Valve damage

clagar777 · Post by **clagar777** » Sun Aug 20, 2006 5:11 pm

Has anyone ever had a problem with valves being bent one way or another with regular usage of a gig bag? ...Especially pistons

tubagirl5 · Post by **tubagirl5** » Sun Aug 20, 2006 9:01 pm

My valve stems have been bent before do to the use of a gig bag (I have a reunion blues (older version) if your interested)...I use an old ace bandage that is a shin splint or hamstring compression wrap and it works great. I would suggest creating or getting something to prevent anything from happening.

sloan · Post by **sloan** » Sun Aug 20, 2006 9:05 pm

Rick Denney said it best: "A gig bag is a handle, not a case."

dwerden · Post by **dwerden** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 4:51 pm

I use a gig bag only when taking my horn in a personal vehicle, but I have never had any damage at all after about 25 years of doing so. HOWEVER, if I am flying or letting others handle my horn, it goes in a hard case.

Even then you can suffer damage. Long ago in The U.S. Coast Guard Band we had a gig where our horns were being transported in a stake truck (open back end, with fence-like "walls"). It started pouring rain at the end of the gig. So there was my Besson euphonium inside a hard (wooden) case, getting soaked in the back of this truck. The truck hit a bad bump and a couple horns landed on the ground, including mine. The case broke a couple of seams, although it still hung together. But the horn had apparently fallen the long way on its bottom side (the way the case might sit as you prepare to open it). This put a lot of pressure on the tuning slide and pushed it slightly toward the body of the horn. It was enough to warp the 4th valve slide, which would not move when I first tried. For a temporary fix, I had to wedge something between the valve tubes to release pressure on the 4th valve casing. Then it worked.

I've also had minor cosmetic damage to my Sovereign euph in a hard case and to my Sterling euph in a hard case, both on airlines. Not much you can do about that except to either buy it a seat or buy a super-duper travel case.

But the point about gig bags is that they can work fine under controlled circumstances, and I sure like toting the horn on my back in a light case rather than carrying it in a heavier case. Every tool has a purpose, and cases/gig bags follow that same rule.

windshieldbug · Post by **windshieldbug** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 5:55 pm

bloke wrote:He lost his temper, threw the valve down the stairs, and then threw the tuba down the stairs after the valve.

The real question: Did the horn do the STAIRS any harm?

Dan Schultz · Post by **Dan Schultz** » Fri Aug 25, 2006 2:42 pm

I am waaay too busy (and old) to struggle with the extra weight and space a case requires. I use a lightly padded gig bag to transport my horns.

A previous poster referred to a gig bag and a handle. That's EXACTLY correct, but the trick to using a gig bag is to NOT carry it any farther than necessary. The bag won't protect the horn from being rammed into doorways, furniture, etc. Get a fold-up grocery or laundry cart to move the horn from your house to the car... and again to move the horn from your car to the venue. You'll eliminate the possibility of damaging your horn by encountering a stationary object.... and save your back!

Now... if you are stupid enough to turn the cart over, you need to give up tuba and switch to something smaller... like maybe an oboe!