Like a MW 45-SLP....but not...

[AHynds]

Hello, Tubenet!

I have a question to pose to everyone out there who has experience playing the Meinl-Weston 45-SLP and other similar horns. While I love many things about my own SLP, I am starting to have some problems with the horn. Specifically, I hate the piston valve design (i.e., the MW Big Piston Valves). Now, here's my question: Can anyone recommend to me an F tuba that is similar to the SLP, but with an ergonomically friendly design? I'm specifically looking for an F tuba that is on the relatively large side, a horn that can play both solo works but also work well in a quintet/orchestral setting. Also, I'm not really in a position to drop money on a $XX,000, "Cadillac" F tuba. And I am looking for a piston horn, not rotary.

Thanks, and any suggestions would be welcome!

Aaron H.

[Tom]

My guess is that you just need the 5th rotor thumb lever redone to resemble the set-up on the 5450 and 6/4 versions (2165/2265/6450).

That cockeyed thumb lever on the 45SL-P tends to throw off the entire hand position, unless you have very large hands or very long fingers.

Seek out a tubameister close to you.

Yes. Here's mine:

[Bob Kolada]

If you really want a new horn, the Miraphone 1281 is fantastic. Soundwise, I would put it closer to a 45SLP than an 822 even though it looks more like an 822. Low range is awesome.

[AHynds]

My guess is that you just need the 5th rotor thumb lever redone to resemble the set-up on the 5450 and 6/4 versions (2165/2265/6450).

That cockeyed thumb lever on the 45SL-P tends to throw off the entire hand position, unless you have very large hands or very long fingers.

Seek out a tubameister close to you.

Yes. Here's mine:

[img]Picture%20of%20interesting%205th%20valve%20mod[/img]

Interesting.
To bloke: Do you know how much time this would take to do? Assuming that I made a proper appointment with my local tubameister. I'm going to be taking my horn in to get another brace put on the first valve slide, I might as well have them look at changing up the 5th valve while they're there.

To Tom: Would you mind me asking how much this modification cost you? Feel free to email me privately if you feel more comfortable doing that.

Thanks for the advice everyone!
Aaron H.

[Yosef: Tubist]

My old SLP had the high, long throw fifth valve and it occasionally bothered me. I think MW has improved this on newer 45slp's. The lever is slightly lower and the throw is much shorter. I think they accomplished this by reversing the direction of the rotor. Just a thought.

[JCalkin]

My guess is that you just need the 5th rotor thumb lever redone to resemble the set-up on the 5450 and 6/4 versions (2165/2265/6450).

That cockeyed thumb lever on the 45SL-P tends to throw off the entire hand position, unless you have very large hands or very long fingers.

Seek out a tubameister close to you.

Yes. Here's mine:

Tom, I see you were able to get the "old" style MW thumb ring... that's the same one I had on my 2155 back when, and when I brought my 45S-LP to Matt Walters to have the 5th valve linkage moved and that thumb ring assembly installed, MW had already moved to the newer, adjustable style.

Matt was able to do it, but it's a REALLY tight fit with the dogleg in the SLP being where it is. It was done with the caveat that the thumb ring would no longer be adjustable, and I had to be present in the shop to check for ergonomic fit.

Here's the result:

[AHynds]

(I'll do the linkage conversion (similar to those shown above) tomorrow...I didn't mean to sound that "cocky" regarding the pricing (above), but 1/ I wouldn't be the one doing it, and I don't want to price someone else's job and 2/ I really don't know how long it will take to do all this mess until it's done.

No worries! I completely understand. And I'm intrigued to know about the gradual change in bore sizes for the SLP. My horn seems to be a bit of a freak among SLPs--compared to a couple of other different versions of the same model, my horn is a little bit taller and has a slightly larger bell. Also, there's a remote (but still possible) chance that the bell on my horn might be handmade; since the horn is silver-plated, the only way for me to know that for sure would be to strip the lacquer. If my horn has the older, larger leadpipe, I'd be interested to see what it'd be like to swap the leadpipe on my SLP with the newer, smaller one..........food for thought.

[Tom]

To address the questions directed my way regarding this SLP setup...

1. I don't know how much it cost to do this. I bought it this way, but I do know the previous owner well and I know who did the work. I also know that if you were to buy a new adjustable thumb ring and 5th valve lever and linkage from MW that the parts alone are over $300 now.

2. Mine has the earlier "ring on a sitck" style thumb ring because it was done long before MW went to the adjustable thumb ring.

My mouthpipe was moved down quite a bit as it was originally setup VERY high. There is a line scribbed on the bell where the original was...the current setup is (I'm guessing) probably 4 inches lower overall. The current setup is not too different from what bloke shows in his photos. It also had the original 5th valve setup mounted VERY high for people with huge hands (ie Warren Deck). If you look closely at my photo, you can see a very faint line on the first valve branch from where part of the brackets were originally mounted. I've never heard this business about the early 45-SLPs having a larger mouthpipe or different receiver than the later ones. Interesting. Any measurements?

As SLP tubas go, it doesn't get much earlier than mine. Matt Good (Dallas Symphony) had it made in the late 1990s on the recommendation of Warren Deck. Matt Walters / Steve Dillon imported it but had nobody other than Warren had seen or heard of that tuba in the United States at that time. The tuba arrived in the US in early 2000. It was shipped as configured for Warren Deck. By all accounts it is the first one built after Warren's personal SLP that was silver plated. It is as "handmade" as one could possibly be and never lacquered at the factory. Matt had some work done on it to improve the ergonomics significantly such as the 5th valve trigger relocation. My bell and height are also a little off from the later production models. Other bits and pieces are also, but they are not things that can be seen easily or without comparing several examples side-by-side. The silver one that belonged to Warren is owned by another Tubenetter in Georgia. Mine is a great tuba and is not for sale. It plays great but also has significant sentimental value to me because of where I've been and what I've done with it. I'd probably sell my car before I would sell this tuba. Seriously.