Double post.

That tuba is a side action conversion of a York 33 bugle in BBb.

Timesaver Yellow (for non ferrous metal)

https://www.newmantools.com/lapping/time.htm

DOES NOT IMBED

Pretty restrained performance for Rollini, if that was him. For a pretty good while, they were using a young man who was also tall but didn't appear to be as tall just because of his build, and he owned both a Buescher 4/4 sousaphone and a Buescher bass sax. I might suspect that it's that person ...

@Yorkboy, would you say that if you wrapped a top action York 700's bows backward to be front action, it would look pretty much the same as the one in the unitec case? Yes, I would. In fact, since I’ve never seen, either in person or in a catalogue, a 4/4 side action Holton, I’d say it’s a pretty go ...

The valves on those Del Negro horns looks like a sousaphone block forced into a vertical plane. I’ve had my secret suspicion for many years now that in those days York made those piston sets for Holton (among many other parts such as bells and larger branches, which I have already seen definitive p ...

Yes, Herman Conrad.

I’ve never seen an example of that model in person, or in any catalog. There is absolutely no question it’s a Holton.

Words to live by!

Let’s be positive, then.

The winner can have someone paste on a four valve set, and then they can tape down the fourth valve. Seems like a valid work-around……?

That’s in E flat, not enough branches.

It was a quality instrument in its day, but $1,525 is way too high as far as I’m concerned.

If the winning bidder is expecting a BBb horn, they are going to be mightily disappointed.

Wasn’t the Sonora the Giardinelli stencil of the old VMI (B&S) 101? All kidding aside, if the valves are good that could be fixed up into a decent player, if the price was right…… At the very least, “this tuba is sure to bring back memories of past glory”, even if it isn’t a Miraphone (as they claim) ...

Braces and ferrules look like Conn to me.

I’ll second the elephant and Sousaswag - they are very well made valve sets. I’ve used two on two projects of mine in the past. Unfortunately I don’t think they are in production anymore, or I would be seeking out more of them.

B&M made some mighty fine tubas back in those days.

I hooked into Bloke’s method some time ago and have never regretted it.

I would bet $$$ that horn was built by Buescher. I own a Buescher bass saxophone, and they look almost identical. From the quality of the photos, It doesn't appear have the usual hallmarks of a Conn. If I could see the other side of the horn, the tell-tale sign of a Buescher would be a little tone ...

Both of those horns seem to feature fixed-brazed downward facing knuckles into the port of the 1st valve. Maybe the builder didn’t want to cut them? The E flat appears to have a Conn 4J set, which has an exceptionally tight bend there. Cutting that one would be inviting trouble, as I see it. On the C ...

That E flat tuba looks familiar to me. I wonder if it ever sold.

I’d be interested but it’s just too far a trip for a Facebook marketplace purchase……..

Interesting how he mentions the front bell is engraved with the Sinatra info, yet doesn’t show a picture of it.

I’m thinking of the bell on the horn from the original posting.

Very interesting instrument - looks like CC to me. Anybody with knowledge of this horn know the bell diameter? The 5th looks like a true “change” valve, like found in a Bb/A cornet (“set it and forget it”). The lack of a thumb-activated linkage points to that theory. That would also be evidence to pu ...