TubeNet

I was wondering if there are rubber pads or something equivalent to work with to make for pseudo finger buttons akin to what are on Willson tubas.

I seem to recall that there is a B&S Symphonie F tuba out there (maybe the ex-Bobo one?) that was modified along the way by one of its owners so that it had finger buttons on it (as if a piston tuba). If I am remembering correctly, the original finger paddles had holes drilled and tapped that finger buttons would thread into. The tuba could then be played in the original configuration (although with the finger button mounting holes) or could be played with the piston valve buttons fitted.

I'm sure that someone out there in TubeNet land saved a photo of it. Heck, someone on here probably owns the thing these days.

My rotary Willson 3050 had the older "saucer" style finger pads. Pretty much what Tom described, there was a hole drilled in each paddle, and then the saucers have a screw and a nut to connect them to the paddle.

This isn't my tuba (couldn't find an old photo), but same idea as the saucers here:


You can also see what it looks like without the saucers on this tuba:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-rb1Y ... Sa0hZ/view" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=93860" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank

Personally, I didn't like the saucers at all -- more metal, more weight, and frankly, more things to come loose, adjust, and bother with. The black finger pads are probably a better overall idea, IMO. I'm sure you could probably get some kind of peel and stick black grippy circles from a craft store to test it out...?