A chance for Dan to "toot" his own horn...

[djwesp]

Dr. Dan "The Tuba Tinker", I've got some CC 186's some that need new bells, and one or two that have the old miraphone linkages.


Could you tell me what changes occur when you put on a yamaha or chinese bell? How much more cost effective are these bells? How much trouble is it to marry them to the horn? Do you convert old miraphone linkages to new miraphone linkages? Have you ever changed a fixed bell to detachable, and how does this change the sound?


I would have pm-ed you, but the whole process is very exciting(and a search of the site, although hard lacking boolean tools, yielded very little) and I think other people might be interested as well. Your website goes a little into the process.

[Dan Schultz]

Dr. Dan "The Tuba Tinker", I've got some CC 186's some that need new bells, and one or two that have the old miraphone linkages.
Could you tell me what changes occur when you put on a yamaha or chinese bell?

ANSWER: Aside from the fact that the crummy old wrinkled-up bell goes away and the garland no longer 'buzzes'... I think one would have to have a bunch of sophisticated electronic gear to perceive the difference between the German and the Chinese/Japanese bell.

How much more cost effective are these bells?

ANSWER: I can put an aftermarket bell on a Mirafone (labor included) for less than half the cost of a genuine Mirafone bell.

How much trouble is it to marry them to the horn?

ANSWER: No major modifications are required and all the Mirafone hardware mounts right back on the new bell

Do you convert old miraphone linkages to new miraphone linkages?

ANSWER: Sure! I like to use DuBro products.

Have you ever changed a fixed bell to detachable, and how does this change the sound?

ANSWER: I've changed detachable bells to fixed bells but not the other way around. I can't imagine why someone would do that. I think that heavy collar and tenon tend to deaden the horn's response.

I would have pm-ed you, but the whole process is very exciting(and a search of the site, although hard lacking boolean tools, yielded very little) and I think other people might be interested as well. Your website goes a little into the process.

Oh... by-the-way.... I don't do any relacquering in my shop. Too many goofy rules! I can have it done for you, though.

[ArnoldGottlieb]

I found the sound to be a bit more 'complex' than a mirafone. And that's a good thing. More towards an Alexander. Dan's job on the linkages was great. I only sold the horn because it was a BBb that I didn't need and was taking up space while it's intended use had evaporated.
Peace.
ASG

[djwesp]

additional resources:

viewtopic.php?t=20010

Thank you!


I had remembered seeing it somewhere, but had a hard time finding it.

[djwesp]

I found the sound to be a bit more 'complex' than a mirafone. And that's a good thing. More towards an Alexander. Dan's job on the linkages was great. I only sold the horn because it was a BBb that I didn't need and was taking up space while it's intended use had evaporated.
Peace.
ASG

Complex? Darker, broader?

[Chuck(G)]

Good for school tubas. No garland to fiool with (for future dents) and much heavier metal.

Plays good.

[iiipopes]

Dan extended the tuning slide on my 186 detachable bell to make up for the too short bell the, er, I guess I'll just say staff at Tuba Exchange put on the horn, and who instead of doing the bell properly as Dan does, took the mounting rim off the forward bell and put it on the chopped up St. Pete bell, so now I have to get a mounting ring for the forward bell or do a double swap later. But I digress.

The work is superlative in all aspects. Thanks, Dan.

[Dan Schultz]

Dan extended the tuning slide on my 186 detachable bell to make up for the too short bell .....

Glad you finally received the slide. I went to the Post Office this morning to find out why someone there gave me such lame information about the delivery time. I'll know not to take their word for anything next time!

[djwesp]

Have you ever put a larger bell on a CC 186? (not the 3/4 larger yamaha)

[Dan Schultz]

Have you ever put a larger bell on a CC 186? (not the 3/4 larger yamaha)

These bells are 16 3/4". I think Sam Gnagy (tubanurse@aol.com) has one that fits a 186 that has a 20" bell.

[iiipopes]

My recording bell is 20 inches.

Dan's website has a lot of information about Miraphone replacement bells of various sizes, from the old standard 16 1/2 inch, to using a Yamaha 201, to Chinese bells that fit, to the proper way of retrofitting an upright bell to a detachable recording bell 186.