Chinese Valveset - $400

[Tubajug]

Anyone have $400 they'd like to spend and order one of these and give us a review?

Chinese Four Piston Valveset

[arpthark]

If you order 30, they're only $350 each!

That's kind of expensive without slides or anything.

[Tubajug]

Orders of 20 and you can have a custom logo engraved on them!

Yes, there are no circuits, but I have to admit that I'm fairly tempted, I just have no disposable income for something like this at the moment.

[bloke]

random as-I-type thoughts:

I tend to wonder if Conn-Selmer would even (as in the past) supply the 3/4" bore slide tubing (inside/outside) in ("authentic-looking" - though heavier wall thickness) brass tubing - ie. for a Holton or York restoration.

(Assuming someone values their time) a parts transfer from a Holton to this is far more "expensive" (time, etc.) than having someone rebuilt oem pistons/casings (even at today's astronomical prices for such work).

Further, I myself have never come across any HOLTON (though York: yes) pistons/casing that are particularly worn, and (well...) I'd view such a transplant (to a Holton or York) as a devaluation. In particular, YORK pistons are so magically lightweight that I'd want those rebuilt anyway.

otherwise...
FRANKENTUBA stuff...
I've grown really weary of 3/4-inch bore valvesets being pasted onto EVERYTHING.
Simply for "something else for a change", I'd be interested in (most any other) bore size for a "project".
3/4-inch valvesets always seem to result in (many of) the same playing characteristics...often: "whatever".

[Dents Be Gone!]

I agree, guys. This is the way to go.

[York-aholic]

How much for silver plated?

[bloke]

@Dents Be Gone!
I might be older...or might not...(??), but I remember being RE-SOLD one (ie. "re-retailed" to me) by an importer (ie. they made a profit) for $1200 (probably 1990's) which INCLUDED the (C) slides...I'm thinking either Nirschl or Meinlschmidt, but I wasn't savvy enough (back then) to identify the maker.

@York-aholic
...and how much for the "MAW" valves version...??
(Wouldn't you prefer to sent it to Anderson AFTER sticking all the circuits on it?)

Another issue is quality.
I would only (possibly, yet not) be interested in such a set if from one particular (having compared quality) shop in China...
...with others being even more picky than me, only considering Meinlschmidt, and no other.

[Dents Be Gone!]

I agree, guys. This is the way to go.

[bloke]

yeah...and gasoline was 80 cents, so...
(ie. $900 - $1200 was a good bit of dough-re-mi.)

[Tubajug]

@bloke Didn't you offer a JP valveset at one point?

Maybe this isn't such a great deal, but I'd be interested to see the quality, nonetheless.

[bloke]

@bloke Didn't you offer a JP valveset at one point?

Maybe this isn't such a great deal, but I'd be interested to see the quality, nonetheless.

A few people bought them, and (predictably) they took quite a few months for them to arrive (and they had to be shipped FIRST to me and THEN (packed better) to the people who ordered them.
I offered them as a "put-up-for-shut-up" experiment (with "interesting" results, to say the least ).
Basically, I had grown weary of seeing people claiming to be looking for an affordable valveset (the JP ones: very high quality, in C, very well-aligned nickel tubes, and even including 5th rotor and lever).
I only made about $150 ea. on them.

[York-aholic]

@York-aholic
...and how much for the "MAW" valves version...??
(Wouldn't you prefer to sent it to Anderson AFTER sticking all the circuits on it?)

Chinese silver is more gooder. It allegedly has lead and arsenic in it! More gooder!


I don't have a use for .750 valves at present.

[bloke]

truth: The place that makes the JP stuff (and any other stuff made in that factory) adds antimony (and - likely - places that silver plate all over the globe do as well). It toughens the silver a bit.

from a patents page on google:

Silver alloys containing minor amounts of antimony can be electro-deposited by known processes and may have hardnesses as high as 200 kp./mm. and higher.

The Chinese have been electroplating for roughly 140 years.

[dp]

Maybe this isn't such a great deal, but I'd be interested to see the quality, nonetheless.

Less risk on a 400 dollar hooker

[bloke]

Those Dynasty sousaphones feature a .728" bore valveset - the problem being that they're crap (but P.F.PhTelps would probably prefer them to the best-made Chinese, because they're made in the western hemisphere...) and most every one would need to be rebuilt (the cost of which as quadrupled since [1] Secrist retired and [2] covid money-printing triggered hyperinflation).

The Yamaha sousaphone bore is the same, but Yamaha made no 4-valve sousaphones, and their valves don't wear (as badly) are Dynasty pistons (which were brass and only really "appearance" (rather than dimensionally) nickel plated.

Were I to put together another 4-piston (ok...and 1-rotor) 4/4 - 5/4 tuba, I'd like to try that bore size (rather than .750")...maybe even .709" (I have a few rotors that size, which I'm also hoarding).

Fortunately (before Secrist retired) I had him rebuild BOTH a .726" bore Buescher front-action (4-piston) block AND a .726" bore Buescher top-action (4-piston) block... They're here, waiting for me to decide what/when to do something with them (as well as good possible bodies - on which to mount them. ...I really admire(d) his work.

Jupiter 4-valve sousaphone valve blocks are .736" bore, but
- I've never seen one that was junked for parts
- uh...I'm really not interested in owning a tuba which would include a Jupiter valveset
- .736" is getting to be too close to .750" to be able to feel much of a difference

(Oh bloke, you're just promoting your own wares...)
- the JP piston valve blocks are remarkably good.
- I'd probably rate Wisemann (which manufacturers the Besson "International" stuff) next
- then Eastman
- then others

The most amazing (.750" bore) pistons ever were J. W. York pistons.
They were at least an inch longer than any encountered today, YET were featherweight and offered amazing (at least, when encountered in barely-used condition) tolerances.
The best European piston manufacturers are said to have raised their eyebrows (amazement) when shown these valvesets.

TOPIC:
As far as upgrading Holton 340 tubas to Holton 345 tubas, these valve blocks should prove to be pretty handy...if the knuckle geometry is compatible...(??)

[Tubajug]

Great info, bloke! I have a couple 14K valvesets here I'm going to combine into a four valve block for my next project. Crossing my fingers that it works!

[bloke]

not really info...just blather and opinions...but Merry Christmas, Jordan.

[tubaing]

Looks like Sam Gnagey bought a tuba with this valve set and likes it pretty well???

[bloke]

If Jinbao, that may not be the valve block made in the factory that JP uses. In the picture of the valve block by itself (beginning of this thread), the edges of the brass cross ports look really nice, thin, regular, and the openings look to be round, but that's not what I would necessarily expect, unless there have been remarkable changes made in the last few years. Also (real world), I tend to see shiny areas on some Jinbao pistons, which means areas on the pistons which aren't making contact with the casings...which means that the pistons feature lower and higher areas.
If there has been improvement, good for them.