East Coast trip: Piggy acquired

[arpthark]

Hi folks,

I am going to be heading down from Connecticut to Richmond, VA and back over the course of March 28-30. If you need any favors, drop-offs or tuba transportation during that timeframe, please let me know. Will be passing near NYC, Philly, Baltimore, DC, Richmond and points in between.

Planning a tentative trip to Baltimore Brass on the way, too, so that should be fun.

(Also, if you're interested in any of my stuff viewtopic.php?t=8277 we can meet up en route).

[arpthark]

Well, we all made it in one piece.

Despite numerous setbacks, traffic, last-minute plan changes and the other guy's car dying (!), I met up with a forum member and traded a Miraphone 190 kaiser BBb for a Cerveny Piggy CC, which I have been looking for, off-and-on, for the past six or seven years. Also managed to snag a barn-find 1929 Conn 32K sousaphone from an antique shop, and facilitate a CT --> VA tuba handoff to someone who lives nearby.

Also stopped by Baltimore Brass and played most of their CC, F and Eb tubas, and a few interesting-looking BBbs. (3v compensating Hirsbrunner, anyone?) Had a great time, took some notes and will post some reviews of the hot models du jour on the off-chance that anyone happens to care what I think.

Pretty excited to put some more face time on the Piggy over the next several weeks. From my couple hours playing yesterday, I discovered it has good intonation (the Cs line up -- hooray!) and the previous owner installed an ingenious budget-oriented 2nd valve slide kicker which helps a lot with the 2+3/2+4 sharpness issues.

Maybe someday down the road I will add a fifth valve, but happy to keep it stock for now.

For the Piggy fans out there:

[arpthark]

Can any Piggy experts put an approximate date on this pig?

I owned one from 1973 that was simply marked VF Cerveny / Hradec Kralove, and this one has "A Synove [and sons]" added, so I'm guessing this is a later one. Maybe late 70s/80s? Not a Sanders nor a Sear. Who else imported these?

I'm just pleased as punch to be reunited with one of my all-time favorite models of tuba -- it's been 8 years since I got rid of the last one and pretty much instantly regretted it.

[LeMark]

I know that piggy! The owner had it at the reading session at the DC workshop

As far as age, I'd say mid to late 70's based on the engraving and lack of a thermometer bulb 2nd valve.

As far as That 2nd valve kicker goes, these horns are known for having a sharp 2-4 combination, but in my opinion a main tuning slide is a more elegant way of solving that.

[gocsick]

Also stopped by Baltimore Brass and played most of their CC, F and Eb tubas, and a few interesting-looking BBbs.

You didn't see or play the Miraphone 1271 they have there did you? The pictures on the website are awful and it is really hard to tell the condition.

[bloke]

LOL.
There's a really nice condition German-made Jakob Winter euphonium (or something like a euphonium..??) case that a person in Richmond helped me buy (for roughly fast food money), and then - when he was up at the tuba conference - he handed it off to my brother in Arlington, but - if I had asked you to pick it up for me from Arlington - it would have ended up in Connecticut, so I don't think that would have done me much good.

I hope you're happy with the pig.

[LeMark]

I have two piggy hardcases here I would love to find homes for. Can't give them away

[arpthark]

I have two piggy hardcases here I would love to find homes for. Can't give them away

Too bad Greyhound Package Express is no more -- I would pay for you to send one on a bus to Connecticut. No joke, if you want to get a shipping quote for one, PM me.

@gocsick, I did play the 1271! I found it to be pretty nice overall. Nothing special, but nothing outrageously terrible. Solid Miraphone build quality. I did take some notes on it (and everything else), just gotta type everything up.

Joe, I would've certainly picked it up, but I don't see a realistic way it could've ended up (through my friends and family willing to schlep things for me) any further south or west than Lexington.

[kingrob76]

I got a brand new one in 1985 that looked EXACTLY like that - even had the same Altieri bag. Same engraving on the bell. Two other players with the same teacher got two others in the same shipment.

[Schlitzz]

I have two piggy hardcases here I would love to find homes for. Can't give them away

You have blankets, right?

