Posted by Charlie Krause on January 02, 2003 at 00:45:07:
In Reply to: VMI 3301 valve guide probs posted by Mark K on January 01, 2003 at 22:26:25:
I have been around 3301 and 3302 valve guides since I started bringing them in at the Brasswind my 2nd year there.
Here are the only problems that I have ever seen with them and I am sure there are others.
I personally had the first 3302 brought over and in 5 years I only had one problem. When
I first got the tuba, I had to do a little filing off of one side of one of the valves to make it work as fast as the other 3.
In those 5 years I never had to replace them or fix them and I think alot has to do with the valve oil I used. I used these 3 only, pro oil, space filler and at the end Binak.
Most of the valve guide problems that I saw were where people did not try to line them up when they were putting them in and turned them till the hit the slot and then puhsed them in as they were turning. What I saw happening was the valve guide was getting burrs and twisted and mis-shaped from the way they put them in.
I always looked, lined them up and then let it go in easy and never had a problem in 5 years.
I have seen a few that came from the factory that had to be turned a little and some that had to be filed and one that had to have some taken off with a razor.
When I played the 4 and 5 valve in Germany at the VMI plant, I knew they had a winner. I still think that for the money it is one of the best professional and quality made piston BBb tuba on the market and have no trouble recomending it to anyone.
Alot of tubas have plastic valve guides and have some form of problem. I have seen many Conn 52 and 56 and 2341 pistons that were not lapped enough and had to be hand lapped more before shipping to the customer.
The big deal is to find a dealer that will playtest and inspect for small problems like that before it goes out. Ask them to do it on your own.
That is what I tried to do when I was in the business. There is absolutely no way to have every tuba and every customer satisfied to the enth degree but all you can do is try.
It is a good tuba and if you decide to get it, email me and I can give you some tuning and slide placement tips to help on tuning and spit in the upper slides and getting rid of it.
Good Luck