Alex 163 CC
- All this really needs is a shorter 5th valve slide and a better gig bag and it'll be ready to go.
- Down the line, minibal/unibal conversion with conventional springs would be ideal, but the clocksprings are fine for now.
Alex 164 BBb
- Bottom bow/cap need straightened out (big time)
- More dent work on the bell (thanks, DHL) with some more specialized tools or know-how
- I'd like to trim the 1st valve slide by an inch or so, get it nice and aligned, and also trim the MTS by about an inch.
- This also needs a bag or case to live in.
Alex 157 F
- In a fantasy land, I'd like to swap the 15" two-piece 1980s bell with a vintage 14" gusseted Alex bell... but that likely won't happen. Plays great as-is, just looking for that extra 5% of sparkle.
- The springs are rather stiff, so I'd like something a bit more forgiving.
- A few odds and ends, like a missing pull nib on one of the skinnier slides. I have the part, just need to put it on.
Cerveny Piggy CC
- I need to finish bracing up the nickel-silver leadpipe that I installed, and install something besides the stopgap trumpet brace I used to hold it in place next to the receiver.
- Plans for adding a fifth valve are moving in fits and starts, mostly due to my source for a valve falling through. It wouldn't be a huge dealbreaker on this instrument due to the 2nd valve kicker and low 124 F being very well in-tune.
Oehms 4v F tuba
- I have a Miraphone 183 valve and tubing that are the same bore as this instrument. Due to recent acquisitions, this project has moved further down the totem pole, and I might just end up selling it as-is just to give myself some breathing room.
Besson 15" bell 3+1 comp. Eb
- Dent work on the bottom bow and some new corks and this thing will be ready for prime time, whenever that may be.
Conn 36K sousaphone
- Has the adjustable 1st valve slide, but it was never trimmed. Ideally, this would be a bit shorter. At least the hard part is done. I might see about trimming #3 as well to get things a bit better in tune, as it will no longer be "compensating" for 1+3 low C.
Carl Fischer "Reliable" Eb helicon
- This thing has a big fat dent right in the middle of the bugle after the valve section, and I've been putting off dealing with it because I so rarely play it. (think, tuba christmases, the occasional parade, outdoor gigs). It's also one of those old European things that has been painted yellow-gold, and it really stinks when you put a torch to it.
Lyon & Healy F tuba project
- Still just need a 3v King section to paste on -- I have a MTS, dogleg, and fourth valve. If I end up not going through with the Oehms project, this would be a great place to put that Mirafone 183 rotor.
Besson 3v comp. BBb
- Every year I take a vacation back to Kentucky to play in the Great American Brass Band Festival. I think this tuba is going to go back to KY this year to replace...
Schuster 'kaiser' 4v Eb
... this thing. The intonation is just so wonky and the bore is so small (yet the receiver enormous) that it's just a really odd little thing to play, and I find myself working hard to steer it in an ensemble. My tuba repairman in KY has offered to take this in as a trade this for work on...
Buescher helicon
... this thing. It had a frozen valve and some rotten brass in some of the circuits, but the bell is beautiful and the other two valves work great with not a lot of wear. I want to play this on the mule-drawn cart this year. Maybe I'll cut it to CC.
