My tuba suddenly plays much better...

[Joe Baker]

...and the only explanation I can come up with is that I straightened the bell somewhat. My kid leaned on it when it was on its bell a year or two ago, putting a dandy crease in it. Then the strap on my dent-bag broke a few weeks ago, causing the horn to hit that same edge on the ground and making the wrinkle noticeably worse. The bell rim was still round and the tuba would sit on its bell, but the rim was pushed back somewhere around 1/4 inch on the side that was damaged. A pair of wrinkles 3-5 inches from the rim gave it sort of an accordian look, though still pretty much bell-shaped.

I should mention that I was on quite a long break from playing when the crease first developed, so I didn't notice any difference; and, though it looked quite a bit worse, I didn't really notice any difference in playing after the second incident.

But then I spent an hour or so yesterday bending the flare back into shape and burnishing the wrinkles (fairly) smooth with two rolling pins. It looks a WHOLE lot better, though still not great up close. But when I put the thing to my lips and blew, I was completely unprepared for the result. That thing plays like a completely different horn! Better in tune, easier and cleaner articulation, slots a mile wide -- seriously, it's like a totally different instrument!

My question to the tech guys, or to those who've had bell work like this done: is this a common result? Or was this horn more sensitive to the damage than most? I've always figured that if the bell was anywhere close to the right shape, particulars didn't really matter that much.

FWIW, the horn in question is a Conn 10J.
_______________________________
Joe Baker, who played better at rehearsal last night than he has in a LONG time.

[Dan Schultz]

The manufacturers could save a lot of money just leaving the bells off. Of course the size and shape of the bell matters! A few wrinkles and cracks can kill a bell.

[Shockwave]

My car is faster and handles better after I wash it. No, seriously!

-Eric

[imperialbari]

Among the innumerable disasters of the new board format is the lack of a search facility for the postings made in the old and immensely superior board format.

I have a personal, and very time consuming, work-around for parts of that problem. Hence I can provide a link for an older thread, which illuminates the question of the original posting of this present thread. From a different point of view, yes, but still the same basic question:

http://www.chisham.com/tips/bbs/sep2001 ... 71565.html

Aside from that, this is a change to read some regulars from the old board format, which I for some reasons very rarely see posting on the present mockery version of the once so brilliant TubeNet.

Just for clarity:

Some may argue that the logoed thongs are true tubenets. And be right physically seen.

I am not blaming the commercialisation of the TubeNet, but that easily could have been combined with software allowing the old and effective discussion format. And I am really sad, that the few days of the new format has proven my forecast nightmare true.

Klaus

[Leland]

Klaus, those are really strong words...

[imperialbari]

I have the outmost respect for men/women doing service to their nation!

But when disservice is done to the international tuba community, then I reserve my rights to be the little boy in the Emperors new clothes. A role I btw. already played in my very young school days' drama.

Had this new mockery of a format carrying the revered, but now abused, TubeNet sticker been considered truly and generally attractive, it would have been swamped with sponsors.

Of course it is impossible to tell who is posting here, when one cannot se how threads are developing.

But within the few threads I have found worthwhile to open via the index there haven't been that many burgers, rural dwellers, or woodpeckers chucking along.

I only post because I want to relay information, which others haven't provided. But as I am out of a nation, which only survived because of resistance, I will continue to resist until the true TubeNet has be re-established.

Asian spam was an annoyance, but technically hardly a problem to delete.

The tuba-devil just should have been exposed to his employers, then that problem had been eliminated until next time he ran out of his prescribed drugs.

Klaus

[Dean]

Klaus,

No offense meant, in any way, but...

You are perfectly welcome to start up your own BBS/forum and use whatever format you desire. TubeNet is NOT OURS. It belongs to one person, who may do with it as he wishes...

[Dan Schultz]

[/b]GOOD GREIF!