Posted by Klaus on August 24, 2000 at 19:48:34:
In Reply to: Eb Cinbasso posted by Dan Schultz on August 21, 2000 at 13:31:44:
Answering lately, hence directly as a supplement to the board.
Building a 3 valve Cimbasso in any key is not a good idea, because it will fill a bass position below normally 3 trombones, which will demand an accuracy of tuning hardly obtainable on a 3 valve instrument.
Commercially built cimbassos have 4 or 5 valves. The custom built cimbasso/contrabass trombone used in the Vienna philharmonic has 3+3 valves in the same set up as the tuba of that orchestra.
The layout of that instrument is rather special: The body is vertical, resting on an adjustable peg. The bell starts vertical as well, then takes a downward/backward circle, so that the bell straightens out in a forward direction just above the left shoulder of the player.
If your valve section is from a top valved instrument it might be used in connection with a 3 valve set from a front action instrument. The bore of the latter should be larger or equal to the first set. I have got an idea of the layout, but it is hard to transmit verbally.
The cimbasso will need a trombone style bell. As the overall volume of the instrument will change, you must expect that the needed combined tubelength will do so as well. It probably should be longer.
Come back if I haven’t scared you away from your idea.
Klaus