[Eutubabone54]

Hey Blake!
Glad you like it. The 190 plays well too. I'll probably put my 2nd valve slide kicker on the 190 also. BTW, for inquiring minds, in order for the kicker to work on a 2nd valve slide, it needs the ring on the end. Go to a hardware store and buy parts for $40-60 out of plumbing section. Make the 2nd valve slide as slippery as a trombone slide also. Not very pretty or as stable as a professional job for $$$$, but gets the job done for folks who don't play for a living anymore.
Brent

[arpthark]

Hey Blake!
Glad you like it. The 190 plays well too. I'll probably put my 2nd valve slide kicker on the 190 also. BTW, for inquiring minds, in order for the kicker to work on a 2nd valve slide, it needs the ring on the end. Go to a hardware store and buy parts for $40-60 out of plumbing section. Make the 2nd valve slide as slippery as a trombone slide also. Not very pretty or as stable as a professional job for $$$$, but gets the job done for folks who don't play for a living anymore.
Brent

Thanks Brent, it was quite an adventure meeting up with you, a pleasure meeting up, and I am glad you are happy with the 190 and that we could make it work despite the universe's best efforts!

edit to add: I took the Piggy to its first rehearsal last night and I was really pleased with it, put it through the paces on Holst's 2nd Suite. Low F 124 works great for me. Takes more air than I am used to with that large bore; was getting light-headed at some points! Such a great low register on that thing.

[Eutubabone54]

Same here!

[LeMark]

here's some poor shots of the 2nd valve trigger i put on my piggy. I would have used a main tuning slide rod, but the MTS was already out most of the way to play in tune

[Eutubabone54]

BTW, just figured this out on the 190 Bb.
There is a diffrence in slide length between the 1st and third valve slides, but same slide bore. Reverse the slides- 1st slide in 3rd valve spot and 3rd slide in 1st spot. Now you can pull the slide that's in 3rd valve out to play b natural in tune without the need for adding a slide kicker for 2nd valve to play 2&4 combinations in tune. The first valve slide, now, however, sticks out a little further, but doesn't really have much affect on c above bass clef, but plays the eb, 2 notes higher in tune perfectly. So, no need for me to add the 2nd valve slide kicker. The third valve slide is easily accessible to move and adjust, at will. This however, would not be the same situation for the Cereveny Piggy. It stil needs the 2nd valve kicker, which Blake now has.
Brent

[Eutubabone54]

Forgot to add:
With 1st & 3rd valve slides reversed you can play low b natural in tune using 123. No need to go out and buy $40 worth of plumbing parts and making 2nd valve slide " like a trombone slide". Of course, you will have to experiment and figure this out for yourself. A challenge, isn't it?
Brent

[Eutubabone54]

Sorry, only works on 190 miraphone situation. You must figure out if it works for your tuba. Have fun! Don't worry! Tell your wife/ S.O. it's worth it!

[Eutubabone54]

ok... I'm going install my 2nd valve slide kicker afterall. To play 2&4 b natural I have to pull slide out much further than I did on the Piggy. Oh well. I'll send pics of it later.
Brent

[arpthark]

Update: I am loving this Piggy, but I noticed that there is a patch on the (yellow brass) mouthpipe and a couple spots of rot forming. Nothing major and no holes, but I figured I would get that addressed. I ordered a new nickel-silver mouthpipe from Cerveny via Buckeye Brass and it should be arriving soon. I provided pictures of the Piggy to Cerveny so they know the vintage and to bend it for the best approximate shape. Will probably have to massage it a bit to fit as a replacement, but this will be a major QOL upgrade to this tuba. All it needs now is a fifth valve (not a dealbreaker for me, so no rush on it) and it'll be golden.

[LeMark]

Just a little historical footnote here.

When I bought my 601 in 2013, it had couple of patches on the leadpipe. I ordered a new nickel silver leadpipe from cerveny, had it bent to better fit my height, and installed it.

It was terrible. The horn lost it's sweet sound and intonation got worse. I compared the two with a calpier and found the taper was dramatically different between the two. The new pope opened up a lot faster than the old one and then more or less turned cylindrical.

After suffering for a while with the new pipe I took it off and put the old one back, even with the (well done) patches.