Soft springs (pistons)

[Lectron]

Where and what to buy?

I have problems with a tennis elbow and could benefit from softer springs
The ones I have seems to be the typical Besson springs (~57mm),
but 50mm (2") should be more tan enough for all my tubas.

They are all front action non compensating pistons, so they really
shouldn't need to be as heavy as the ones I'm sporting now

I've heard Yamaha mentioned earlier.....any other options?

Thanks

[Roger Lewis]

All my piston horns have Yamaha euphonium springs in them. Nice soft touch and still great response. You can get them almost anywhere. I've heard about the Steven Meade springs but have not seen any reviews of how well they work.

Play great.
Roger

[ken k]

I too use euph springs in my Boosey & Hawkes Imperial Eb.

k

[Bill Troiano]

Wouldn't euphonium springs be excessively mushy and create a bounce back effect? I'm sure they would feel great!

[Eflatdoubler]

I recently posted about Mead Lite springs, but it turns out they were for non-compensating euphoniums. I had them in a B&S pt-22p e flat tuba. Even with a 9% reduction in weight from bloke's terrific finger buttons, they were still too mushy. I am waiting to see if I can actually get a lite set of springs of the Mead brand, but so far I have put the regular weight Mead euph springs in my tuba and have had good results. I found them to be ever so slightly firmer than the medium Yamaha tuba springs.

[bestprice]

I swapped the springs in my Melton Thor pistons for Yamaha euphonium springs and the valve buttons for Blokes light weight s/s buttons...best thing since sliced bread.

[Lectron]

That is exactly what I'm going for now

Thanks all

[Dean E]

Outside the box reply: For tennis elbow, I would recommend using a wrist and an elbow brace, available in different widths, from sporting goods stores. These support the arm's complicated anatomy and may permit natural healing without surgery.

[Bandmaster]

I switched out the springs in my Conn 38K, my York-Master and my Holton 345 with the Yamaha springs and couldn't be happier. Nice light touch and still plenty of spring to pop the valves back up.

[Lectron]

Outside the box reply: For tennis elbow, I would recommend using a wrist and an elbow brace, available in different widths, from sporting goods stores. These support the arm's complicated anatomy and may permit natural healing without surgery.

I might have to try that for the worse periods, but that allow to do the movement actually being that cause of
the problem and should rally be used preventive, but yes. It might prevent it from getting worse, and it might prevent surgery.

I am to try out eswt therapy (1st) and laser (2nd) if it won't heal, or show that it will start to, during the next 3-4 month

[emcallaway]

I highly recommend giving a variety of softer/smaller springs a try-- it's a cheap and easy solution that can really make a world of difference. It seems that people often cram too-big springs (or stretched out springs) into horns that really don't need them because they believe that by making their fingers work harder the valves will be "faster."

The spring on the right is a pretty classic example of what you don't want to find in your valves-- it started too big and then someone stretched it out later in an effort to make things faster. The one on the left is a fairly small spring that absolutely gets the job done without all the effort or noise.



I like buying my smaller springs from this fellow. Note before you buy that these springs really are tiny, so your mileage may vary.