Interesting old horn- BBb or CC???

[The Big Ben]

Here's an interesting old horn:

http://cgi.ebay.com/TUBA-3-4-SIZE-HUG-M ... dZViewItem

The manufacturer is listed as 'Hug of Switzerland'. The seller is listing it as a BBb horn but my first impression of it was that the squatty body made it look like a CC- kind of like a 186 CC body looks squatty next to a 186 BBb. Another key is the tuning slide. It looks like one of those 'doubled-back' slides to add tubing length to get it into BBb. The outside slide does not appear to move so the entire doubled back thing moves together. THe slide would be replaced with a a single loop slide of get into CC. The valve slides also look as if they might be long enough to go out into BBb. One of them already is a ways out.

It's kind of a cool looking old horn and, if the valves are OK, I think I'd use it as is. Maybe only take out those bumps in the BBb tuning slide. Not in the market myself but think it's neat.

What does the TNFJ think?

[Dan Schultz]

Looks like a CC that's had 2 feet added to the main tuning slide.... yielding a pseudo-BBb. You're REALLY going to have to pull out on those slides to make it 'go'.

Or maybe.... it was an experiment gone awry and just doesn't play very good at all.

[The Jackson]

What's up with the fin on the bottom bow?

This is very interesting to me, despite its 3 valves.

[trseaman]

What's up with the fin on the bottom bow?

It helps stabilize the car when strapped to the roof... Also works as a keel when traveling by boat! Tim

[windshieldbug]

What's up with the fin on the bottom bow?

Instead of raising the mouthpipe to suit the player, you just raise the whole tuba!

[WakinAZ]

Seriously, gang, what is the function of that thing on the bottom bow? I've wondered before when I saw those on older German-style horns, but hadn't gotten around to asking.

Eric "who had the ball-buster removed from a Besson he used to own" L.

[WakinAZ]

This is very interesting to me, despite its 3 valves.

Keep lookin', junior.

Eric "who would bet there is an excellent chance this little thing is an absolute dog" L.

[Dan Schultz]

What's up with the fin on the bottom bow? .....

That 'keel' is typical of many European rotary tubas. I've seen 'em a full inch tall. It's just a guard to keep from banging the bottom bow. Many of these horns were carried while marching and weren't really designed for 'lap comfort'.

[The Big Ben]

Looks like a CC that's had 2 feet added to the main tuning slide.... yielding a pseudo-BBb. You're REALLY going to have to pull out on those slides to make it 'go'.

Or maybe.... it was an experiment gone awry and just doesn't play very good at all.

Yep, I think I'd get a short slide made and use that.

You never know. It might be OK. Think of it this way: If it was really made in 1900, it went through *two* World Wars without being sacrificed to a scrap drive.

And that keel- it would hafta go. 30 seconds with a burning torch and a few minutes with a minigrinder and that sucker's history.

Jeff "A 00 tip would cut that off so fast that the solder would have no time to melt" Benedict

[J.c. Sherman]

I always refer to those (and the dern knobs on British axes) as "nutcrackers"

[Tubaing]

The instrument Plays Well and Looks Good!

Yea, it looks great.

Is that red cork (or felt) valve bumpers?