saint peteys

[bloke]

ya know...

The more of these smushed-up things I straighten out (smushed up in every imaginable way...sorta like one of those oriental sexual positions books), the faster I become at un-smushing 'em...

...and - mostly - whilst sitting down in a chair.

this particular one: All that I've un-soldered have been the bottow bow strap ring and lower bow to the 4th circuit (and only to "be nice", and to do a bit better job than I agreed to do).

When I'm done with these, they look darn good...Of course, they still play like B-flat piggies...and (thus the "petey" reference), and I'm really not fond of piggy-style tubas...but so what? I ain't gonna be playin' these things.

I don't mind stuff APPEARING to be hopeless, as long as it actually ISN'T hopeless.

minor annoyance: The stupid lever spacers that they insert on the lever saddle (rather than - simply - making the levers FIT onto the lever saddle). Often, young scholars LOSE two or three of them, and - then - I have to MAKE some of them...you know: "teknisshun" stuff...

[bloke]

...so here's repaired-as-much-as-it's-gonna-be St. Petey #2. I've got a pretty darn good start on Yama-BB321 #1, and - once Yama-BB321 #2 is done - this school's repair P.O. will be done.

BOTH of the St. Petey's sported epically mangled linkage, along with both of them featuring their lever hinge rods pulled out halfway and folded over on themselves once or twice...I straightened both of those rods...It's pretty easy...easier than making replacements, and cheaper/faster than buying new ones from N. Carolina.

btw...Maybe (??) early versions were "thin" (per remarks on boobnet from decades ago), but these certainly are not, and they're not lightweight, either.



All that were un-soldered/temporarily removed were that lower #4 circuit bow and that strap ring (also soldered to the bottom bow)...so that I could remove some pretty nasty-yet-predictable denting in that area:






If these two hadn't been fixable, Wade could have salvaged some parts...

My shop "test" mouthpiece is a no-name 24AW...I really have trouble getting my lips to vibrate inside that thing...If a tuba works with me using that mouthpiece, well...It WORKS !

[the elephant]

I have always liked these tubas. I have never understood people who bag on them. Perhaps they would bag on *any* school-issued instrument because they are spoiled? They always talk about how flimsy they are, and they are not "tough" tubas, to be sure. But you have to be a genuine moron to trash a school-owned instrument of ANY quality level, Only dumba$$es trash instruments. Same for the playing characteristics: I don't get the hate, unless the haters are simply going to whine about all tubas because they sound like crap on them, too. (Hint: that's YOU kid. YOU play like crap. YOU would sound the same on my YamaYork.)

These are well-designed tubas that can be excellent, and I have never played one that sucked, save for four or five of them that were generously decorated with "tone boosters" by the "young scholars" who demand that their butts be wiped by everyone around them.

I have wanted one for years to use as a sort of warmup and fundamentals horn.

[bloke]

They're fine...again: a B-flat "piggy" much as is a Miraphone 191.

personally (since I'm "payin' my money and I takes my choices"), I just prefer tubas with more resistance built in and a bit less "gruff" sound.

...but bloke, you're takin' $h!t, because your model 98 sports a 21.2mm bore, and your Holton's resonance is pretty damn "sparky" - when pushed.

yeah...all true...but - somehow - the huge tuba (somehow?) has more built-in resistance, and the Holton features more resistance (obviously) along with more of a "zippy" fortissimo vs. a piggy-esque "blatant" fortissimo.

...and yes (obviously), it's easier to NOT tear up something than to ACTUALLY tear up something (regardless of what, and regardless of fragility).

oh...and St. Pete rotors are well-made, and run smoothly.

bloke "full of $h!t - per usual"

[MiBrassFS]

In general, I dislike “nickel plated” stuff. (The only thing here in nickel plate is one of those weird Conn 90G upright valve trombones.)

But, I’ve always like these a bit, too. I like their proportions and how they’ve played when I’ve had a chance to pick one up and toot it. They’re uncommon around here, but every time I see one for sale I check to see if it’s one in lacquer. They never seem to be.

I’ve started actually practicing some. I’ve been using mostly BBb because they seem to be a bit like running with ankle weights on. I figure if I can do it on BBb I’m ahead of the game.

MiBrassFS - "full of $h!t - as well"

[bloke]

When they're beat to crap, I can anneal them, smooth them out (without taking them all apart, and then buff the nickel plating back shiny again (ie. just buff off the heat-formed oxidation from the plating)...

...so (ok...) there's ONE "plus" to that finish...

...but I don't like the "looks" of it either, nor the fact that - occasionally, it flakes off - leaving sharp edges.

playing characteristics: I've already commented: They're "not bad".

celebrity player w/St. Pete:

[the elephant]

I have played two raw brass 201s that had been disassembled and then sort of blueprinted (as much as can be done with that starting product) and they were very good tubas. I would never use one at work, but I liked doing my daily drills and such on them.

I hate nickel plating. Hate. I dislike silver plating a lot, too, and I detest lacquer in most cases.

As far as the St. Pete plating, it is thin and comes off easily. If I were to get one of these for farting around on in the early a.m. I would mercilessly take it down to bare brass and rebuild it like those two I played. I would also replace the inner and outer slide tubes, which are just junk on these horns (IMHO) and probably replace the links between the levers and valves.

Would I like these more if you could get them silver plated? No. That, too, would be poorly prepped and laid down thinner than the norm. If it were a well-executed, high-quality plating job then it would not be coming from that factory. So that idea is a non-starter for me.

[bloke]

"school tubas"

[MiBrassFS]

Since I’m speaking in generalities, again, I kinda like lacquer sometimes because, ya know, laziness…

[bloke]

I REALLY like lacquer:

- I can replace it after doing epic repairs.
- I can replace it after customizing my own instruments.
- It prevents brass (such as "raw brass") from stinking...I stink ENOUGH without my tuba ALSO stinking.

[York-aholic]

I REALLY like lacquer:
- It prevents brass (such as "raw brass") from stinking...I stink ENOUGH without my tuba ALSO stinking.

Best post of the day!