Custom Conn CC tuba

Matt Walters · Post by **Matt Walters** » Wed Aug 17, 2005 9:26 am

Hey Gang,
It's been years since I finished a custom tuba project. Up until about 6 years ago I got to spend most of the day at my repair bench. Then, I shifted to spending much time on the phone, sales floor, and answering E-mails.

Now thanks to Davin in sales and Jason on the web, not every tuba question has to be handed over to me. A 5 minute phone call can mean 20 minutes trying to remember what I was going to do next on the horn. I love talking to my customers, but it's great to get back to more repair time.

Jason is trying to teach me a little more about computers. He has quickly learned that computers and I have a hate-hate relationship. What works for others, does not work for me when I use it. (Jason laughing loudly in the background.)

Here is my first attempt to upload a picture on the web. Wish me luck. This horn was 3 valve front action Conn Eb with a bore of .693" and 20" bell. The only thing original on the horn is the bell, bottom bow and receiver brace. Every slide tube and ferrule was cut from stock nickel silver tubing. Valve loops were built as complete, parallel inner and outer assemblies before being soldered to the casing. The new Conn brace flanges have nickel silver brace rods. The nickel silver leadpipe was drawn and burnished from a seamless nickle silver tube (Third pipe was the charm.). The valve casing/pistons are new with a bore of .687". The detachable 5th valve assembly is .807". Not hidden behind silver plating, here it is in raw brass for all to see.

I worked long and hard to get this the way I wanted it to look and play for Joe Burton. I hope to build one just like it for myself. I have the bell and bottom bow I got from Lee Stofer. I just need more time and energy in each day.

scottw · Post by **scottw** » Wed Aug 17, 2005 9:33 am

He should be really laughing now: I think you missed! I can find nothing there even remotely like a Conn, although there are a few fine-looking women!

Pete Link · Post by **Pete Link** » Wed Aug 17, 2005 10:11 am

An absolute work of art. Way to go Matt! I think you have more than exceeded Big Joe's expectations.
Looks like I will be making a trip to Williamsburg Joe!!!!!!!!!

Pete

ArnoldGottlieb · Post by **ArnoldGottlieb** » Wed Aug 17, 2005 11:00 am

Matt,
After all of the "tweaking" you've done for everybody, I can only imagine how great that horn is, it's great for us you'll be back at the bench, time to get to jersey. Peace. ASG

dmmorris · Post by **dmmorris** » Wed Aug 17, 2005 12:09 pm

goll-dang ..........mercy, dat's purty!

and look nothing like any Conn...ever!

Congratulations on your efforts.

jacobg · Post by **jacobg** » Wed Aug 17, 2005 1:23 pm

Questions, questions.
Was that a Conn "Giant" Model Eb or a "Monster"? What vintage was it? Why do people usually use the 20" models? Has anyone every done this on the 17" model (I think it was called a "Standard"?)

KevinYoung · Post by **KevinYoung** » Wed Aug 17, 2005 9:53 pm

Pete Link wrote:An absolute work of art. Way to go Matt! I think you have more than exceeded Big Joe's expectations.
Looks like I will be making a trip to Williamsburg Joe!!!!!!!!!

Pete

Where's Joe these days?

Lew · Post by **Lew** » Wed Aug 17, 2005 10:14 pm

Beautiful horn Matt, but I think that it's not really right to call it a Conn, given how little Conn material went into it. It should be called a "Walters" tuba.

JayW · Post by **JayW** » Wed Aug 17, 2005 11:17 pm

Let me just say.... computer skills aside (see Matt , I told you I could show you in a few minutes) This horn is the BOMB!!!! It is just fantastic..looking..playing...feeling Not only does the sound just have a timeless quality to it, but the horn is extremely well thought out as to ergonomics (yes... it is very comfortable!!) Just another reason why we need to get Matt off the phone... away from the computer (pardon the pun) and back to making Amazing Creations such as this.
I too believe it needs to have his name on it... he deserves nothing less

Mark E. Chachich · Post by **Mark E. Chachich** » Thu Aug 18, 2005 11:02 am

Matt,

No one is suprised by your work; however, I think that we are all very impressed. When you are as good as you are, I do not know what you can do for an encore. That is a beautiful tuba and I sure it playes at least as good as it looks.

as always, my best,
Mark

chhite · Post by **chhite** » Fri Aug 19, 2005 7:48 am

KevinYoung wrote:
Pete Link wrote:An absolute work of art. Way to go Matt! I think you have more than exceeded Big Joe's expectations.
Looks like I will be making a trip to Williamsburg Joe!!!!!!!!!

