WOO HOO! Look what I bought for $500!

[Cowgo]

A Walter Sear De Prins Front Piston 4 V. A Craigslist find. Straighten the bell rim a bit and shine her up, should be a good player for years.

Anyone have a valve button that would fit that you would be willing to sell?

[TubaCoopa]

Anyone have a valve button that would fit that you would be willing to sell?

Out of jealousy for your find, no, I don't.

[WakinAZ]

Schweet - nice score.

[Art Hovey]

I played one of them for 10 years. Nice horn! Good intonation, but the leadpipe angle was awkward. If I had my hands on that one I would not hesitate to operate on it to make it comfortable. Back then I was afraid to try, so I used a conn sousa bit. (The tuba was a little high-pitched without the bit anyway.)

Take one of the existing valve buttons down to an Ace hardware store to find out what size threads are on it. (probably a standard metric size) Then you should be able to find a replacement that works, or make one out of a small brass screw and a coin.

[Cowgo]

I played one of them for 10 years. Nice horn! Good intonation, but the leadpipe angle was awkward. If I had my hands on that one I would not hesitate to operate on it to make it comfortable. Back then I was afraid to try, so I used a conn sousa bit. (The tuba was a little high-pitched without the bit anyway.)

Take one of the existing valve buttons down to an Ace hardware store to find out what size threads are on it. (probably a standard metric size) Then you should be able to find a replacement that works, or make one out of a small brass screw and a coin.

Thanks for sharing your experience with these horns. I had a Walter Sear Cerveny that was a good player, so I'm looking forward to good things with this one...it's currently on a greyhound bus and should be here tomorrow.

The coin suggestion is interesting. I was thinking of taking a valve button around to repair techies in the area and hoping a match would pop up, but your idea sounds funky. I've seen coins soldered on rotary valve paddles. If I do one coin/screw valve button, I should probably do all 4. Maybe old mercury dimes, or better yet some old silver Belgium franc coins.

[The Jackson]

That's awesome! Way to go on the sweet find.

[joh_tuba]

Jeff,

Call me at Heritage Music Repair.

A new button is an easy fix. If we don't have something in a random box that just fits it won't take any time at all to tap the thread so something 'stock' does fit.

[MichaelDenney]

This is a sweet horn. I had one for a few years and still have the Helleberg Sear mouthpiece that came with it. Although only a .660 bore it had a good bottom end, perhaps partially because of the big bell flare, and it sang in the upper register. Its valves were the fastest I've ever had. Good projection too.