Miraphone 186 Leadpipes

[mcfolks]

I've rescued a 186 from the clutches of the junk pile, and need to replace the lead pipe, and the brace mounting the bell to the main branch just below the leadpipe. Now that I've unstuck the slides, AND #3 & 4 valves (a dead mouse- yes- a mouse!) it's going in Friday for an ultrasonic cleaning, and then repairs. It should be a really nice horn.

Anyone install a 'clone' 186 leadpipe? Best source for one? How was the fit and finish? Anyone have a decent take off leadpipe and brace for sale?
I will also post this on the 'for sale' section....

[mcfolks]

Serial number indicates it's a 1972- Has the older 'S' linkage.....

[bisontuba]

As opposed to the early Mirafone bell/top bow as Joe mentioned:

[The Big Ben]

Take it to someone who can bend a straight lead pipe to whatever it is that you need.

[Dan Schultz]

Take it to someone who can bend a straight lead pipe to whatever it is that you need.

+1.

[The Big Ben]

Take it to someone who can bend a straight lead pipe to whatever it is that you need.

+1.

If you can find someone other than Miraphone who

- has a long mouthpipe tube that is precisely the same taper and wall thickness as a genuine 186 mouthpipe, and they
- can bend that mouthpipe tube to a perfect 186 profile WITHOUT ovaling it, and will
- supply the 'pipe and do the bending for significantly less than Miraphone, and
- do it WITHOUT you having to ship your tuba to them...

I did...

When I had an 186, I took it to my local Seattle guy and it came out great. I had a rotor and linkage refit plus one or two other small details done at the same time so I didn't split out the individual cost of the mouthpipe. The total was a price I didn't mind paying.

[The Big Ben]

Was it significantly less than $350, incl. fabricating the 'pipe, filling it with Cerrobend, bending it, emptying out the Cerrobend, sanding the surface smooth, polishing it, soldering it in place, polishing it again, and spraying lacquer on it?

May have been close. Like I said, it was in with a rotor and link refit and some other work on the slides. No lacquer, though... The rest of the horn was raw brass. I did not look closely at the breakdown on the bill and it's been a couple of years now.

Is that person willing to go to the town where the o.p. poster lives and do all that for significantly less than $350 ?

Hmmmm. Doubt it. But that wasn't part of your original question. You just asked if I could get the work done without shipping the tuba. I could/did. It was a two hour drive but not objectionable.

Does that person own a 186 mouthpipe mandrel?

That I don't know. He has a lot of tools and rods and crap that he says he has to have. I think he has the ability to make a mandrel if he needs one. I've seen him make mouth pipes from sheet. There is a draw bench to make tubing of the correct size and taper if he needs it. So, I really don't know how he made it.

Would you like me to ask him?

Jeff "Jimmy Olson in a previous life" Benedict

[Ted Cox]

I have a 186 lead pipe off the tuba I bought in H.S. in 1975. It's sitting here on a shelf and I would love to sell it to someone who needs it. 5 valve CC tuba. I changed out the pipe in 1982, so it has very little playing time on it.

Ted

[mcfolks]

PM Sent to Ted!......

[Dave Hayami]

I did not notice a key for your Mirafone, but I believe that a CC leadpipe is different than a BBb leadpipe.
If yours is a CC congrats on bring a tuba back from the beyond.
dave hayami

[mcfolks]

EUREKA!
Fellow Tubenetters came through and I located a take-off 186 BBb leadpipe w/ receiver of same era! Should be here this week. I also got a replacement bell from TubaTinker Dan!

Thanks to all who responded and for coming through for me- especially Ted and Dan!

Keith