Re: Re: York Bell on Miraphone 186?


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Posted by Joe S. on July 11, 2000 at 23:32:19:

In Reply to: Re: York Bell on Miraphone 186? posted by T. J. on July 11, 2000 at 11:21:40:

Sam Gnagey was very successful putting one of those Michigan York Eb 20" bells on a Bohm & Meinl (York Master) tuba in a BBb to CC job, but the B & M was ALREADY a "fatter" tuba than a Mira-186.

I have done the same friggin' thing with a TALL Michigan York 19" bell. I cut SEVERAL inches from the bottom of it and made it fit one of the larger York "Master" German tubas in another BBb to CC job with superbly lucky results.

ANOTHER "similar" thing which was done in the '70's was to stick an Olds 0-99 model 16" upright bell in a Mira-184 (notice 184, NOT 186) to make it have a richer and less directional sound.

Sorry to talk all "around" your question. Perhaps I should not have posted since I don't have that particular experience. I, however, ENCOURAGE you to pursue the idea. I believe it would be successful. I believe the instrument (due to the Mira branches still being there) would still play with just about the same intonation (generally excellent). Probably there would be a transformation in SOUND but not as much of a transformation in "feel" as one might hope to achieve.

There are occasionally some old Mirafones out there with horribly bent, re- and re-bent, and badly cracked bells. The best of luck to you in finding one of those. Since the York Eb tuba bell might already be 10 or more inches shorter than the original 186 bell, I suggest starting with a Mira-BBb (probably all that you could luck into finding, anyway). Just by replacing the BBb mouthpipe with a CC mouthpipe and replacing the #4 rotor to Main Slide connector with a CC part, you could lose ANOTHER 4 or more inches. The rest could easily be taken from the branches, which are ALREADY extremely similar between the BBb and CC versions. I would predict that your branches would actually end up with a MORE gradual taper than a FACTORY 186 CC.


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