TubaForum.net

Does anyone know approx. what era Miraphone used the gray plastic ball joints in their linkage?

Is there a ranking of longevity as far as the white, gray and black(?) ball joints?

How do these assemblies stack up against DuBro (besides aesthetically, that is)?

I'm pretty sure The gray plastic ones were 20 to 25 years ago. They were superceded by the metal ones, that were a direct replacement


The white bulb ones started in the mid 80's, and they were better than the Grey, but only slightly





I don't remember black ones

I have bought a couple of 1970s tubas with the white ones, and saw no reason to replace any of them, due to their excellent condition at that time. This wasn't many years ago.

Christian recently sent me some of those which are white. I have no idea whether they are as durable is those made fifty years ago, whether they are made at the same place, or whether they are made of the same white material. I would agree that the fifty years ago white material was superior to gray.

Interesting. I thought the white globes replaced S linkage in the early 80's. Didn't know they were that old. I know they were still being made in the late 80's, as the photo I posted was from a presto 188 with the white globes

LeMark wrote: ↑Mon Mar 18, 2024 9:18 am Interesting. I thought the white globes replaced S linkage in the early 80's. Didn't know they were that old. I know they were still being made in the late 80's, as the photo I posted was from a presto 188 with the white globes

I bought a (not to be confused with the color of the plastic) new "gray market" (spelled "MIRAPHONE", and no serial number) 186 C tuba in 1974, which featured S-arm linkage, but - I'm fairly sure that - right around that same time (or very shortly thereafter) the "DVS" linkage was first offered.

I have never seen black ones, but I own and owned Mira's with grey ones and owned a Mira with white ones. I think the white ones were the earliest versions. They work fine and don't see a reason to replace them by Dubro or something else. They can crack, but I would just replace them with new ones. I think it was the white ones which had small cracks (like the picture in this thread) and I replaced them with new grey ones just to be safe. They work fine ans last a long time in my experience.

The black ones were the most brittle and had a ball in them like Dubro . They were interchangeable with the small size of (metal) Minibal links.

When I encounter those still today on school tubas, I will replace all of them with the small Minibal metal - when I'm told to do my best work - and only replace the broken ones - when told to "just make it play".

If I'm told to do the best I can for x amount of dollars, I'll swap any of the remaining European black ones out for small Dubro ones, as yes they are "compatible enough", perhaps with a little bit of cutting and filing - which doesn't take long. Another "best I can for x amount of money" tack is to replace those missing fancy action arms with plain old stainless steel 3 mm all-thread. No, it's not elegant, but it's reliable.

When I was working with schools that still had the great ones, I would replace the spatula side gray ones with M3 Dubro parts and use what remained of the good gray ones on the instrument for the valve side

Most links eventually break if they are plastic or become noisy if they are metal, including European metal links. Perhaps the best system that Miraphone ever devised was the outside sprung t-joint s-arm with replaceable nylon bushings, because all of that could be rebuilt and it was beautiful.

I guess the exception to "eventually break" - as far as plastic is concerned are the large clunky Dubro links - which are the size of the large Minibal links. I've had those on one of my tubas for at least three decades, and perhaps for 35 years. I've never replaced any of the 12 of them. They are fine and they are silent.