Trip to Gronitz and then Lätzsch and Thein

[TheBerlinerTuba]

Hallo Fellow Tubenetters,

I took a few pictures of my trips in Germany to Gronitz in Hamburg and then Lätzsch and Thein in Bremen. I'm sorry the quality of the photos is not the best, but I hope you enjoy!
Ciao,
2165

Hamburg Main Train Station

Gronitz entrance

F tuba in front and then PCK CCs

PCK CC

FP 125

FZ 126/7

Hirsbrunner Kaiser BBb

1970 BMW R75/5 in front of the shop...yes I know the front end is off a later model;)

Latzsch showroom

another showroom view

a very very old Contrabass trombone

Latzsch makes trumpets also

very cool valves

antique Kruspe

interesting trumpet

small signal horns

stunningly beautiful mouthpieces from Latzsch

Sackbutt

Antique tuba with Berliner valves

Carbon valve from a compensating rotary euphonium

F Cimbasso and Contrabass trombone...best Cimbasso I've ever played!!

Small Alexander F in for repair

Carbon valve for BBb Kaiser tuba

ditto

Latzsch valves use roller bearings instead of bushings.

On to Thein then...new F tuba design

Close up

CC Tuba

CC Tuba

Back view of the new F tuba

The older style Thein F tuba

Close up

Thein CC tuba

Thein F tuba

[Tubadork]

Awesome, thanks. Does Gronitz have 2 styles of F tuba? In the pic with the PCK's the F in front has a squiggle in the leadpipe and the pf125 that you are playing, the leadpipe is normal.
Thanks, great pics,
Bill

[Cameron Gates]

Awesome, thanks. Does Gronitz have 2 styles of F tuba? In the pic with the PCK's the F in front has a squiggle in the leadpipe and the pf125 that you are playing, the leadpipe is normal.
Thanks, great pics,
Bill

The first one does not look like an F. It seems a little long with the additional wrap and all. Is this an EEb?

[imperialbari]

Whats up with the random piston valve in the leadpipe of the Hirsbrunner Kaiser BBb?

RC

Rather looks like the container for a spring system returning the 1st slide, when it has been pushed in.

Klaus

[The Jackson]

I didn't know Gustavo Dudamel played the tuba!
(Just kidding!)


Thanks for the great pictures, 2165. They're awesome!

[TheBerlinerTuba]

Hallo all,

The owner of Gronitz, Herr Klein-Horst reads this forum, so perhaps he can answer your questions? Bitte Herr Klein-Horst, ist das eine Es oder F in die Bilder?
I didnt play it so perhaps I was mistaken?

On the Hirsbrunner Kaiser, what appears to be a piston valve is actually a self centering device for the first valve slide. It allows you to push or pull and the slide will then return to its center.

As for Dudamel, he is so annoying...always calling me for advice on everything, from hair style to music...

[Peach]

First tuba photo is the Gronitz Eb - no doubt.

2165, give us a run-down of how they all played please...

[cjk]

The Thein CC tuba looks like a variation on a 4/4 Hirsbrunner rotary with the fifth valve tubing arranged so it will suffer as much damage as humanly possible.

The new Thein F tuba looks like a variation on a Miraphone Firebird with the valve slide tubing arranged just enough differently to look a bit different.

[Matt G]

The Thein CC tuba looks like a variation on a 4/4 Hirsbrunner rotary with the fifth valve tubing arranged so it will suffer as much damage as humanly possible.

The new Thein F tuba looks like a variation on a Miraphone Firebird with the valve slide tubing arranged just enough differently to look a bit different.

Are you implying that Thein tubas are probably not worth the exorbitant amount of money they want? lol

[UTSAtuba]

*whistles*

*drools*

*resumes life*

[J.c. Sherman]

<<drool>>

<<drip>>

I would sacrifice critical portions of my reproductive anatomy for that Laetzsch F Bass Bone!!!

Oh, and I'll take all the tubas, please!

J.c.S. (slobber)

[Art Hovey]

The carbon rotors seem interesting.
I wonder about their thermal expansion coefficients.
I have read that some of the plastic-filled Hirsbrunner rotors tend to stick when warm because they expand more than the surrounding metal. Does carbon avoid that problem?

[imperialbari]

Mr. Einstein plays the Laetzsch F Bass Bone!!!

(Please compare to a popular British WWII text for the first strain of Colonel Bogey)

[tubamonster]

I've never heard of carbon valves.

tubamonster

[oedipoes]

PCK CC

Hey, that's very nice !
I sit in that same chair with probably the same PCK some weeks ago.
The instrument does not at all feel as big as it looks in the picture... probably because it's relatively lightweight and easy blowing.
Nice pics 2165 ! Thanks for sharing.
You're in the best country to try tubas I guess.
Keep us informed about other tuba-related visits.

Man, if I only had the courage and cash to order a Gronitz BBb PBK...

Wim