One thing that I hoped to be able to do with this newly-"built" tuba (as it is quite short, and quite "thin" (front-to-back) is to comfortably hold it (with a strap), and stand and play it.
It may be obvious (by the silly detour I took yesterday: putting my initials on the main slide in brass letters) that I wasn't sure how easy it would be to position the two (superb candidates: beefy, with large flanges) strap rings that I had for this purpose...ie. "filibustering myself"...but it was actually quite easy, didn't require Mrs. bloke's help, and took very little time.
First - after analyzing the mouthpipe angle and weight distribution, I realized that the upper strap ring would need to be in somewhat of an odd place, and (no, it does not, after all) possibly show from the front.
Next (obviously) I had to figure out where the lower one needed to be to define the proper angle and - well... - for me to fit into a strap.
Testing was done with duct tape (which - though I NEVER trusted it, held surprisingly well. After testing, I moved the upper ring even further towards possibly showing from the front (yet - again - it does not), in order to get the strap more on to my shoulder, and less on my neck.
Once I was satisfied with their positioning, I installed/tested them...Everything is fine...but (??) I may have some "epiphany" and decide to move them a bit this-way-or-that later.
a couple of things:
> Particularly the UPPER ring is supporting the weight of the instrument, PLUS any possible "hanging on to the tuba" that I'm doing when playing it, so it MUST be STRONG !!! (and NOT just some "token"/just-for-looks strap ring). I made certain that the rings' flanges ACTUALLY and COMPLETELY fit against the tuba (and not just around their edges), I COMPLETELY pre-"tinned" their soldered surfaces, and pooled on solder in the CENTER of the flange surfaces, so as to insure that the portions of the flanges DIRECTLY UNDERNEATH the rings are actually soldered to the instrument, rather than (typical of nearly all brace flanges, and [insert loud "bad" buzzer noise, here...]) ONLY soldered around the edges, with (which would be BAD) NO solder directly underneath the weight-bearing rings themselves.
A customer bought at tuba that we had for sale with (having told us afterward) the hope of carrying it with a strap, and is reporting that it's difficult to manage, based on how the tuba is sitting on their individual body frame. If they team up with someone who can remove the flanges, clean up the solder, and help them find the ideal positions for the strap rings and re-install them, I predict that they will be pleased.
One thing to remember is that the "key" is the UPPER strap ring, which must do MOST of the job of centering up the ANGLE of the tuba's mouthpiece and mouthpiece receiver with an individual player.
The picture was zoomed in more than I expected it to be, but (cut off from the picture)
my LEFT hand was placed on the upper #4 slide - demonstrating that it wasn't needed to support the instrument.
This particular strap was pulled off a very nice ($5 thrift store) JoS. A. Bank "overnight" bag.
