TubeNet

OK Tubenetters here comes the piece de resistance…..up for sale is a VERY rare 4 rotary valve 4/4 CC Conn tuba. This horn is one of only 5 that Conn EVER made. From the information I have gathered in conversations with Warren Deck, Steve Dillon and a few others the Conn company made 5 rotary valve CC tubas for August Helleberg during the time he was working with them on tuba development. At the time, Conn did not make rotor sets of that size and so they produced 2 of the tubas with scratch built Conn rotor sets and the other 3 with Sanders rotor sets. The tuba I have is one with the Sanders valves. Of the 5 at least 1 of them was made with a detachable bell. There is an old picture hanging in Dillon music of August Helleberg with his 2 sons that also played tuba. In the picture they are all holding rotor valve Conn CC tubas. 2 of them have the Sanders valves on them. I do not know if the horn I have is one of these tubas but the chances are 1 in 3 that it is.

Anyway, when I was studying with Warren Deck at Juilliard, he had 2 of these Conn rotary horns. The first one had the detachable bell and as many of you may know, Warren added an Alexander 5 rotor valve set and played that tuba in the New York Philharmonic for many years and on many famous recordings. The other tuba he had is this tuba. It is of the fixed bell version. I believe he said that he bought both of these tubas from his predecessor, Joe Novotny. Well, I used to see this tuba in the corner of Warren’s basement and lusted after it and one day asked him what his intentions were regarding the horn. He told me that his thoughts were to put a 4 piston valve set on it and add a 5th valve. He thought it would make an incredible 4/4 CC tuba. I tend to agree. Towards that end he acquired an original large bore Conn piston valve set from an old 4 valve Conn sousaphone. He also did some minor dent work on the horn and then stopped after becoming too busy to finish the project.

Well, when Warren retired I bought this tuba with the intentions of finishing the project. Of course it seems that playing in a professional orchestra always seems to take a lot more time than one would think and after 6 years I have decided that I will probably never have the time to do this project the way it should be done and so have decided to sell it.

Now, the horn has all of the original parts with the exception of the valve levers and leadpipe. Warren didn’t have them either. At one point a few years back I tacked a Meinl Weston piston valve set on the tuba and using an old sousaphone tuning slide and scrap leadpipe I played the tuba to see what it sounded like. I was amazed by the sound. It was HUGE and dark just like the sound Warren used to get on the other Conn he used in the NYP. BUT, the whole horn was about a whole step sharp. After looking at the old pictures some more I realized that the original leadpipe had a loop tuning slide in it. Compounding the problem was the difference in length between piston valve sets and rotor sets. So, if someone were to put pistons on this tuba they would need to make up the length either with a loop tuning slide in the leadpipe like on the Hirsbrunner HB2-P or add a loop after the last piston. I have seen this done by Dan Oberloh when converting top action tubas to front action. Of course, the other option would be to restore the horn to original condition as it came from the factory OR replace the older rotors with a new rotary valve set. I prefer pistons so that is why I mention the piston valve option.

This tuba is in very good condition for a horn this old and as far as I can tell never had any large dents or significant damage of any kind. It seems to have been very well taken care of. As I said before, Warren had done some minor dent work and the horn is practically dent free in the body and bell sections. The original valve set is old and tired and in need of serious attention if it is to be used. The rotors move freely but there are no levers and it must have been back-strung rotors. A new leadpipe will have to be made. I have included pictures of the horn with the Meinl Weston valves laying on it to give you an idea of what it looks like when I had them on previously. It sure looks like a KICK-*** 4/4 piston valve tuba to me. I have also included pictures of the large bore piston valve set Warren procured for the project. I am not currently selling the Meinl Weston valves but will include the Conn pistons if the buyer wants them. Of course, if someone wants the tuba AND the Meinl Weston valves I would consider selling them for an additional amount.

