Rotary Frankentubas?

[KingTuba1241X]

Anyone currently play or played a Rotary frankentuba made from at least 2 different manufacturers? Post some photos of them if you got them. Was floating the idea of having an early 70's Mirafone 186 BBb valve section mated up with an older Meinl 25 bell and bugle. Wondering how that might sound and/or turn out. Maybe just a pipe dream, maybe not?

[MN_TimTuba]

Anyone currently play or played a Rotary frankentuba made from at least 2 different manufacturers? Post some photos of them if you got them. Was floating the idea of having an early 70's Mirafone 186 BBb valve section mated up with an older Meinl 25 bell and bugle. Wondering how that might sound and/or turn out. Maybe just a pipe dream, maybe not?

Good question!
I'd been wondering about a 186 rotary valve section mounted to a compact King 2341. Is it even possible, given the large difference in factory bore size at the valves? Anyhow, you'd have a compact 'band horn' with rotary convenience and fatter 'band' sound. I think.
Tim

[KingTuba1241X]

Anyone currently play or played a Rotary frankentuba made from at least 2 different manufacturers? Post some photos of them if you got them. Was floating the idea of having an early 70's Mirafone 186 BBb valve section mated up with an older Meinl 25 bell and bugle. Wondering how that might sound and/or turn out. Maybe just a pipe dream, maybe not?

Good question!
I'd been wondering about a 186 rotary valve section mounted to a compact King 2341. Is it even possible, given the large difference in factory bore size at the valves? Anyhow, you'd have a compact 'band horn' with rotary convenience and fatter 'band' sound. I think.
Tim

The slides would have to be wrapped super tight to fit inside such a compact bugle, likely affecting how it played drastically..or 3rd and 4th slides would be ghoulishly long and be touching the underside of the bell.

[matt g]

What was the combination of parts in the Deck-o-phone?

[MN_TimTuba]

Anyone currently play or played a Rotary frankentuba made from at least 2 different manufacturers? Post some photos of them if you got them. Was floating the idea of having an early 70's Mirafone 186 BBb valve section mated up with an older Meinl 25 bell and bugle. Wondering how that might sound and/or turn out. Maybe just a pipe dream, maybe not?

Good question!
I'd been wondering about a 186 rotary valve section mounted to a compact King 2341. Is it even possible, given the large difference in factory bore size at the valves? Anyhow, you'd have a compact 'band horn' with rotary convenience and fatter 'band' sound. I think.
Tim

The slides would have to be wrapped super tight to fit inside such a compact bugle, likely affecting how it played drastically..or 3rd and 4th slides would be ghoulishly long and be touching the underside of the bell.

Ah, sure. Maybe the valve section from a Piggy or Piggy clone, then.
I'm just surmisin' and a-wonderin'.
Tim

[UncleBeer]

What was the combination of parts in the Deck-o-phone?

Conn body and Alexander valves, if I remember correctly.

[iiipopes]

Miraphone body and valves; Besson bell. Pix here:
viewtopic.php?f=19&t=147&p=14180

[matt g]

What was the combination of parts in the Deck-o-phone?

Conn body and Alexander valves, if I remember correctly.

A Conn Geib model, right?

Something like this:

[Yorkboy]

I’ve been contemplating putting a rotary set on a Holton 105 carcass I’ve got hanging around here. Not sure what size bore I’d put in it, probably 20mm (.787).

Never been a big fan of rotary valves, I guess that’s made it a low priority for me (although I do find the challenge interesting!).

[Yorkboy]

What was the combination of parts in the Deck-o-phone?

Conn body and Alexander valves, if I remember correctly.

A Conn Geib model, right?

Something like this:

IIRC, that horn was from the factory with rotary valves - maybe they were shot? Anybody know the bore?

[matt g]

Yeah that’s the factory rotary cluster. Maybe Mr. Deck thought it easier/better to swap in the Alex cluster?

[bort2.0]

Yeah that’s the factory rotary cluster. Maybe Mr. Deck thought it easier/better to swap in the Alex cluster?

