TubaForum.net

- B natural should be dead on with 613
- low E should be dead on with 64
- low E flat should be dead on with 54
- low D should be just about dead on with 564 (234 is usually flat)
- low C should be dead on with 5634

Yes, there are in tune combinations for low D-flat and low B-natural as well, but I don't encounter those pitches and written music very often, myself.

The negative is that the left hand is occupied with those valves, and the only way to operate the 1st slide for micro tuning is with a right hand thumb trigger. Most likely, first valve C would need the 1st slide all the way in, whereas most of the other pitches which involve 1st valve would probably be triggered out an inch or more, so that's a lot of constant holding the 1st slide out in it's most common position against the trigger's spring tension.

Being a vintage B&S 4/4, I would expect the open D and 2nd valve D-flat to both be flat.

This instrument is for sale on Facebook marketplace. I think it's in Pennsylvania. The point of the post wasn't to alert people that it's for sale, but to discuss this valve system.
Basically, the 5th and 6th valves function as FF subcontrabass tuba 1st and 2nd valves.

The mouth pipe receiver appears to me to be positioned quite low, but whatever on that; that isn't the point of the post... Based on most threads though, I expect it to become the main topic.

I love it.

I had to sell my beloved Holton 345, and I still hate that. I was in the process of installing a 6th valve, and it would have been a great addition. I still have the complete valve circuit here, and I will try to install it on *something* someday.

I LOVE the 6th valve on my F, and thank you for changing my understanding and use of these oddball valves. Until you clarified it for me, the 6th was this weird valve you could use to fix funky, out-of-tune notes in the upper and middle registers on a horn with bad intonation. No one had ever sussed that out so clearly to me,

I believed that if it had six valves, then the basic scale must be atrocious. The few F tubas with 6 valves that I had played on proved this idea out until I played on your Symphonie at Brandon High School many years ago.

My F tuba is so flexible (so-called "slots") that I don't need to move the #1 slide...

...but (again) the 4+2 system deprives the player of direct-action/hands-on movement of the #1 slide.

Those two-spring system triggers (self-centering) are not reliable, and (even if reliable) would require some sort of fairly tight-fitting ring or thumb-shaped cone or something in which to insert the tip of the left-hand thumb.

Otherwise, we could hire an assistant - like magicians have...

Gerade bei #Kleinanzeigen gefunden. Wie findest du das?
https://www.kleinanzeigen.de/s-anzeige/ ... nt=app_ios

Another one

Wilco wrote: Tue Mar 10, 2026 2:46 pm Gerade bei #Kleinanzeigen gefunden. Wie findest du das?
https://www.kleinanzeigen.de/s-anzeige/ ... nt=app_ios

Another one

When was the last time you saw a BBb tuba with a tritone/quint valve??

I'd still take the B & S "Spezial" in the OP for a spin over the Cerveny. I'd like to not pull my 4th slide a mile to play B's in tune...

Wilco wrote: Tue Mar 10, 2026 2:46 pm Gerade bei #Kleinanzeigen gefunden. Wie findest du das?
https://www.kleinanzeigen.de/s-anzeige/ ... nt=app_ios

Another one

Wow, that quint valve will literally take your breath away. I'd like to try that for a few minutes, and then hand it back.