POLL - Do you let other people play your tuba

[the elephant]

Do you let others play your tuba?

No, but I have no issue with allowing others to play *your* tuba…

[York-aholic]

Do you let others play your tuba?

No, but I have no issue with allowing others to play *your* tuba…

So generous!

[Worth]

Interesting results and some healthy banter. Per the poll, germaphobes and damagephobes like me are in the minority. What drives this discussion for me is that many of us do not live in an area with ready access to a technician (or shop) that is respected and known for taking decent care of tubas specifically. This makes relinquishing your axe to someone, whether for chem cleaning or damage issues, unpredictable at best. One thing is for certain, most agree that not just anybody gets the privilege. That subjective call could be insulting to the requester, but many of us only have one primary horn.

[bloke]

Wade’s clever quip is funny, but is that actually a quote of mine, or a quote of Worth’s?

[Worth]

Wade’s clever quip is funny, but is that actually a quote of mine, or a quote of Worth’s?

Totally mine, something got clipped in the clip

[Tubajug]

I have no issues letting others try my horns, usually they offer to use their own mouthpiece, or I'll just wash mine. I've swapped horns with people (people I know) at tuba Christmas rehearsals. That's how I've gotten to play a couple different horns over the years, which I don't get to do very often living smack in the middle of the US. I've played a Conn 3J, Wessex compensating Eb, a Civil War era Eb, Miraphone 188, and a York Master CC that way.

[Doc]

If I have my instrument in a situation with another player, it's incredibly likely that they are trustworthy and responsible enough to not damage it. And since they haven't stopped making soap and water, and I'm not a d*** to people I trust enough to be around, game on.

[Mary Ann]

I have let good friends play my tuba, and someone who wanted to buy it (and did.) But just anyone, nope, and not with my mouth piece.

And....can't remember whom I'm quoting, but when I was young I was telling my husband to wash his hands after he peed in a public place, and he said, "My penis is ten times as clean as the door handle." To which I had no argument.

[2nd tenor]

Recent events with the CV19 Pandemic influence our current thoughts but whilst it is very serious now this crisis will fade away in time and so views will change again later. Prior to Covid I’d have been happy enough to let friends have a blow on my Tuba, normally that would be with their mouthpiece but if not then with a mouthpiece that was cleaned before and after their use. I’d also have been happy enough to test out and demonstrate something on a playing pal’s Tuba - I’d normally expect to use my own mouthpiece for that.

Five or so years ago my Band had a stand at a local show. We offered passing members of the public a chance to have a blow / toot on an instrument and that outreach helped us with recruitment (via our learning Bands we teach young and old to play and support lapsed players returning to play, etc). Mouthpieces were cleaned before and after each user and there were no issues, we just used (what were then considered to be) common sense precautions.

I wouldn’t be keen to let any stranger use a particularly valuable instrument and you get a feel for someone’s competence before handing (or not) an instrument across. One also considers the purpose, setting and ‘supervision’ of the ‘test’.

Would I loan a Tuba to a pal for a few days or longer? It’s something that I’d be hesitant about but on balance I probably would, it would all depend on circumstances and judgements made at the time; in theory I’m open to the idea but what I’d do in practice is variable. ‘Neither borrower nor lender be’ is an old adage that still has value and application to many things - just got to figure out when to apply it and when to set it aside.

[hrender]

My rule of thumb for letting others play my tuba is the same for letting other people drive my car or take care of my son back when he was smaller: There needs to be a reasonable demonstration of personal responsibility and hygiene.