F/CC Alexander Tuba

[Eric B]

Has anyone ever heard of one of these?

http://tinyurl.com/mkk9qj" target="_blank

[Alex C]

Yes. I played one a lllloooonnnng time ago. How many are there? It may have been this one.

The CC side is supposed to make up for the funky low notes on the F side. It didn't do it. No manufacturer ever seemed to get the tapers right for both sides of a double tuba. I have my doubts that it can work. Still, if the economy was better.....

[Eric B]

I new it must be a rarity. I recall seeing one on ebay one other time by another make. That's an interesting concept. I wasn't interested in purchasing, just curious. Thanks, Alex.

[Tuba Guy]

If a french horn and a tuba love each other very much...

[J.c. Sherman]

Yes. I played one a lllloooonnnng time ago. How many are there? It may have been this one.

The CC side is supposed to make up for the funky low notes on the F side. It didn't do it. No manufacturer ever seemed to get the tapers right for both sides of a double tuba. I have my doubts that it can work.....

Except Besson, Wilson, Kalison, Miraphone, Nirschel... Remember, this is just a compensating tuba, with one more valve, that happens to be a rotary instrument. It's design made it easier for American tubists to deal with. All it did was make the lower fingerings easier, and make some alternate fingerings for pedal tones. But the bore profile is identical to a regular Alex F, more like a Double Horn (as mentioned humorously) is identical to a Bb single with more plumbing.

The fuzzy low range is the same whether compensating or not. Now what I want to see is a German F built like Paxman horns - a full double (not compensating) with a larger bore on the lower instrument - a true duplex!

I've played an earlier version that had a much bigger bore than the now-typical F bore for Alex. God awful... well, a little better than that. Still had that sound, though!

J.c.S. (who now has to kill his friend Quinntheeskimo for not sharing!)

[Alex C]

J.c., the Alexander double tuba is not a compensating tuba like the Besson. The second set of valve slide and an extra 4 ft (?) of tubing are engaged for the CC tuba effect. I did not remember it that way, I remembered it being like a double horn but the pictures are pretty convincing.

I played a Walter Kroner (imported by Custom, I believe) double tuba that same year, it was actually a better horn than the double Alexander though I would be hard pressed to be happy with either of them.

[J.c. Sherman]

If you look at the second set of slides in the rear of the top set, they are shorter. They add the needed plumbing to make the lower key (CC) valve combinations long enough. i.e., the low Bb would be 5 and 1. Low Ab would be 5,2,3, etc.

In many ways, this makes the 4th valve on the 4th finger redundant. Think of it that way. Unlike a Besson, which is an F/CC compensating double with a 3 valve F and a 3 valve CC, this is a 4 valve F and a 4 valve CC. The change valve on both is on the left hand. The only difference is that on Besson/Boosey & Hawkes doubles, the additional tubing is a larger bore.

Also, I talked to the previous owner. He knows what he's talking about.

J.c.