Returning to the Blog

I've got several posts on here where I say "I'm going to be better now!".

This time I'm deleting facebook, so this WILL be the place for people to see what I am up to, and to reach me.

So here we go!

New Toy: Boston Eb Alto Helicon

SO I'VE BEEN SLACKING

I promise I've got some more cool stuff to make up for that.

Like this amazing new Purchase:

1870's Boston Eb Alto Helicon

This Boston Alto Helicon has a 6 3/4" bell, and a circle of about 19".
 I'm just hoping that I can actually fit into this instrument.

Alto Helicons are Very rare, especially those of American Make.

1911 Hn White Eb Monster Helicon

I was very lucky to be the High bidder on this Item. As a tuba player, Instruments that surround the player have become something of great interest to me, especially since my first purchase of a 1911 HN White Eb Monster Helicon (Pictured Right). 

I have searched high and low to find Helicons in various forms and keys, and have owned both BBb and Eb Helicons, but dreaming of the Tenor/Baritone in Bb. Now THOSE are elusive creatures. I have seen both Soprano and Alto Helicons only in pictures, and knowing of less than a handful of either that exist, I never once expected that I might come across one! 

"Made by the Boston Musical Instrument Manufy (Manufactury)"

There are several COOL FACTORS about this horn, aside from it being an Alto. I mean, Just look at that engraving! 

Before I continue, I should direct you over to the great Robb Stewart's Website, where he has a detailed history about the Boston instrument co, particularly in regard to their Cornets. 

String Actuated Rotary Valves, or SARV
(Side Action Rotary Valves)

What is interesting about Boston Helicons, is that their first catalog featuring the instruments was published in 1869, meaning that even with the popularity of Helicons in Civil War Cavalry Bands, Boston missed the boat to really produce these in high numbers, and as far as I can tell this may be one of two examples of a Boston Alto, one of which is unmarked and can be seen here. You'll notice that there are several key differences between these two instruments, including the main tuning slide layout, the paddle layout, and what is a key feature on many Boston Horns: The Swirly brace which, in this case, is located on the valve section. 

If you look at the main tuning slide, and perhaps this is the repair technician in me speaking, you will notice that the brace located on the main tuning slide is a bit out of place when comparing it to the others, and that is because it is a CONN brace from roughly 1900, and from this we can start to wonder if this horn had a playing career up until the change of standard pitch from A=435 to A=440 (just a nice thought to go with this horn).

So when this wonderful piece of history arrives, it will go through the normal paces of getting back to playing condition; it will be cleaned to remove all of the dirt, and to reveal any other damage that may be hidden by tarnish. After cleaning, I will work the slides free, work the rotors (more than likely fitting them to remove any slop from 140 years of play) and shape some patches to cover the large tears forming along the body tube seam. The latter of this work is very common on instruments of this age, and making sure that they fit nice and flat will take some planning being that they sit on the curve of the body. 

 Once completed, this will be a GREAT example of the artistry and craftsmanship that 20th century instrument makers strove for on a daily basis. Not to mention it will make a great addition to the two Civil War Band in the Sacramento Area, The El Dorado Brass Band, and the Fort Point Garrison Brass Band.

If you have any further information you would like to add, or have some corrections for me, LET ME KNOW! I'm always happy to learn from the public, and being young, there is a lot more I would like to learn as it is.

Questions are always welcomed, so please do not hesitate to ask, OR if there is a particular instrument you would like me to talk about, LET ME KNOW Via Email at:

RDrepair@outlook.com

As always, thanks for stopping by, and stay tuned. This has been:

The Confessions of a Tuba Player.

3/29/15

FUBAR FRIDAY... On thursday....

Fubar Friday is upon us!

In honor of the BEST day of the week for any repair technician (Being that fridays generally result in the most F'D of repairs, along with the "I need it for the parade tomorrow" things) I would like to present you with BY far the most FUBAR thing I have ever tried to take on...

Only this time, It's my horn.

This is my beautiful Miraphone 1291 CC
(Okay I lied, It's not)
THIS IS MY 1291:

Before you make any ASSUMPTIONS:

I did not cause this damage.

I got it like this.

So the story on this horn, is that it was dropped from a loading dock, fell 20 feet, hit a retaining wall, then fell another 10 feet. Basically, It was destroyed in a not-so-graceful-or-ordinary way. 

