Left Hand Tuba

[Dan Schultz]

I just got off the phone from talking to a gentleman about a 'left-hand' tuba. Seems to me there was some discussion here on TubeNet a few years back about one but a search of the archives didn't seem to turn up anything. Maybe someone can recall the discussion.

The caller thought the horn was built by Schilke in 1981 using Yamaha parts... and refinished in 2003. I didn't ask what key it is.

[Timswisstuba]

Bloke is right, it can be done easily. There is top-action BBb Besson here in Switzerland that has been converted to left hand.

Even easier would be to play any top action tuba, with the left hand.

[Dan Schultz]

..... might this type of operation be simplest with a 3-valve top-action tuba?

Although not ergonomically correct.... almost any top-action or front-action piston tuba... or a sousaphone can be played with either hand on the finger buttons. Try it. For some reason.... the brain seems to know the #1 piston is pushed with the index finger.... whether it be on the right or left hand doesn't seem to make any difference. The only one in my stable at the moment that's a problem is a Conn 20J and that's only because the third-valve wrap makes getting to the third valve a little inconvenient.

Rotary horns are a problem to get to the paddles with the left hand but I think they would be about the easiest ones to reverse for left-hand playing.

The horn in question was created for a fellow (not the current owner) who was missing his right hand. I've not actually seen the horn in person... nor pictures. I just seem to recall some discussion here a few years ago. Maybe on the OLD forum.

[The Big Ben]

My reply is probably stupid, because I don't have one in my hand to examine...and because I'm probably overlooking some all-too-obvious reason why it couldn't be done...but might this type of operation be simplest with a 3-valve top-action tuba?

One of my horns is a 3v top loader. (Mira Perinet 3/4+ BBb) I tried it left handed and it was clumsy but worked. (Monkey-length arms would be needed to actually play it!) Just looking at it, it appears that it could improved as a left handed horn by re-jiggering the tubes and braces a bit and maybe/probably making a different shaped mouthpipe.

[Ken Herrick]

When I took my King to Schilke in 65 to have the valves refitted, the shop foreman, a former employee of H.N. White, brought out an old King catalogue which had a photo of the left handed version of the "Monster" rotary BBb along side the normal right handed version. This was from about 1930, give or take a couple years. I believe they had to be special ordered but the price was pretty well the same as the normal version. The retail price was $200 for a 3 valve and $225 for a four valve.

About a year earlier I had written to HN White to get spare parts for my 3V version and got a box full of odd bits & pieces including a lead pipe, stop arms, screws and such. They said they were the very last spares for that type and that all the mandrels had been scrapped just a few years before. What a shame that was as they could have used a lot to again produce the BBb and maybe a CC which would probably have sold well in later years.

When Jake first played mine he commented that had he had one when he was young he never would have switched to CC. I wonder what the BBb vs CC debate would be like had that been the case............

[Harvey Hartman]

I made a Left Hand Tuba for a customer ,The guy is in a wheel chair and can not uses his right hand .He was injured in a car accident .If I remember right I tured the whole horn around and mounted valves on the other side. I had to make #1 valve into #3 valve. It was a rotor valve horn. The horn came out nice and the customer was Happy But I did not take pictures Thanks Harv. Happy New Year

[awaters]

I have several left hand CC tubas 5rotors which i had converted due to a r/h disability.

Arnie
QUINCY SYMPHONY
MIT SUMMER PHILHARMONIC

[Bob Kolada]

A guy on another forum told me about a student at the school he taught who has a left-handed 6 valve Firebird, though since he has no right hand there were still figuring out the 6th valve.

[David Richoux]

Here is another totally flipped-out tuba:
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=32342&hilit=prague#p284329

(how does one format a upload from an older message to show the picture without uplaoding it again?)

[Chuck Jackson]

When I was a kid, Rome, NY had a wonderful municipal band that used to play on Thursday nights at Franklin Field on the Band Stand. A bunch of guys from the Syracuse Symphony would come over to play, one of whom was the wonderful arranger and conductor, the late Calvin Custer. Calvin, who was french horn player, owned a Cuesnon BBb tuba that was built for a left-handed player. I was always fascinated with the instrument and wondered what might have happened to it with his passing. Maybe Ed Diefes would know.

Chuck


Edit: I should clarify my answer. The tuba in question had a left facing bell with 3 upright piston valves operated by the left hand.

I also remember a young man from ASU who was in town for the SWRTEC in 2005 that a custom made Mirafone 186-5U that had the valves setup on the left hand side of the horn. He didn't have a right hand, thus the modification.

[Roger Lewis]

Meinl Weston, over the years, has made a number of left handed tubas for people who had suffered strokes or disabling injuries. I think that it is a great thing that the people who make the horns will work with people to keep them playing the horns.

Happy new year to all.

Roger