Posted by Yeah, it's me, Chuck on October 23, 2000 at 19:50:17:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Re: big, BIG, BIG TUBA posted by Klaus on October 23, 2000 at 19:26:52:
Sorry for posting a photo of me so close to dinner time...
The tuba's a Cazzani-Rampone made in Milan. Best guess is late 20's or early 30's (one of Moussolini's best efforts?). When I got it, it was a mess with broken parts epoxied in place, and a botched cutting to CC that left the lower register horribly out of tune. The good thing was that some guy had filled the valve casings with heavy grease, so the valves had not a trace of corrosion. After some TLC and tubing fabrication, it is now back to its BBb glory and plays beautifully and very LOUD. The series starting with Bb on top of the staff are pretty flat, but play in tune if fingered as a 4th valve combination.
Free-blowing doesn't begin to describe this beast, and I'm still getting used to putting out the air required. You can imagine the weight of the rotors, and as Klaus has mentioned, the springs have been upgraded (with wall clock mainspring) to give a little more speed.
If you're ever in Eugene, drop by and have a blow on it.