1895 Conn Worcester Eb -- realistically, what do I do with this?

[bort2.0]

@Bob Kolada -- I use this: imgbb.com

My goal with the rim is basically avoiding buzz and avoiding injury. An *actual* repair is probably a lot more involved than I'd care to do.

My son has a small shank Denis Wick 1 for the Martin tuba, and that works well on the Conn as well.

[Richard III]

I had a friend with a similar vintage tuba and the repair shop said it could not be repaired. It was playable as it was, but there was a large crack in the tubing. My friend used tape and bound that portion. He played it a lot in my band and it was fantastic. Old horns don't have to die. I voted to spend the money and have a fun horn to play. I did a similar thing with an old Conn baritone. I still play it.

[arpthark]

@Bob Kolada -- I use this: imgbb.com

My goal with the rim is basically avoiding buzz and avoiding injury. An *actual* repair is probably a lot more involved than I'd care to do.

My son has a small shank Denis Wick 1 for the Martin tuba, and that works well on the Conn as well.

There’s no great cosmetic repair option with a broken steel bell wire. The repair guy I studied with used thin nickel patches for silver horns because silver had gotten so expensive. They can be shaped to be indiscreet, but it’ll definitely always have evidence of repair. That said, I’d take a slight cosmetic imperfection over the broken wire any day of the week.

[Sousaswag]

I wonder if someone has a bell for one of these laying around that you could put on this one. I don't, but I can't imagine there are many of these around that haven't been cannibalized for other parts.

Bell damage like that is, to me, a huge turn off when considering an instrument for any number of things. But, if a patch will keep it from buzzing, and all the other work can be done within your budget, this lil guy might be worth keeping around just for those tuba xmas concerts and the like.

[Thomas]

I had an old Alex 164 which had a very similar bell wire (including the Kranz!) damage repaired with a small "bracket" kind of patch. I got the instrument with the damage and had the repair done nicely by a good craftsman. No issues with the repair. There are worse places for tubing patches. This one should be manageable with a nickel silver or brass patch.

[bort2.0]

I had an old Alex 164 which had a very similar bell wire (including the Kranz!) damage repaired with a small "bracket" kind of patch. I got the instrument with the damage and had the repair done nicely by a good craftsman. No issues with the repair. There are worse places for tubing patches. This one should be manageable with a nickel silver or brass patch.

Thanks! Would love to see a photo if you get a chance

[Thomas]

I just found some pictures where the patch can be seen. It's basically a rounded brass patch in double length of the cut patch forming a half moon on both sides after being soldered on. Was done more than 25 years ago intended as a "quick and cheap(!) fix" by a now quite known tuba builder before he opened up his own workshop and at that time working at a local music instrument store as repairman. The pictures already show the "not so nice version" after the tuba saw some misuse again during a decade of being used as "an old tuba" and then on top stored accordingly...not by me! The cut was mainly the wire and the bell inner brass in a similar way as your Eb shows.

There never was a vibration arising from that issue. And a patch made of nickel silver will not even be a real optical issue in your case.

I had the chance to finally buy and fix the instrument but traded it in for a Kaiser of similar age and heritage with an even better low register and superior intonation.

Bell_patch_outer.JPG (123.48 KiB) Viewed 9237 times

Bell_patch_inner.JPG (100.68 KiB) Viewed 9237 times

Bell_patch_Alexander 164.jpg (145.25 KiB) Viewed 9237 times

[Grumpikins]

I think that these old horns are worth saving. It's a nice piece of history and the craftsman who made it deserve that respect. I have a 1920s cleveland eb that I have been working on myself to make it useable in an ensamble. It was a dog to play at first. Its come a long way and I have been using it in a community band. It's a lot of fun. It could be a lot better if I put a new valvset on it but I really want to preserve it with the original parts. I wouldn't try to support a band with it alone, but with other tubas it fits nicely. Yours could be too. And people really like seeing vintage instruments in action. It brings nostalgia to the elder folks who used similar instruments when they were kids in school.

[PRO]

I think that these old horns are worth saving. It's a nice piece of history and the craftsman who made it deserve that respect.

I agree with Grumpikins. I give names to the horns that I love (and plan to keep for awhile). They are living beings. I breathe life into them, and they evoke pleasure and wonder.

The horns that I do not plan to keep are also alive to me. They help me learn about repair, and I help them to survive so that someone else may love them.

In terms of the bar chart -- any of the above -- whatever works. Why not just give it away to someone who promises to fix it?

[Grumpikins]

I've been calling my eb the 'little gremlin' because it's funny. Also the guys I've been playing with use large 4/4 and 5/4 horns. So I just hang out and try to blend in with them. Like I said its slowly getting better as I make small tweaks here and there. My sons a drummer with the band so having a small horn makes loading the car with his equipment much easier too.

[Stryk]

what, if anything, can I do with it?

If you lived closer, I'd trade you something semi useful for it. That is COOL!

[humBell]

what, if anything, can I do with it?

If you lived closer, I'd trade you something semi useful for it. That is COOL!

I was thinking similar thoughts, with the added impetus that i'm obliged to visit the Twin Cities in some vague future, so i have to suss out possibilities before that happens. And car space.