I'm Enlightened

[Dan Schultz]

Finally.... a definitive answer to the Eb / EEb difference!

http://cgi.ebay.com/Large-bore-Eb-Tuba- ... 2a0deb4767

[Brown Mule]

In this guys "other items" he has a BBb "ribbed bell" Tuba. Weird looking! Dan, how about a 186 "ribbed " replacement bell, maybe with nickle ribs ? Maybe the ribs are to give more support when sitting tuba on bell!

[clunkertruck]

Those ribs are for added projection. There's another tuba, a Cerveny, on the for sale forum with similar ribs

Do they work

[Brown Mule]

Sort of makes your Tuba Bell look like the grill if a '54 Buick! Dan----------------do you add ribs for the right price?

[Dan Schultz]

Sort of makes your Tuba Bell look like the grill if a '54 Buick! Dan----------------do you add ribs for the right price?

I've seen ribs added to bells but I always thought it was for added strength in cases where the flare had been smashed to smithereens and the bell was likely to collapse from the horn's weight. I would be interested (and quite surprised) if there was any acoustic value.

[Dan Schultz]

Sort of makes your Tuba Bell look like the grill if a '54 Buick! Dan----------------do you add ribs for the right price?

I've seen ribs added to bells but I always thought it was for added strength in cases where the flare had been smashed to smithereens and the bell was likely to collapse from the horn's weight. I would be interested (and quite surprised) if there was any acoustic value.

Do you recall the 50th Anniversary Conn Sousaphone? It has similar ribs on the inside of the bell, not only to strengthen the large bell diameter, but to also add in projection... Ok so maybe they aren't ribs, but giant rings, close enough. Conn even has a patent for this design.

I just figured that necessity is the mother on invention in that case. That bell got so big and 'floppy' that Conn simply employed an old sheet metal trick to add a little stiffness. Most industries cranked out patent applications at every turn even if they never intended to market them. The patent 'pending' designation kept the competition at bay because details of the patent applications were not public while pending. There are several forms of patents and I would venture a guess that this particular one was a design patent.

[windshieldbug]

I thought the ribs were for her pleasure...

[Dan Schultz]

I thought the ribs were for her pleasure...

I guess using the word 'stiffness' in my post might have been a Freuden (sp?) slip!

[windshieldbug]

[size][/size]

[k001k47]

Large bore Eb Tuba (EEb is slang for Large bore Eb)