This horn, at the time of it's unfortunate accident, was BRAND NEW. Probably had less than a few hours of play on it. 

THEN BAM.

Anyway, I've decided to take this on as my next big project. This horn, brand new, retails at around $10,000, so for me it is worth the time to repair what is supposedly and AMAZING horn. I've already taken the valve section out, and have taken off the outer slide tubes to allow easier dent removal. This will be a project that will take me a few months to finish,

SO TUNE IN NEXT TIME!

This has been, 

A confession of a Tuba Player.

11/13/2014

OH YEAH

I have a blog don't I??

I should try to remember these things! 

Anyway, I've been busy with that whole COLLEGE thing, but I've finally found some time and motivation to get back into this blog. I will be posting more of my projects and will try to maintain a twice a week update: Tuesday and Thursdays.

STARTING NOW!

New (SUPER OLD) Stuff: 1870 Gautrot Valve Trombone

My Newest Oldest Horn

Though Not the oldest thing I've had in my hands

So I spent some time with my good friend and collector guru Eric Totman, and along with gawking at his collection, I managed to pick up a few cool things including this 1870's Gautrot Valve Trombone in Bb.

Needs a little work, nothing too crazy.

Top View, Seems pretty normal.

Not the original buttons, oh well.

So as you all can see; it needs a little love. This will be a nice fun little restoration project for me, and something to show you all just what it is I love to do and how I do it. Stay posted for more pics as I load new horns, and begin to bring others to life.

This has been just another Confession of a Tuba Player.

You can check out Eric's collection at Horncollector.com

So I've been a slacking a bit.

SO yes. I've been slacking on updating, 

BUT I'VE HAD SO MUCH GOING ON!

Spent some time in Virginia with some other brass History Nerds, and have been dealing with some very FUN... well... BS haha.

Anyway, I have lots of things to post from my time in Virginia, which shall be the focus of my next update; along with some cool projects I've got going on, including a very rare Conn Multitonic Mellophone.

Tune in later!

Ciao For now!

First Tuba Overhaul

Alright!! SO, Being a repair Technician, and a Tubist, I do work on tubas from time to time... 

okay... 

More more than just time to time...

A LOT

So lets take a journey to my first Tuba overhaul:

So this Is one of two, Count em TWO Sousaphones I worked on for a local High School.

Pictured here is a King 1250 Symphony Model Sousaphone That was found in the schools basement. 

What is interesting is that this horn had an original 27" Bell, while it was only advertised with a 22"

Meaning, this was a bit of a custom order (And to those skeptics, Bell had matching SN.)

Before the work, and after an ultrasonic cleaning (Slides and valves not Pictured)

 Here is the original Catalog Listing for the horn.

So this Started off as just a dent job (Cleaning, polishing, and using Magnetical Dent removal Systems to remove as many dents as possible without taking the horn apart)

As you can see above, this is not how it went. 

Once I got into looking at the horn, it became clear that the 2nd Branch (Bottom Bow) was not soldered together on one side; the 80+ year old solder had given up and let go.

NOW. Any good repair Tech know that to properly clean out a solder joint, and do a good job fixing the brace, is to take apart and clean it off by hand. 

(can be done without taking it apart, but that's neither here nor there)

SO off it came, and while it was off I decided to do an AWESOME job on the dents, just for kicks.

OUCH

THEN THE UNTHINKABLE HAPPENED

Take a guess..

YUP!!!

More broken Solder Joints!!

So I went from having a two piece sousaphone (Bell and body) To a complete pile of parts in a matter of an hour.

So what happened??

Well, the Solder being a old and brittle as it was, had been shaken apart by the dent work, and little by little started to crumble. But was this a bad thing??

NO

I got to some very clean dent work, and bring an amazing instrument back to life.

In progress.

The horn was BY FAR one of the best playing and best sounding Sousaphones I have ever played. And what a joy it was to work on. I still get to check on it and it's counterpart at the Sacramento Tuba Christmas, and what a joy it is to know that (at least for now) it doesn't ever have to sit and be forgotten in a basement ever again.

Finished Product, and Yes, that is me (Handsome huh?)

If you have any questions you can reach me at:

Thattubaguy@live.com