.

If the sides separated, it's an easy fix as long as none of the teeth are broken or missing: remove the stop at the bottom, unzip completey (pull the slide off the bottom), realign the sides, re-attach the slide, re-attach the stop. Ten minutes, max.

Zipper tape is cheap. If you want to DIY, REI sells it by the foot:

YKK #10 Tooth Zipper - $1.60/foot

YKK #10 Coil Zipper - $0.55/foot

YKK #10 Coil Zipper - $0.95/foot

Fabric stores are likely to charge about half of that.

If you want it doen professionally, take your case to a luggage repair shop. They replace torn/broken zippers on luggage all the time. Won't faze them in the least.

[tubafatness]

My suggestion: take the case to a shoe/leather repair shop, and ask to have the zipper repaired. Last spring break, I brought my protec gig bag, (which had a heavily mangled zipper,) to just such a place on the edge of town here in Decatur. They did a great job of repairing the zipper, and since it was an old family run shop, the total price was $15 for what amounted to a brand new zipper. Well worth it, if you can find such a place out in your hometown.

Aaron

[PWtuba]

I switched to CC last year, but I still play Bb school horns at school. It's not really a problem, I switch between the two without even thinking. The worst thing that may happen is you forget every now and then which one you're playing and miss, maybe, ONE note. No big deal.

[Richardrichard9]

I still play BBb in Marching band and such. But my senior concerto and all my college audition pieces have been learned on my CC tuba.

The CC tuba has improved my playing a lot. Everyone else's instruments are in great condition, and I have never heard of anything happening to anyone else's instrument. I really don't have any plans of discontinuing my CC tuba use at the school.

All the hallways and Rooms ARE equipped with cameras, so if anything did happen (which I don't anticipate) I would know who it was, and would have evidence.

I think I will call my luggage repair shop. I definitely want a good job done on it.

[TubaRay]

I really don't have any plans of discontinuing my CC tuba use at the school.

This is the bottom line. Richardrichard9 originally asked "where and such" he could get the case repaired. I guess he should have realized the TNFJ would give him a lot of unsolicited advice about using his own instrument at school. Oh, well. Best of luck.

For what it's worth, I am a school band director. My own tubas rarely go inside the band room. When they do, they are either locked in my office or directly supervised by the only person there that I trust--ME. If I violate my own policy, I expect I will likely have some type of issue to deal with in the area of repairs. I have my own ideas why this is true. I won't elaborate here, but the simple reality is that the vast majority of today's kids aren't concerned about whether or not something is damaged, if it repairable, and who will pay for those repairs. And why should they, it doesn't cost them anything.