Reynolds Contempora

[TheGoyWonder]

Winner! I think it's the Olds version actually with a Reynolds bell. Hope it lives up to the Tubenet hype even if not genuine Cleveland/ect.

Wonder if I'll ever find an upright bell...they do exist, but a seller ready to dance is harder to find. Old people and their hoarding.

[Dan Schultz]

I sold one with BOTH bells to a fellow in northern Ohio about ten years ago. It's the only one I've ever seen with both bells. That upright bell was very tall.

[Donn]

I think it's the Olds version actually with a Reynolds bell.

Why? I see it doesn't have the 1st valve kicker spring, and there's a brace there that I suppose means it never had one, so that's somewhat off standard for Reynolds. I believe the oldest model didn't have it, but this doesn't look like that.

I've read complaints about the upright bell, so tall you can't hear yourself any better than you could with the forward facing bell.

[TheGoyWonder]

Valve caps and no kicker indicate Olds. Really old Reynolds would likely have sousaphone-style 3rd valve coil.

A bell with wider throat wouldn't need to be quite as tall, maybe 43" or even 42" instead of 46"...just like you can put a York bell on a King 1241 and it's much shorter. A whole York bell wouldn't work, but a Yorkish bell at the 6.5+" tenon is worth some inquiry.

Plus old horns are flat, and any tuba I play I have to push the tuning slide all the way in anyways.

[Donn]

I believe somewhere in here, you might read that some Martin bells fit.

[Dan Schultz]

Here's a pic on the 'big' and 'little' Reynolds tubas.

[Donn]

Here's a pic on the 'big' and 'little' Reynolds tubas.

Hm, no 1st valve kicker there, either. From the Contempora Corner account, the "Olds" version could be tubas assembled in the mid to late '60s actually at the "Reynolds" facility in Abilene - along with Olds tubas - and engraved "Made in Abilene, Texas". The photo of a TB-12 supposedly from this era does show a kicker spring, though no pull loops. Or early '70s in Fullerton, engraved "Made in USA", but apparently the large tuba wasn't in the lineup at that point.

[Tom Eshelman]

In high school (Cleveland Heights, '65) the tuba section consisted of 4 of those tall bell BBb Reynold Contemporas and one Eb version. One of us went on to an orchestra career - Bernie Guzik.

[edsel585960]

That upright bell was very tall.

No kidding. I have one of these with the upright bell and first valve "tuning trigger", refurbished by Borodi Music (eBay purchase). I paid way too much but the thing is absolutely pristine. No dents, good valves etc. I don't take it anywhere, though, because it's just so darn long with that upright bell. A real pain in the rear to transport etc. Had Altieri make me a bag for it but it's still very awkward. Oh well, I guess those long bells were the "thing to have" back in the day. Anyone wanna make me an offer? Email for pics.

Those old stovepipes were tall. . I know how you feel about the horn Dan. I recently parted ways with my perfect 991 olds. I never took it anywhere either cause I'd ding it up by accident. New tuba angst is the worst. Now if I can just find a beat up Contempora.

[roweenie]

Is this one of the Reynolds tubas with a .687 bore, or is it the Conn/Olds .656?

[Dan Schultz]

Here's a pic on the 'big' and 'little' Reynolds tubas.

I don't see the little one for sale on your website. Is it for sale?

That image was taken in 2011. Neither horn is still here.

[Dan Schultz]

Is this one of the Reynolds tubas with a .687 bore, or is it the Conn/Olds .656?

The 'big one' is .688" bore. The little one is .656".

[roweenie]

So, the one that recently sold on eBay would likely have had the larger bore?

I'm just wondering, for future knowledge, how to determine which is which....

[Donn]

The valve tubing is shaped different, that's one thing. The big ones (most of them) had pull rings on top of the 1st and 3rd valve tubing, and whether the pull rings are still there, the 3rd valve is high enough that you could use a pull ring with it if it had one. The little ones' 3rd valve tubing doesn't come up along the top bow like that. I'm sure there are plenty of differences, that's the one I look for.

The Contempora Corner tuba page has pictures and information.

I kind of had the hots for the larger Reynolds for a while, but hard to find at a reasonable price. Taylor Music seems to have one or two, not cheap but at least they ship via truck.

[TheGoyWonder]

So, the one that recently sold on eBay would likely have had the larger bore?

I'm just wondering, for future knowledge, how to determine which is which....

.
Detachable bell or not.

Or if somehow you could see only the body and were given no sense of scale, you could pick up clues on how big it is. You might look at the three lower bows, which have space between in the large one and are tighter to the bottom in the small one (the inner loops are more maxed out in length on the small one)

[TheGoyWonder]

King plus @$$ sound like a good deal.

Probably the best bell flare to make an upright is just another 23" Contempora flare, so I'm in the market for that. Or maybe a flare from 2 piece 20J bell plus custom stack could yield something a lil shorter, if the size differential isn't crazy.

Would also like to get one of those kickers put on! Maybe I'd use it for 1-3 and have a 4th long enough for a good 2-4.

[Donn]

Probably the best bell flare to make an upright is just another 23" Contempora flare, so I'm in the market for that.

My guess is they used their sousaphone bell for this, initially - why it's abnormally long. The standard upright bell is 20". I've seen a bell fabricated from a bell flare and sheet brass, but I haven't seen one that I'd use.

[TheGoyWonder]

There's one that's been sitting on ebay for years that has a non-original bell - it's King/York Master like, same generic big funnel shape. Shorter l but I assume it works somehow. If the horn is flat-natured, this will be the model.

The sousaphone bell doesn't seem to have an abnormally long throat ( or tenon->flare region), maybe the upright bell is not 100% analogous and is designed for a more focused sound, and a tighter throat requires more length.

If I really wanted a short bell, I'd get the flare piece from a 2 piece 20J bell and get a custom stack made. Maybe that would be a crazy taper, or maybe the throat opening isn't much bigger than the recording bell flare. If the horn is sharp-natured, this would be the strategy.