solution to the problem of parts for Chinese tubas?

[sloan]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZboxMsSz5Aw

[Wyvern]

Quite incredible! May be good for replicating old mouthpieces?

However, I was not aware that there is any problem of parts for Chinese tubas - just ask and they can be obtained

[sousaphone68]

I bought a chinese tuba from a supplier in the UK it had a slight problem with a noisy valve guide I brought it to the suppliers attention and I had 4 new valve guides posted to me in under 3 weeks. A valve or valve assembly might have been a bigger problem but luckily I only needed a valve guide.
Was I dissappointed that the valve was noisy yes but was very happy with the communication and after sales support from the dealer.
I have a Conn 26K and have been scrabbling around for a 2nd valve slide have even bought valve clusters from ebay and have failed to get a slide.
So I would have to say if you are unlucky enough to live far away from a good repair tech you will struggle to source parts for any brand of tuba in a timely manner.
If your living is from playing your tuba you better own two or have access to loaners or marry the repair guys sister to guarantee you wont have to wait or be with out your tuba.
I do accept that at the moment parts are a worry but at the level of use that I will be giving it i hope to get 10 years trouble free playing baring accidents and by that stage if its clapped out I will get into my flying car and go buy a new one.
interestingly I service a 3D scanner and five axis milling machine that produces false teeth from zirconium and enjoyed your video post

[Rick Denney]

The resulting material is a brittle plastic that is not particularly strong.

Rick "which makes it an identical replacement for some poorly made plastic tuba parts" Denney

[SousaSaver]

I bought a chinese tuba from a supplier in the UK it had a slight problem with a noisy valve guide I brought it to the suppliers attention and I had 4 new valve guides posted to me in under 3 weeks. A valve or valve assembly might have been a bigger problem but luckily I only needed a valve guide.
Was I dissappointed that the valve was noisy yes but was very happy with the communication and after sales support from the dealer.
I have a Conn 26K and have been scrabbling around for a 2nd valve slide have even bought valve clusters from ebay and have failed to get a slide.
So I would have to say if you are unlucky enough to live far away from a good repair tech you will struggle to source parts for any brand of tuba in a timely manner.
If your living is from playing your tuba you better own two or have access to loaners or marry the repair guys sister to guarantee you wont have to wait or be with out your tuba.
I do accept that at the moment parts are a worry but at the level of use that I will be giving it i hope to get 10 years trouble free playing baring accidents and by that stage if its clapped out I will get into my flying car and go buy a new one.
interestingly I service a 3D scanner and five axis milling machine that produces false teeth from zirconium and enjoyed your video post

A few quick notes -

The Conn 26K has been out of production for DECADES and isn't a fair comparison to the unavailability of some Chinese parts.

Second, are you missing the slide or do you just need the one you have repaired?

[sousaphone68]

The slide is dented but playable and is a wish rather than a want I have tried two repair shops their response to can you repair this was did you buy it here if not we are too busy.

Hence my remark marry the repair guys sister.
The problem of where I live with regard to live music in general and low brass in particular is that the entire country as a market place is smaller than Manchester or London so there are only 4 music shops in the country and none of them usually carry any Tubas in stock.

It is difficult I am sure for many other tubnet users who are unlucky enough not to have a good instrument shop or repair guy in the area where they live for me even trying to get simple accessories always involves online shopping and the joys that this entails.

So with this in mind after a 2 year search for a used Besson I found a JinBao in stock warranted and tested and supported as locally as I was likely to get and at a price that was much lower than I had budgeted.
So as I have posted in other threads a JinBao is not for everyone but it suited me and my needs. It is not my job to recommend instruments to any one, all I can do is explain my reasons for having one and comment on my experience of buying owning and playing a JinBao so others can make informed choices.

[tubaforce]

Hi!
There are several repair techs on this forum who could quite handily fix your slide . I am not very knowlegeable about the consitencies of Sousaphones, but would imagine a tech with a like instrument could fit the repaired slide to a bugle over here, and that repaired/rebuilt slide would fit your horn closely enough, assuming your horn is otherwise straight...
Al

[Dan Schultz]

.....
I have a Conn 26K and have been scrabbling around for a 2nd valve slide have even bought valve clusters from ebay and have failed to get a slide....

You're correct in one sense. Even finding parts for older US-made horns can be a problem. But.... at least there are used 'spares' around if you dig deep enough. On many of the late imports, parts won't even interchange from horn-to-horn.

I just happen to have what I think is a sousaphone body from a Conn 26K. I know it's an Eb and the bore is about .697". No pistons but the slides are all there... and it also has a good lower mouthpipe. I can send you just the 2nd valve slide (which has just a couple of very light 'dings')... the valve cluster including the slides... or the whole thing. Shipment of the cluster or whole thing would be by FEDEX. I could just mail the slide US Postal Service. Email me privately if you're interested. I can send you an image of what I have.