4V version of the CB50/G50???

[NDSPTuba]

Just wondering if there is a four valve version of this instrument. I found a couple videos of the Canadian Brass on youtube where Chuck is playing the CB50 and it certain does appear to be only a 4V version of the tuba. I love the sound of this instrument. Prefer it to the 621 that he uses on most of their stuff. He sounds great on either, but I just love the sound of the CB50. Another question is, is that black lacquer or something else for the bell.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=koVuvmJW ... re=related" target="_blank

[J.c. Sherman]

It is/was carbon fiber. Great horn, suprisingly, with that sort of bell. And Chuck doesn't use 5 valve instruments, and with the lighter bell the instrument is extremely light to carry and "play with".

J.c.

[NDSPTuba]

I was going to say carbon fiber, but thought that was out of the realm of possibility. I thought my gear head was coming out to even consider it. That is really cool that it is carbon fiber. Can anyone say whether or not the sound of this instrument with the carbon fiber is significantly different than the standard belled CB50/G50?

[Tom]

Yes, there is a 4 valve version of the CB-50.

There are not too many of them floating around, as the ones that are were all personal instruments of Chuck Daellenbach. The only real difference is (duh!) that they do not have the Rusk-Cut style of 5th valve (in the leadpipe). I have only ever seen two of these.

As for the bell, they are indeed carbon-fiber and were made by George McCrackin. The carbon fiber bell phase began while Daellenbach was using the Getzen and continued to Yamaha (not a CC 621 or CC 822...it's a 4 valve that looks similar to a 822, but it's not). I spoke directly with Chuck Daellenback about the Getzen, the bell, etc., and the lack of a 5th valve and the use of the carbon fiber bell was all about weight savings. Last time I spoke with him (we are not "good buddies"...this was several years ago) he indicated that he still owns a couple of his favorite CB-50s and that they were his favorite tuba he ever used with the group. From what I gather their current endorsement of Yamaha is very lucrative.

I had a great very early 5 valve CB-50...I really miss that particular instrument and wonder where it ended up after I traded it to David Fedderly several years ago.

[J.c. Sherman]

That horn's all prototype, and he's been through many. And the valve angle and tubing doesn't really resemble the YCB-621 at all. And I see no 5th.

His current Yamaha (as I recall) is a Hybrid CC on the YFB-821 chasis.

J.c.S.

[Tom]

...and he's been through many.

You're absolutely correct.

Like many (most?) professional tubist, he's owned and played MANY different instruments over the course of his career.

[imperialbari]

I wasn't able to get a good luck at that horn in the video, but it appeared to have the same body size/shape as the 621, it DOES have a screw bell, and it had a funny looking slide sticking up that I thought might be a 5th valve.

Neither had I a good luck at that horn, but then I never tried it nor realised it was for sale.

However what I saw about that slide sticking out looked like a 4th slide arranged to have a long pull. Exactly that long pull would be desirable for getting the low D and C# on a 4 valve CC instrument.

Klaus

[jhickmott]

~

[Rick Denney]

I remember that he was playing the 4V version at that concert. I rarely used the 5 valve on the CB-50 that I had because the tuning slides were so well placed that adjusting the 3rd valve was not a problem.

Remember also that Daellenbach had always played a four-valve C in the CB before that time, mostly on a Yamaha 621.

With all his jumping around on stage, I can well imagine why he preferred the composite bell material or a small tuba (or both).

I know a guy who wanted a Bb tuba for Dixieland, and liked the CB50 instrument. He had the fifth valve branch revised with a much wider crook, and then wired it up so that it was normally engaged. It became a valve that would step the tuba up a step. He said that the revision to the fifth valve alleviated the stuffiness problem he claimed when using the fifth valve, but when the new King 2341 came out, he bought one of those.

Rick "agreeing that the fifth valve is a useful luxury, but not a necessity on most C tubas" Denney