Just bought another 103

[Michael Bush]

This is the second 103 I've had.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... SA:US:1123" target="_blank

I figured that good, bad, or indifferent, this little horn would carry me for a few weeks of community band and quintet while I sell my current horns in order to fund the purchase of something else, probably a big BBb, though a CC is not out of the question. Once the new whatever-it-is is in the house I'll sell the 103 again.

I don't actually know that it's going to be playable, of course, but I'm hoping with a little attention from a tech and myself (clearly there's some kind of issue with the lead pipe) it will get me through a few weeks!

In small ensembles you can't go wrong for a little while with a 103.

[imperialbari]

Two questions:

Os the case the original one? It kind of looks like the ones a certain store used to sell for the ST. Pete BBb tubas.

Is the wider top slide a second main tuning slide allowing for compensating the shortness of 1+3 and 1+2+3 fingerings?

Klaus

[SousaSaver]

103's are great little horns. Keep it, you'll miss it when it's gone.

[Dan Schultz]

If only they made them with four valves (and not costing 5 times more)

I've 'fiddled' with the idea of adding a fourth valve to one of those horns. This horn is unusual with respect to all three pistons being the same. The cluster is configured sort of weird and putting another valve on would probably make it just a lot weirder!

They actually play pretty well the way they are.

[Chadtuba]

I have one at the school and have really been impressed with it. I like the sound and the ease at which it plays. It is a very nice fit for my little band when I play with them. I did find it a little awkward to hold at first but now that I've played it a bit more, no problems.

[Michael Bush]

The big gamble on this horn was having no idea about the condition of the valves, given the complete ignorance of tubas on the part of the seller. It arrived today, and I won that gamble. They're not so tight the pop is disruptive, but they're in dandy shape. Better than dandy, given the age and overall condition of the tuba.

And the sparkle visible in the leadpipe in the pictures is not at all bad. It's been damaged and fixed, but causes no problems. The rest of the issues are purely aesthetic and I can fix them or live with them.

I'm going to use it to get through the transition from the Schilbrunner (which sold last night for more than I paid for it ) to the next horn (presumably an old Conn Orchestra Grand Bass).

Then I'll sell it. One horn at a time for me. It seems like I often have two around, but one of them is usually on the way out.