Hirsbrunner Comp. Eb

[TheHatTuba]

http://cgi.ebay.de/Es-Tuba-Hirsbrunner- ... 582wt_1139" target="_blank
How well do these play?

[Bob Kolada]

I played a front piston Hirsbrunner Eb for a while and found it to be a very stiff horn with unusual intonation and a massive receiver.

[sousaphone68]

Looks a little pricey and the 4 th valve paddle looks to be in a very exposed position looks fragile

[J.c. Sherman]

Weird horn; it's a 3-valve comp with a non-comp fourth valve. Not sure what the rationale is here.

[cjk]

Weird horn; it's a 3-valve comp with a non-comp fourth valve. Not sure what the rationale is here.

The length of the 4th valve tubing looks longer than I would expect. I was thinking it *might* be a quint valve. IMHO, a quint valve would be the 'most useful' addition to a 3 valve compensating instrument, so I'm guessing that is what it is. The google translation might suggest that it's a 4th valve. Then again, it might just be stating the obvious that the 4th valve lever is for the left hand.

German to English translation:
It compensated rotary valve tuba Hirsbrunner - silver
- 4 rotary valves (2 & 3 Compensation)
- 4 Left valve, 1st-3rd right valve
. . . .

Anyhow, I'm happy to be wrong. However, if the 4th valve is not a quint valve, it could be extended to be such a thing without a great deal of difficulty. Though, I do think that even the opening bid is expensive for such a weird horn.

[imperialbari]

Weird horn; it's a 3-valve comp with a non-comp fourth valve. Not sure what the rationale is here.

As the Hirsbrunner compensating BBb’s were made to meet weight limits, I find it odd to add a basically useless 4th valve to their Eb compensator. So your doubts are understandable.

As for reading German: the best two-way dictionary I found so far is here:

http://dict.leo.org/ende?lang=en&lp=ende

Klaus

[iiipopes]

The length of the 4th valve tubing looks longer than I would expect.

This means that low Bb is played 1+3 like any 3-valve comp Eb instrument and the Ab is played 1+4 and has the longer tubing so Ab is in tune. Now, this could throw off A natural, or if the 4th valve tubing is set for 2+4 A natural to be in tune, Ab would still need lipping down. Or split the difference and lip both notes. But this explains the longer 4th valve tubing. In the past I thought about adding such a 4th valve, or a dependent long half step valve to the 3rd valve slide, to the Besson 3-valve comp I used to own. But in the end I had a friend who needed the tuba so I sold it to him instead.