Pete
Where's Joe these days?

Joe's in Williamsburg playing at Busch Gardens and working at a music store in Toano while not at the park. I've seen and played this horn in most of its stages, from the original Eb, which played pretty well, to the tacked-up prototype version, and Matt has done an incredible job. It was great back then and I'm sure that the finished product is a gem. Mad Dog, enjoy the horn. BTW, which horn are you going to get rid of?

hbcrandy · Post by **hbcrandy** » Fri Aug 19, 2005 8:29 am

Great Work, Matt!

Randy Harrison
Baltimore, Maryland USA

Lew · Post by **Lew** » Fri Aug 19, 2005 8:45 am

chhite wrote:Joe's in Williamsburg playing at Busch Gardens and working at a music store in Toano while not at the park. I've seen and played this horn in most of its stages, from the original Eb, which played pretty well, to the tacked-up prototype version, and Matt has done an incredible job. It was great back then and I'm sure that the finished product is a gem. Mad Dog, enjoy the horn. BTW, which horn are you going to get rid of?

Where is he playing at Busch Gardens? I usually get there a few times a year and would love to check it out.

Alex C · Post by **Alex C** » Fri Aug 19, 2005 9:10 am

I could not find where you said what key it ended up in. I see it started out as an Eb and looks like the valve tubes are for a CC. Is it a CC?

What's the bore of the valve-set and at the 5th valve, if you don't mind giving away secrets?

And I think it is likely that it could be called a Conn. Since it has a Conn bell, if it sounds like a Conn... call it a Conn.

This horn looks great!

dmmorris · Post by **dmmorris** » Fri Aug 19, 2005 10:19 am

The title of the thread is..........

chhite · Post by **chhite** » Sun Aug 21, 2005 4:46 pm

Lew wrote:
chhite wrote:Joe's in Williamsburg playing at Busch Gardens and working at a music store in Toano while not at the park. I've seen and played this horn in most of its stages, from the original Eb, which played pretty well, to the tacked-up prototype version, and Matt has done an incredible job. It was great back then and I'm sure that the finished product is a gem. Mad Dog, enjoy the horn. BTW, which horn are you going to get rid of?

Where is he playing at Busch Gardens? I usually get there a few times a year and would love to check it out.

Last year he was in Italy, but I'm not sure he's there again. Ask any of the brass musicians and they'll know.

Philip Jensen · Post by **Philip Jensen** » Thu Aug 25, 2005 3:39 pm

After he posted those pictures, he set to work cleaning and tweaking my old King BBb horn. I picked it up last Thursday and Matt made the horn sound 10 times better than it had.

Matt and I spent a little time on Wed. testing out various Bb horns as my teacher has said I was ready for a better horn. I also play Eb and my wife has agreed that next year I can get a new tuba. Well the question has been a "new" Bb or Eb? Well I now know that it will be an Eb. My tweaked King, now plays better than the others I had tried (Miraphones 191 and 186 - unfortunately no 1291s to test - I've loved them in the past). Really opened it up. There were some suspicious solder blobs where the lead pipe enters the valve cluster that Matt ultimately found were hiding some problems.

Matt was out the door for vacation a soon as I came to pick up the horn - after going over what he had done and getting my comments after testing it.

Ken wrote

speaking of tweaking, if one were to wish to have their horn "tweaked", would an appointment be needed or could you just show up in the morning and leave your horn there for the day(or two, whatever it takes). I was thinking of going down for some of this world famed tweaking and just wanted to know what I should do.

Ideally make an appointment well in advance. I set mine up in early July for the 18th of Aug, and brought the horn in a day early. Even this may not be early enough, unless you are willing to leave the horn for several days/weeks

porkchopsisgood · Post by **porkchopsisgood** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 11:46 pm

JOE!!!!

I had no idea THAT was what the horn was going to end up like....DAMN...

I want to head to Dillon's with you when you check it out....let's work it out.

Allen