What make horn has this feature?

[WVUtubaman12]

Josh Groban had a combo playing with him as he sang the national anthem before the national championship game tonight. His tubist was playing a horn whose lead pipe went into loop before reaching the valve section. I have seen horns with this feature twice before this, both times being played by members of different army band units. what make/model horn is this?

[Bob Kolada]

I just saw that. I believe it is a Hirsbrunner, and it also has a main slide in the regular spot. My Conn also has a leadpipe slide.

[Rick Denney]

Some old Conns have a tuning loop in the leadpipe, as do King sousaphones.

A high-end tuba with that design that comes to mine is an older Hirsbrunner HB-1P:



Rick "VMI 3301, too, but on the back side" Denney

[WVUtubaman12]

I was guessing hirsbrunner, but wasn't sure.

[Dylan King]

Looked like Doug Tornquist to me....

RC

Doug does play an HB-1


Doug Tornquist

[oedipoes]

many older european horns have that first loop before the valve block.
Persy, Mahillon, De Prins, Couesnon, ...

Wim

[iiipopes]

So does my kitchen sink.

[jamsav]

Does the sink play in tune ? and do you pull or push slides ?

[iiipopes]

Boy, I bought it on that one, didn't I!

[Art Hovey]

I saw that tuba on a TV screen in the bar where I was playing, and wondered what a Hirsbrunner was doing on a football field. Did he get to play anything audible?

King BBb tubas had tuning slides ahead of the valve section back in the 30s and 40s. Those tubas had a D in the middle of the staff that was spot on when played open, but the price was a sharp fourth-line F. When they changed over to the present configuration the F was improved, and the D went a little flat.

[Michael Grant]

It was a Hirsbrunner. I was hoping the player was going to take the horn and beat Josh Groban with it then jam with Flea. That was the most bizarre of the pre-game National Anthem pairings I've seen to date.