Visit to Dan Schultz

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royjohn
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Visit to Dan Schultz

Post by royjohn »

Some of you may realize that I snagged a Karl Ziess Master Modelle off an Atlanta area CL about two months ago. While the tuba played OK, there was some looseness in the valve linkages and a few dents in the bottom bow and the side attached to it. Since I had a trip from Knoxville, TN to the St. Louis area planned to pick up a telescope mount, I decided to arrange a trip to see the Village Tinker, Dan Schultz as a halfway stop. Dan was very accommodating and willing to assess the horn as I blew through (haha) Indiana at about 3PM on Thursday. He thought that the S-linkage did not need to be changed to ball and socket and felt he could reach most of the dents with magnets. He said the work would only take a couple of hours and that he could have the horn ready when I returned the next day.

I left Evansville/Newburgh about 4PM and reached Washington, MO about 8PM, spent the night and returned to Dan's shop at 11:40AM on Friday. True to his word, Dan was able to take out most of the dents, even though some were obscured by the nickel silver protectors (??) soldered to the bows. He aligned the valves, which were out of line even though the bumpers were new, and gave me some replacement bumper material which he said would leave the valves aligned perfectly. He also tightened up the valve linkages, which required disassembling the clock springs and resoldering the valve pads into the spring housings.

Dan and I spent some time talking tuba...I learned that he plays about five or six days/nights a week, sometimes at assisted living facilities, sometimes with two community bands which he founded years ago and also with a British Brass Band and a wind octet. He gave me some recommendations for home brew valve oil and showed me his 5/4 Rudy.

I had a great time with Dan and particularly appreciated his willingness to accommodate my schedule and his practical approach. He didn't try to upsell me on an expensive ball and socket valve rebuild or a disassemble to repair dent removal option. The total bill for a valve align, dent removal and valve linkage repair was $120. Dan said the Ziess was a nice horn.

I was anxious to get on my way, so I didn't play the horn until I got home. I immediately noticed that the low notes were very big, much better than before! I assume this was due to the valve alignment.

In summary, it was great to meet Dan, who is quite a personality (and I mean that in a good way), and to get my horn adjusted at a very reasonable price and on short notice. Once you reach Dan's address, he's easy to find, as there's a Sousaphone on the mailbox! Thanks for your help, Dan!
royjohn :D :D :D
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Re: Visit to Dan Schultz

Post by Heavy_Metal »

Dan is one of the best.

Is your Ziess a stenciled B&S 101?
Principal tuba, Bel Air Community Band
Old (early 1900s?) Alexander BBb proto-163
1976 Sonora (B&S 101) 4-rotor BBb
1964 Conn 20J/21J BBb (one body, both bells)
1970s Marzan Slant-rotor BBb
~1904 York 3P BBb Helicon
Old Alex Comp.F, in shop
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roweenie
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Re: Visit to Dan Schultz

Post by roweenie »

Heavy_Metal wrote:Dan is one of the best.
+ 1,000
"Even a broken clock is right twice a day".
royjohn
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Re: Visit to Dan Schultz

Post by royjohn »

Dan said my Ziess was an Amati/Cerveny product. He explained that production of these horns was a "cottage industry" and that parts would come from various suppliers and be assembled by an individual craftsman's shop. He pointed out that one of the loops on the back side of the horn looked like those on an Alexander. The nickel silver collars on the bell bow looked like Mirafone. So there were various parts on it. The tubing comes out parallel to the bell from #1 and #4 rather than at 45 degrees like the B&S models...I think I've got that right.

Anyway, very pleased with the horn for less than $1000 with the repairs...also, the metal is pretty thick, which contradicts what I've heard about Cervenys. Another thing that Dan said was that it wasn't clear when the horn was made. It looked like a 60's-70's horn, but the flat spring on the water key was probably from the 30's, so it wasn't completely clear...perhaps water key was added later as a replacement...
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Re: Visit to Dan Schultz

Post by T. J. Ricer »

Dan is the man! I'm playing a gig on a horn he built for me... starting in about 5 minutes! Get off TubeNet, T. J.!
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royjohn
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Re: Visit to Dan Schultz

Post by royjohn »

Wow! Bloke and the Village [Tuba] Tinker in the same room/repair shop. I recall a quote about "with the possible exception of when Thomas Jefferson dined alone" but I can't quite get it right and, besides, Jefferson is somewhat out of favor now that it's known that his long time bed mate was a slave who he did not chose to free...but I can still say, "oh, to be a fly on the wall...". That is, if bloke didn't swat me while I was listenin'...Two tuba gurus...
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Dan Schultz
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Re: Visit to Dan Schultz

Post by Dan Schultz »

royjohn wrote:Wow! Bloke and the Village [Tuba] Tinker in the same room/repair shop....
It's already happened! A couple of years ago... on my way to the 'deep south'... Terri and I dropped by Blokepatch for a visit.

