TubeNet

Since I got my Kali-Bat, I probably don't really need the Weimar (at least that's what I am being told)
I would like to get $950 for this horn + actual shipping costs. Greatly prefer pickup in middle Tennessee if possible.
The good:
A GREAT sounding horn for small-medium sized ensembles; numerous complements on the rich tone for a smaller instrument; easily playable in tune once you get adjusted to its characteristics. This is a 4 rotor CC with no markings other than Weimar engraved on the bell, circa 35-40 years old. 16" bell and about 38" tall. Sized like a 185, maybe a hair larger. I would call it either a small 4/4 or a large 3/4. Blows and feels like a small Alex. This horn will not back up on you but take everything you have, sound is warm, rich, and dark with a big mouthpiece. GREAT low range, Low F's and E's pop out with little effort. Does not have that "trombone" qualty that many smaller tubas (and even some 186-188's) have at high volumes.
The valve compression is outstanding for an older horn. Each slide has a good "pop" if pulled without the valve down. Rotors are fast and quiet; original linkage was replaced with spiral spring / nylon sockets some time ago. I will pull the rotors, clean and lube them, and replace the stoppers before I ship the horn.
Includes a homemade mute (unfortunately not one of my best attempts, so for practice only) and a Meinl-Weston slipcover with drawstrings (but no handles or straps.)
The bad:
Condition is a little rough. Numerous patches, and could probably use another one or two. Some dents but nothing that makes it unplayable. Horn does not have any noticeable leaks. Hole in outer 1st valve slide, but never exposed through normal pulling. Some extra "guard" plates added to bows have cracks.
The bell rim/wire is a little rough in two spots including where the wire is joined, but nothing that couldn't be fixed if desired. The bell will ring without a plastic rim on it and is worse on some notes; with the rim it is fine and can really crank. Soldering the bell to the leadpipe would help as well.
Intonation is OK but this is no 186. 5th partials works fine with usual alternate fingerings (1-2 E, 2-3 Eb). F's are flat, push in. A's and Ab's are sharp, pull out or use 3 instead of 1-2. D above the staff only works 3rd valve, open and 1 are too flat. The slots on this horn are wide enough to bend most pitches without issue if slide pulling is not desired.
No case; slipcover is not a true gigbag. No mouthpiece - if you are going to play a CC you probably already have one (or two or three or four)

If I don't get any takers I will have some work done and repost it later at a higher price.

Comparison to my (now Wade's) F and with myself for size considerations:

Flaws:


Hi-res pics can be emailed to serious buyers.

Do you know what caused that hole?

It looks like it has been eaten through

Neptune wrote:Do you know what caused that hole?

I think it was caused by Bob staring at the picture too long.

Eric "who sees this as another possibility for the Bobster, rather than for Wade" L.


who also thinks this horn probably isn't too far from Bloke, who could do the repairs for Marty/Bob

Neptune wrote:Do you know what caused that hole?

There is part of what was probably once a slide stop still attached to the inner slide. My best guess is that someone tried to do a slack job of removing the slide stop on the outer slide, did not heat the solder hot enough, and cracked a near circular hole when they popped it off. Just a guess. The first slide moves trombone smooth, and there is no leakage with normal pulling since the hole is so far up.

Bob, buddy, you need a WAY bigger horn than this.

FWIW, drop a grand on an econo overhaul (rotors need NO work) and another grand on a fifth valve (optional), and you would have a killer quintet / chamber horn. This was my master plan if I kept it.

Scooby Tuba wrote:

MartyNeilan wrote:Since I got my Kali-Bat...

I've been busy, fill me in...
New horn?
Pictures?
Story?

Story is at viewtopic.php?t=23109, scroll halfway down; house situation fell apart badly, no need to rehash it here.
This is a BIG horn; top and bottom bows are huge. The 4th valve wrap somewhat disguises the girth of the bottom bow. Configuration of the wrap is very similar in style to the cut Holton CC's when seen from the rear (although a bit smaller). Valve angle is very ergonomic - about time. Leadpipe seems a bit longer than some other horns in this class to achieve this, but not overly so. Pistons very fast and smooth. Rotax rotor was clunky at first but a good lubing with Hetmans fixed everything.
After having some real face-time on the horn, here is my take:
Very playable, reminds me of the push-buttons-and-blow nature of the Conn 5xJ horns but much more output with out the blatiness. Not extremely heavy for its size but still not "tinfoil" like a few of the Kalisons; very resonant.
Sound is big and full but lots of color and presence - no foghorn here despite the large top and bottom bows and nearly 20" bell. (Tangent: I HATE foghorn BAT's, hence my preference for big horns like the 190 and 2155R. Jake, the granddaddy of Orchestral BAT Players (OBP) never sounded like a foghorn so why should we?) Easily fills a several thousand seat auditorium. It might not be quite as loud ultimately as my 2155R, but the color is much more Yorkish at full volume and less brassy and biting - the whole American vs. German thing. Sound does not break up at FFF unlike my 190. Seems to be able to go very soft, but I haven't put that to the extreme yet either.
I fooled around tearing through the Gregson on it and it could definitely work, I will just need to find a "solo" mouthpiece for the horn.
Overall pitch on this horn is excellent...

Kent Eshelman on old TubeNet wrote:How is the intonation on middle C? On the one I tried it was extremely flat.

Yup. Noticeably flat with the Kellyberg and very flat with the Warburton-Neilan on both open and 1. BUT, spot-on in tune 2-5. B below it is spot on at 1-2. Those fingerings don't bother me a bit; other fingerings involving the 3rd or 4th valve would probably work as well but I wouldn't want to use that much tubing up high. Walter has suggested some mouthpieces that may clear this up, but I am perfectly happy with those alternates. My 2155R was near perfect in that range, but did have the 3rd partial issues that needed the 1-3 workaround. (Hey Zach, when are you going to say more about that great horn!)
And, it looks gorgeous.
Wife has already told me to sell it. I have said no (hence the Weimar ad). If you see it up for sale in the next year, please come to my home and beat me with a sock filled with Monsterweights® until I relent to keep it. I am absolutely, positively sick of losing good horns.
In summary, great looking, great sounding, easy playing horn with only one or two bad notes at the top end that are easily fixable. Thanks again Walter.
I would be going out to practice it right now except I have to feed my 5 month old in 10 minutes and then make tomorrow's batch of bottles.

Somebody buy this so soon so I can get to regret selling it
Would be great for someone who dabbles in repairs to learn your first overhaul on (rotors do NOT need replating), but is completely playable as is.
For those who asked, here is the comparison between the K2001 and the Weimar:

Bob1062 wrote:so, how is the low range on the Kali?

You mean you couldn't hear me in Chi-town?

Not "tight" like the Mirafone 186-188's, but not blowing-into-a-black-hole like some 5/4 tubas (Rudy 5/4, biggest Cervenys). Although it had a slightly different blow down there, that was also one of the things I liked about the 2155R - the feel was just right.
The infamous Kalison Ab has been fixed on these horns, perhaps at the expense of the high C (middle C on the piano.) Fortunately, an alternate fingering takes care of that note and the B below it. I went through the horn with a tuner bottom-to-top Wednesday night before rehearsal, and did not encounter anything else of significance. I wanted to give myself almost a week with the horn before I put it to the Korg, to give myself time to get used to it. But, the C was apparent from the get-go, and so were the fixes after trying a few combinations.

FWIW, that Weimar has a killer low range, although not of the Earth-moving quality of the Kali-Bat. Low F and E on that Weimar really rock.

Bump, grab it before your semester gets started!