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Tips: repairing old Miraphone Mirafone linkages
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SousaSaver
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Tips: repairing old Miraphone Mirafone linkages
Last edited by SousaSaver on Wed Jul 13, 2011 11:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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cjk
- 5 valves
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Re: Tips: repairing old Miraphone Mirfone linkages
Seems like a lot of work to fix something that wasn't such a great idea to start with.
Dubro 4-40 adjustable ball links will screw on to the ends of those linkage rods. The shorter adjustable ball links (pictured below) are close enough to the right length that it doesn't matter. The original balls can be twisted out with a pair of pliers and the holes are just about the right size to be tapped (or not if the lever side) for 4-40 stuff.
I'm no repair guru, but I've done this. Note that the dubro links pictured above are not the ones most people use.
Dubro 4-40 adjustable ball links will screw on to the ends of those linkage rods. The shorter adjustable ball links (pictured below) are close enough to the right length that it doesn't matter. The original balls can be twisted out with a pair of pliers and the holes are just about the right size to be tapped (or not if the lever side) for 4-40 stuff.
I'm no repair guru, but I've done this. Note that the dubro links pictured above are not the ones most people use.
Last edited by cjk on Thu Jul 14, 2011 11:08 am, edited 3 times in total.
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SousaSaver
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Re: Tips: repairing old Miraphone Mirfone linkages
A lot of work? Naw? A jewelers saw, 5 minutes and your done. Not ALL of those balls twist out (if I recall correctly)...cjk wrote:Seems like a lot of work to fix something that wasn't such a great idea to start with.
Dubro 4-40 adjustable ball links will screw on to the ends of those linkage rods. The shorter ones are close enough to the right length that it doesn't matter. The original balls can be twisted out with a pair of pliers and the holes are just about the right size to be tapped (or not) for 4-40 stuff.
I'm no repair guru, but I've done this.
This fix seems to work great assuming you have the water tube and DONT have the dubro linkages.
Just my 2 cents...
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SousaSaver
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Re: Tips: repairing old Miraphone Mirafone linkages
The metal tube stays on. It is a REALLY snug fit. The reason I opt for fixing them is that I don't have an alternative on hand and the customer might need the horn back quickly.
It looks like I need to look into these dubro linkages though...
It looks like I need to look into these dubro linkages though...
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bort
- 6 valves
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- Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Re: Tips: repairing old Miraphone Mirafone linkages
I'm ignorant on this subject... but my Miraphone 188 has the white plastic linkages, so now I'm curious.
How easily do they break? My tuba is well-used, and about 25 years old. No signs of stress or wear, so I'm not worried. But I'm curious if they visibly wear out, or if they just "go" all at once.
On a semi-related note, I'm planning to update the fifth valve linkage on my 188 to the newer style of thumb paddle. To do this, I had to buy a full set of parts from Miraphone to change the linkage. It was not cheap, but not too much to be not worth it to me. Miniball linkages are nice though.
How easily do they break? My tuba is well-used, and about 25 years old. No signs of stress or wear, so I'm not worried. But I'm curious if they visibly wear out, or if they just "go" all at once.
On a semi-related note, I'm planning to update the fifth valve linkage on my 188 to the newer style of thumb paddle. To do this, I had to buy a full set of parts from Miraphone to change the linkage. It was not cheap, but not too much to be not worth it to me. Miniball linkages are nice though.
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bort
- 6 valves
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- Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Re: Tips: repairing old Miraphone Mirafone linkages
Maybe when mine wear out in 25 years, there will be something new and better to replace it with. 
The only thing I don't really prefer about the new linkage is the "rod"... the old original part is like a spindle, with some cool detail to it. The new one is just a straight rod. I wonder if the old part can be retrofit with the minibal parts, or if that's an exercise that's just not at all worth it. Guess that's a question for Matt when I get this down to him.
The only thing I don't really prefer about the new linkage is the "rod"... the old original part is like a spindle, with some cool detail to it. The new one is just a straight rod. I wonder if the old part can be retrofit with the minibal parts, or if that's an exercise that's just not at all worth it. Guess that's a question for Matt when I get this down to him.