Unforgettable!
Dan Schultz
"The Village Tinker"
http://www.thevillagetinker.com" target="_blank
Current 'stable'... Rudolf Meinl 5/4, Marzan (by Willson) euph, King 2341, Alphorn, and other strange stuff.
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Tubajug
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Re: Visit to Dan Schultz

Post by Tubajug »

Yes! Kuddos to Dan! He has sent me many little tidbits over the years (ferrules, receivers, etc.). I also made a side trip to see him on a family trip to Indianapolis many years ago. He kindly let me come and see his shop and play on many of his horns for an hour or two. He also did great work to my King/Holton frankentuba that I currently play on. Great guy, very skilled, and great fun to "talk tuba" with.
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Re: Visit to Dan Schultz

Post by Walter Webb »

Royjohn, what is the recipe for Dan's homebrew valve oil?
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Re: Visit to Dan Schultz

Post by royjohn »

He swore me to secrecy, so...no, he freely shared...he uses straight 30W oil (non-detergent, I would guess) thinned to your taste with Ultra-Pure lamp oil. This was for rotors, but I guess it would be about the same for pistons. Sewing machine oil or (perhaps) a slightly thicker mix of the 30W for your linkages. Dan said when the slide grease and oil migrates onto the valve surfaces and thickens up too much and slows the rotors, he pours a generous amount of Ultra-Pure into the leadpipe and shakes the horn to distribute it and clean out the valves. Then start the cycle over again with the oil...I hope Dan will chime in here if I got something wrong, but that's the gist of it.

Sounds like a good, simple and cheap system to me.
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Dan Schultz
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Re: Visit to Dan Schultz

Post by Dan Schultz »

royjohn wrote:He swore me to secrecy, so...no, he freely shared...he uses straight 30W oil (non-detergent, I would guess) thinned to your taste with Ultra-Pure lamp oil. This was for rotors, but I guess it would be about the same for pistons. Sewing machine oil or (perhaps) a slightly thicker mix of the 30W for your linkages. Dan said when the slide grease and oil migrates onto the valve surfaces and thickens up too much and slows the rotors, he pours a generous amount of Ultra-Pure into the leadpipe and shakes the horn to distribute it and clean out the valves. Then start the cycle over again with the oil...I hope Dan will chime in here if I got something wrong, but that's the gist of it.

Sounds like a good, simple and cheap system to me.
I prefer to think of it as Ultra-Pure Lamp Oil thickened with a dab of 30W rather than thinning 30W with lamp oil.
Dan Schultz
"The Village Tinker"
http://www.thevillagetinker.com" target="_blank
Current 'stable'... Rudolf Meinl 5/4, Marzan (by Willson) euph, King 2341, Alphorn, and other strange stuff.
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Re: Visit to Dan Schultz

Post by dweston58 »

I spoke to Dan on the phone as I was trying to sell my Miraphone (and still am), he graciously declined as he wasn’t in the market for one, however, he had a Marzan BB horn, I had the chance to play one in the Orlando Concert Band. Alex Carpenter (Bob Carpenters son) owns one and WOW!! What a sound.... so I asked Dan if it was for sale? And it was, so in January I am going to buy it.

I found it to be a pleasure talking with Dan, I don’t think there is anyone more knowledgeable on these horns than him.
Dave Weinstein
Port St. John Florida
royjohn
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Re: Visit to Dan Schultz

Post by royjohn »

Dan Schultz wrote:
I prefer to think of it as Ultra-Pure Lamp Oil thickened with a dab of 30W rather than thinning 30W with lamp oil.
Dan, excuse me for garbling the message...I only noticed me error after I'd posted.
royjohn
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