So, I am asking $8,000 for the tuba and the Conn large bore piston set if the buyer wants it. This horn is 1 of only 5 ever made and has some historical significance. I have not done all of the necessary research to find out exactly which of the 5 this tuba is and who owned it or played it where beyond Warren Deck and Joe Novotny before him. I would very much like to see this horn completed in one form or another. It is in original condition and has had NO alterations done to the horn. I would love to see someone either put pistons on it and play it or restore it to original format and preserve this great old tuba. Like I said, it has a HUGE, beautiful dark sound and could be the ultimate orchestral 4/4 tuba if the work is done to it. I am willing to entertain reasonable offers but only serious inquiries please. I am just as happy to keep this horn and have it restored in 10 or 20 years when I retire if the right buyer does not present themselves.

Thanks for looking and have a great holiday season. I hope that everyone on the TUBENET is as blessed as I have been this year. All the best.

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n99/ ... 000107.jpg
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n99/ ... 000105.jpg
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n99/ ... 000108.jpg
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n99/ ... 000109.jpg
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n99/ ... 000088.jpg
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n99/ ... 000101.jpg
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n99/ ... 000110.jpg
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n99/ ... 000115.jpg
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n99/ ... 000120.jpg
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n99/ ... 000119.jpg
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n99/ ... 000118.jpg
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n99/ ... 000121.jpg
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n99/ ... 000122.jpg
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n99/ ... 000123.jpg
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n99/ ... 000124.jpg
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n99/ ... 000125.jpg
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n99/ ... 000126.jpg
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n99/ ... 000127.jpg

All interested parties should use the email or phone number below!!!!!!
Chris Olka
Seattle Symphony
Seattle Opera
cheers623@aol.com
206-851-8822

Cool.

Ladies and Gentlemen, the horn is now sold pending funds. Thanks to everyone who was interested and for understanding that I honor first come first serve. I hope that it brings some of you all peace knowing that while I cannot divulge the name of the buyer at this time, after conversation it seems to be their intention to keep it in the original rotor valve configuration. This person owns a custom handmade horn and seems to appreciate the value of this great, old, historic horn they are buying. I hope that when they are finished with the work they might share some pics for us to drool over.

All the best and happy holidays,

Chris Olka
Seattle Symphony
Seattle Opera

p.s. they are taking the piston valves as well, probably for another future project.

Let the conjecture begin. I've got two names

Lee Stofer
Mike Lynch

It'll be a beautiful horn when restored, keep us posted please!!!

DP wrote:

jtuba wrote:Let the conjecture begin. I've got two names

Lee Stofer
Mike Lynch

why, and so what?

Dale,

Maybe some of us actually care about what happens to historically significant pieces of history. Maybe we'd like to know whose getting one of 5of a specific type of tuba ever made? Ever think about that?

So.... What are you saying??? Can I have it??? Huh? Huh? Is it still for sale? Can I have the slide from the third valve? How about that extra spit valve? Anything???? Aarrghhh........................................................

I feel better!

Tim

Hey, Chris....

do the rotors lift out of the front or back of the casings (front being toward the valve set)??

I had a Conn BBb rotary (talk about rare!!!) that, because of the wrap, the valves pulled out the front. Pitch was not the middle name of that tuba, but the sound was pure beauty.

From the images he provided, the valves are removable from the BACK of the horn (toward the player), and look like normal Side Action Rotary Valves from the forward mounting bracket for the finger levers.

this needs food, so everyone can just chill

Hi Dale, It's been a while since we've spoke! It's hard to stop laughing at your posts! Gotta love it! Merry Xmas BTW!

Matt, You should have noticed the little smiley faces in my post! We're just poking fun and you just happen to be in our sights! Nothing personal, just luck of the draw. I think we'd all like to have the valve set but it was spoken for. Getting picked on is just the way things work here at TubeNet... Sorry to have offended you or anyone else.

Happy Holidays (guess that might offend someone too!)

You just can't win them all, Tim