two weird notes...

[Bob Kolada]

Mine has the same problem on Bb. It's also sharp but it's a buzzy note regardless. My first one didn't have that problem.

[k001k47]

Maybe. . . Record yourself and listen? Sometimes we hear and feel stuff behind the mouthpiece that doesn't sound as bad as we think. Maybe it has to do with the acoustic nature of the horn- j just won't resonate on certain certain buzzed frequencies -, but I wouldn't know much about that.

[k001k47]

Mine has the same problem on Bb. It's also sharp but it's a buzzy note regardless. My first one didn't have that problem.

Is that king still for sale? I still kind of want it

[k001k47]

here's the video. when it sounds bad, I'm really pushing the horn, but not any more than the Bb that sounds fine, or the G when fingered 3rd valve. In the second half of the video you can really hear when I'm alternating between G 3rd and 1&2.

not much I can do about the Ab as an alternate.

really sweet high range on the horn, and cool false partial. I could play this horn without a 5th valve if I had to.

http://youtu.be/YHV_mUyG6Zc" target="_blank" target="_blank

Oh, I didn't want you to post. Just suggesting you make a personal recording to listen to from somewhere other than behind the horn. I'd be ashamed to have the tnfj listen to me play.

It does sound like something's stuck, or there's a leak, though. That aside, cool horn! You make nice sounds on it.

[k001k47]

To me it sounds just like one of the two 1st piston In/out tunnels has a small hole or crack in it. (This would not be the through tunnel but one of the in/out ones only.) Also, It could be a crack in one of those two knuckles on the casing, maybe right where they join the piston casing. Look at these four areas *very* carefully, with a light and a magnifying glass, all the way around. It also could be a leak anywhere along the length of the 1st slide circuit, possibly a loose tubing joint, but I have heard that specific sound coming from a leak in the piston tunnel in the past on several tubas and a few euphs and trumpets. The metal in the knuckles and tunnels is the thinnest on a tuba.

My high range is stuffy and buzzy. . . is there a hole in my chops, or something?

[k001k47]

To me it sounds just like one of the two 1st piston In/out tunnels has a small hole or crack in it. (This would not be the through tunnel but one of the in/out ones only.) Also, It could be a crack in one of those two knuckles on the casing, maybe right where they join the piston casing. Look at these four areas *very* carefully, with a light and a magnifying glass, all the way around. It also could be a leak anywhere along the length of the 1st slide circuit, possibly a loose tubing joint, but I have heard that specific sound coming from a leak in the piston tunnel in the past on several tubas and a few euphs and trumpets. The metal in the knuckles and tunnels is the thinnest on a tuba.

My high range is stuffy and buzzy. . . is there a hole in my chops, or something?

Yes.

Okay. man. . . my posts keep getting worse.

[k001k47]

I guess it's beyond your control. I'd try not to mess anything up tinkering with it before it gets to the shop. Hope everything turns out well

[Dan Schultz]

The solution is simple. Just leave those 'bad' notes out. Skip right over them.

[iiipopes]

Antinode? It sounds like there could be a brace soldered, or something slightly obstructing, or a pinhole in tubing, at the point of an anti-node. Try this: go up the scale, and hold each tone and open the water key. On some notes, it doesn't change anything. On others, it completely kills the note. But on most, it will fuzz up the tone or make it stuffy. If the offending brace, obstruction or pinhole could be moved, eliminated or fixed, then I think the stuffiness or fuzz would go away.

[Tubaryan12]

I had a similar problem with the D below the staff when I purchased my Marzan. Once I learned the quirks of the horn, the problem went away.

[Alex C]

The low register on the older Eb tubas has always been their weak point. Changing fingerings won't change what's wrong with the bugle, adding a fifth valve won't change it either. The manufacturers never envisioned these horns coping with the demands of today's solo and band literature. They were intended to play the upper notes in old band arrangements and that's why you rarely see the "Eb part" go down past low Bb.

I owned a York Eb years ago but even with four valves, the low register always lacked center. I went through the process you are starting, had the valves redone, resoldered the whole horn and finally cut it to F. I spent a lot of time and hundreds of dollars 'improving' the horn, nothing made the low register great. These horn are what they are.

My advice, for what it's worth: enjoy what the horn does great rather than struggle with what it does not do well.

[GC]

Every time you play the middle G and Ab I hear a buzzing on the video. I heard a tiny touch of it on the high and just a little on the low. I can't tell if it's a buzz from the horn or air escaping through your embouchure because of sudden change in the resonance characteristic of the horn.

I'd suggest taking a paper towel tube and getting someone to listen through the tube for the sound of buzzing in the instrument where you're playing the affected notes. Particularly you might want to check all the braces and the tubing going into and between the valves. I've seen tiny cracks around valve knuckles produce odd results like this.

[tokuno]

. . . (did you watch the video I posted? It got buried fast) here it is again http://youtu.be/YHV_mUyG6Zc" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank" . . .

Wow, 6'-8" (2.032 meters), didn't you say? Your build makes a tuba look like a euphonium. Must be nice (touch of envy from one of the height challenged . . . although, come to think of it, my Eb sousaphone is snug enough as it is . . . ).

[Alex C]

You have a leak, probably in the tubing judging from the video.

[UDELBR]

Every time you play the middle G and Ab I hear a buzzing on the video.

I heard this too. Possible something is stuck way down inside, and buzzing when you play those notes?

[J.c. Sherman]

Three things LEAP to mind:

1) a crack/leak in one of the second valve port tubes...

2) Wrong mouthpiece. These will fight you like no tomorrow with a Helleburg or similar large volume mouthpiece. Find something shallow and with low cup volume like a Yamaha 67B4. These things were designed for mouthpieces MUCH smaller than what you're currently attempting to use, and it will jam a middle finger into your face until you do what it wants

3) A crack in the bottom bow ferule, or a flat spot on the top bow (which looks like isn't the case). But a leak in the small joint of the bottom bow would WRECK those two notes, as would any crack in the outside of the top bow.

My experience with these, anyway. YMMV. Also check for matchbox cars in the horn

[J.c. Sherman]

A 24AW is - in Eb parlance - Gigantic.

[J.c. Sherman]

It's just one of the options I mentioned... but perhaps the least likely for a fuzz like that. The others are much more likely... and my experience has shown that "contrabass-trombone" volume mouthpieces make these little guys much happier.

[Bob Kolada]

An Altieri 621 bag will fit just fine. I disagree about the mouthpieces; my 18 works wonderfully in my King and Conn.

[J.c. Sherman]

I may have a period - very worn - valve section with said valve... but it would need a re-plate, if I indeed still have it floating around.

J.c.S.