Dear euphonium manufacturer,

[J.c. Sherman]

When trumpet players stop pulling tubes, I'll stop

In honesty, I've owned a couple near magical tubas, But I'm also willing to adjust my fingerings and move a slide... not two, though (except hanging on low notes on non-comp horns). My B&H Imperial required nothing, my 184 CC requires nothing, my Kalison DS requires almost nothing, and my current BBb requires almost nothing. Neither does my 321 Yammy Euph.

To each their own... Pitch is such a weird issue, and each player approaches it differently, and each solution is unique. But when any sort of tuning mechanism is employed, it should be easy and light, IMHO. I haven't seen that yet. It may be light enough for many or most, but most of those horns aren't on my wish list anyway.

Ever use a 3rd slide on a well-kept/well-made King 2280? THAT's a light slide!

J.c.S.

[Bob Kolada]

I like those, but I'd really like to try an 18" belled version.

[ShoelessWes]

The problem with engineers is that they seldom make something the way it is most practical. The engineers who are the most practical are seldom the most famous.

Two great examples come to mind...

1. Dyson, and just how difficult it was for him to make it, even though his designs were brilliantly simple.
2. The amount of effort American engineers went to to have a ball point pen for space, whilst the Russians just used a pencil.

My uneducated father made a career in plastics molecular chemistry and manufacturing out of one thing... being more practical than 'edukated engineers. For every 1,000 engineers that spend their lives making things difficult, there are 10-20 who have a "knack" for figuring things out the easy/reliable/effective way who spend most of their time cleaning up he other 990's messes.

Seems like those 10-20 guys per thousand aren't into the instrument making business.

[imperialbari]

I've owned tubas that required slide-pulling, but sold them. I currently own three tubas (and a euphonium) which do not.

So you put a 5th valve trigger on your B&S F tuba and a 2nd rotor on the big MW just to show off your skills as a repairman?

[Sharp]

.

[PMeuph]

We all now bloke is talking about Chinese horns.....

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vento-900SG-4-V ... 1c236db865" target="_blank

[MSchott]

I doubt that a tuning slide trigger is an easy device to engineer. The tolerance of the male and female parts of the slide are close and there is grease so the spring must be pretty strong to overcome the friction. These tolerances of course have to be tight or the horn will leak and that would be a disaster. Esthetically, some manufacturers could do a better job on the lever itself but it needs to be a rugged part.

Regarding the need for one, I haven't played a horn with one for an extended period so I can't comment but my Willson 2900 has no notes so far out of tune that I can't compensate easily with my embouchure. I suppose a slide would help keep your chops fresher.

[PMeuph]

Bloke, Do you think a nickel-silver slide would improve the action on the main tuning slide and facilitate in the building of an apparatus that is not "Military-Grade" ?

[Rick Denney]

For every 1,000 engineers that spend their lives making things difficult, there are 10-20 who have a "knack" for figuring things out the easy/reliable/effective way who spend most of their time cleaning up he other 990's messes.

That's about the same ratio as pro-trained tuba players who end up actually making a living playing tuba. Those few are the ones who make it look easy.

(Oh, when Dyson can sell his simple design for the same price as the lousy Hoovers, instead of four times as much, I'll be impressed.)

Rick "who built several tuning sticks from model-shop bits that just worked" Denney

[ShoelessWes]

That's about the same ratio as pro-trained tuba players who end up actually making a living playing tuba. Those few are the ones who make it look easy.

(Oh, when Dyson can sell his simple design for the same price as the lousy Hoovers, instead of four times as much, I'll be impressed.)

Rick "who built several tuning sticks from model-shop bits that just worked" Denney

No discussion there.