possibly slightly less expensive 186 C 5th rotor upgrades

[bloke]

Adding the over-under "hidden slide" 5th valves to 186 C tubas (was this design originally suggested by a USA big box store tuba salesman?) is something I've done for several for people by now. It's sort of invasive and it's pretty tricky to get the hidden slide lined up really nicely. They are nifty, because they don't look much different from the old style.
That having been said, it's easier to install the predominant style Miraphone 5th valve - which is the loop-over style - as seen on the Bruckner model and several other models:

https://www.miraphone.de/cc-tuba-147.html
...and this style looks just fine, yes?

I've spoken to Christian about just putting Miraphone's now-predominant loop-over style on 186 C instruments, and he says it isn't a problem. If I can talk people into it in the future, I'm probably going to have him send me those things nearly all the way put together in the "loop-over" style and just install them on old 186 instruments...if customers accept it. The look will be different, but my labor charge would be lower..."while-u-wait"...??

...Call it a "One-eighty-sagen"

[MiBrassFS]

I notice that new 185’s come with that flip over 5th, so why not do that on the 186? I like it.

[martyneilan]

Almost reminds me of the Rudy Meinl 5th valve.