Yes... Warren swapped it out with Alexander valves to *improve* the intonation. That should give you a sense of how lousy the original played in tune.

I talked to Warren a few years ago about the Conn rotary tuba. He said it was really quite an awful tuba, with as good of a low Ab and low G as anything else. But... Everything else was really really bad and hard to play.

My thought -- there's a reason why they didn't make more of them.

[bloke]

This has proven itself remarkably useful.

[LargeTuba]

Conn 20j cut to CC with rotary valves...
A true frankentuba

[matt g]

Yeah that’s the factory rotary cluster. Maybe Mr. Deck thought it easier/better to swap in the Alex cluster?

Yes... Warren swapped it out with Alexander valves to *improve* the intonation. That should give you a sense of how lousy the original played in tune.

I talked to Warren a few years ago about the Conn rotary tuba. He said it was really quite an awful tuba, with as good of a low Ab and low G as anything else. But... Everything else was really really bad and hard to play.

My thought -- there's a reason why they didn't make more of them.

From hearing that thing on tape, you’d think it played wonderfully. A testament to his skill.

[Kontrabasstuba]

Conn 20j cut to CC with rotary valves...
A true frankentuba

Is this instrument playable? Looks good ;-)

[Furguson11]

Good question!
I'd been wondering about a 186 rotary valve section mounted to a compact King 2341. Is it even possible, given the large difference in factory bore size at the valves? Anyhow, you'd have a compact 'band horn' with rotary convenience and fatter 'band' sound. I think.
Tim

The slides would have to be wrapped super tight to fit inside such a compact bugle, likely affecting how it played drastically..or 3rd and 4th slides would be ghoulishly long and be touching the underside of the bell.

Ah, sure. Maybe the valve section from a Piggy or Piggy clone, then.
I'm just surmisin' and a-wonderin'.
Tim

At that point it might be easier to pick up a new Packer 379b with a 20 mm bore or a Cerveny Arion/other clone. Most have a 15 inch bell, but still pack a punch. My Cerveny 683/Arion came with a 14" bell (orchestral model?) and still makes plenty of noise. I'm liking it a lot.

[bloke]

I’ve been contemplating putting a rotary set on a Holton 105 carcass I’ve got hanging around here. Not sure what size bore I’d put in it, probably 20mm (.787).

Never been a big fan of rotary valves, I guess that’s made it a low priority for me (although I do find the challenge interesting!).

It would take a good while, but I could probably eventually get you a JP379B valveset...
...but we would first have to wait for the English rulers to decide to stop locking down their subjects.

This may seem dumb, but I believe it would look more convincing (authentic/vintage) with an old S-arm (186, etc.) set of levers running it.

[matt g]

I’ve been contemplating putting a rotary set on a Holton 105 carcass I’ve got hanging around here. Not sure what size bore I’d put in it, probably 20mm (.787).

Never been a big fan of rotary valves, I guess that’s made it a low priority for me (although I do find the challenge interesting!).

It would take a good while, but I could probably eventually get you a JP379B valveset...
...but we would first have to wait for the English rulers to decide to stop locking down their subjects.

This may seem dumb, but I believe it would look more convincing (authentic/vintage) with an old S-arm (186, etc.) set of levers running it.

S-links or if someone could find or fabricate a set of the King-style long paddles with the rotors being strung (which is very quiet...).

[Yorkboy]

I’ve been contemplating putting a rotary set on a Holton 105 carcass I’ve got hanging around here. Not sure what size bore I’d put in it, probably 20mm (.787).

Never been a big fan of rotary valves, I guess that’s made it a low priority for me (although I do find the challenge interesting!).

It would take a good while, but I could probably eventually get you a JP379B valveset...
...but we would first have to wait for the English rulers to decide to stop locking down their subjects.

This may seem dumb, but I believe it would look more convincing (authentic/vintage) with an old S-arm (186, etc.) set of levers running it.

S-links or if someone could find or fabricate a set of the King-style long paddles with the rotors being strung (which is very quiet...).

I’ve always been fond of the old rotary King paddles and set-up. I think .750 would be a little small for the bore, though.....