Anyone ever converted a GG small-bore blattophone..

[arpthark]

... into something other than a light fixture or wall hanging? I have a Getzen GG 2-valve contra (missing the rotor valve + a lot of tubing) with a tiny bore (.560? something in that range) and I was wondering if you guys had ever heard of / ever done a conversion of one... for instance, gutting all the GG spaghetti from it, grafting on a valve section and turning it into a small (but playable) Eb? I can't see what else one would be good for, except a floorlamp or something like that.

Any ideas/experience?

[imperialbari]

If that tiny 0.560" bore is constant for a long, long part of cylindrical tubing, then there may be a bit of perspective in speculating. If the bore increases slowly, but noticeably, all the way, there will be too much work in adapting a shorter portion of cylindrical tubing.

The factor grabbing my attention is exactly the 0.560" bore, which also is found on some of the original American baritones. As you are hunting for an F tuba, a 4 piston baritone valve block with pulled/extended slides might get you a very small bore F tuba. The original bugle’s piston valve might even be utilized as a 5th valve for the left hand.

Klaus

[Shockwave]

I had one with a kind of quick disconnect bell collar, so I stuck a baritone bell on it and made kind of a sax shaped tuba. It could only play a few notes, but it was just a gag noisemaker. If I still had it I would turn it into an airhorn and mount it on my bus.

-Eric

[arpthark]

I appreciate your ideas thus far. I would like to perhaps create something that can actually play (perhaps very poorly), and I think Klaus presents what I had in mind. I've talked with a local repair tech (Norman Epley) who suggests that I might try to make it a "slide-tuba" project (tubabone?) with him. Here are some pictures to let you know what I've got to work with:

http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u259 ... aright.jpg" target="_blank

http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u259 ... raleft.jpg" target="_blank

http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u259 ... dright.jpg" target="_blank

http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u259 ... edleft.jpg" target="_blank

Any more qualified persons see anything that would inhibit the addition of a valve section, etc?

[imperialbari]

Despite your photos being high resolution and well focused it is hard getting an internal 3D imagination, which is the way bloke and others (partially also myself) are thinking. At least I would be more inspired by holding the carcass in my hands. Not realistic, so:

On the disassembled photos a huge curl has come off, which kinds of makes the project easier.

What is the bore where the contiguous main bugle starts?

How long is the contiguous main bugle?

Where is the small end of the contiguous main bugle? Photo of that detail might possibly be helpful.

My use of the word contiguous may be wrong, yet you will get my idea.

Already back in my boyhood I saw a feature on Disney’s workshops. One of the sound designers had combined a trombone slide with a baritone body to illustrate one of Donald’s rage fits. That is just about how serious the combination of a slide and a conical body gets.

Klaus

[SousaSaver]

To convert from GG to F would require removing a large amount of the bugle. Does anyone know the approximate number?

[Kevin Hendrick]

To convert from GG to F would require removing a large amount of the bugle. Does anyone know the approximate number?

Well, lessee ...

The "Open Bugle Length"™ of a CC is somewhere around 16 feet
and
The twelfth root of 2 is about 1.0595
thus
The OBL of a GG contra is about 21_3/8 feet
and
The OBL of an F bass is about 12 feet

and SO

The amount to remove would be 21_3/8 - 12 = 9_3/8 feet (approximately, your millage may vary, prohibit where voided, etc.) ...

[imperialbari]

The interval is a minor seventh. In very rough numbers the bugle should be shortened to 4/7 of the GG bugle. But there are a lot of factors around bore and bell proportions, which are harder to predict exactly.

Klaus

[arpthark]

To convert from GG to F would require removing a large amount of the bugle. Does anyone know the approximate number?

I just started at the bell with a clothiers' style flexible measuring tape and measured out approximately 12 feet of tubing, making some marks in light pencil. At that point the tubing is still more or less cylindrical, surprisingly. This little project is in the pre-planning stages now as I head back to kollidj, but hopefully I can make it into something to tinker with over the holidays. Many thanks to everyone who replied.

Blake

[Kevin Hendrick]

To convert from GG to F would require removing a large amount of the bugle. Does anyone know the approximate number?

I just started at the bell with a clothiers' style flexible measuring tape and measured out approximately 12 feet of tubing, making some marks in light pencil. At that point the tubing is still more or less cylindrical, surprisingly. This little project is in the pre-planning stages now as I head back to kollidj, but hopefully I can make it into something to tinker with over the holidays. Many thanks to everyone who replied.

Blake

If you're 12 feet back from the bell, that's about where the mouthpiece needs to be (for an F) -- you'll need to allow for the length of the leadpipe, valve section and main tuning slide that you're planning to use.

[SousaSaver]

Please keep posting updates. I find projects like this fascinating.

Good luck!

[toobagrowl]

^ That's hilarious that you call it a blattophone Looks like these things have a LOT of cylindrical tubing in them. Does anyone know why these only have 2 valves? I have never understood that because you need at least 3 valves to play a full chromatic scale.

[jonesbrass]

^ That's hilarious that you call it a blattophone Looks like these things have a LOT of cylindrical tubing in them. Does anyone know why these only have 2 valves? I have never understood that because you need at least 3 valves to play a full chromatic scale.

Yes. Prior to using three valved instruments in drum & bugle corps, they used a 1P/1R combination. Before that, it was just one piston. Real old school? No valves!

[tclements]

No, but I'm taking a G blat-weasel and having it converted into a 6-valve G tuba. Dick Ackright in Oakland, Calif is doing the work for me. This is what we have so far. It is being built on a Kanstul marching euphonium bugle. Oddly enough, with my F tuba mouthpiece, it sounds amazing like my Yamaha 621 F tuba.

[Timswisstuba]

G blat-weasel is a good name for this instrument especially among musicians, but should we tell the conductors that? At least the conductors here in Europe would be reluctant to hear a weasel-horn. I personally would love to hear / see / play it.

What about a mezzo-baritone?

Nice horn. If I may ask, what valve set is that?

[tclements]

The valve set is off the original instrument. The 4th valve was taken off abother G blat weasel. The rotors came from Kanstul.

[dmmorris]

I love the invert style spit valve...too cool.

[SousaSaver]

I have also been collecting parts to make a franken-Tuba monster, but alas finances and availability of the necessary parts makes me unable to make anything with what I have. Reading these kind of posts keeps my hopes and interest going.