https://i.imgur.com/tD7ubRV.jpeg

...and - if you find yourself tilting your head back to play the thing (of course!) shorten the removable neck-pipe.


Hi Bloke,

Thank you so much for the incredibly helpful information! I am truly grateful for the detailed diagram showing exactly where and ...

Don't fret that you may be destroying an historic instrument--1949 isn't that. By all means, do the work needed and enjoy playing it without fingering gymnastics. And remember, to remove 5" of tubing, you need only 2 1/2" off the tuning slide or other such slides, so it isn't as daunting as it may ...

Hello Mary,

I see Helikons from this maker in my workshop quite often and I believe your leadpipe is far longer than when the instrument was new.
Also there are quite a few of them still out in the world so don’t feel too bad about modifying it.

Good luck and all the best,
Berliner Tuba



Hi ...

Last night out in the shop - on a customer's old newish-looking (probably closeted for two decades, as it was unplayable) Chinese knockoff of a Miraphone model 84 BB-flat tuba, I was only able to get it to where it would tune up to A=442 (pushed in all the way) by the skin of the instrument's ...

Good evening everyone,
my name is Mary and I recently joined this forum.

I would like to ask how you usually deal with instruments that play consistently flat.

I own an Ernst David helicon. As the workshop is said to have closed in 1945, the instrument is likely at least 80 years old.
It is a ...

Mary,

thx for the reply and nice that you got a lot of feedback.

Don‘t worry. You have an Opera early 1960-ies. The S linkages and the valve rotors as pictured are THE very typical set-up of the Cerveny/Amati/Lignatone ones from this time. (my picture in my earlier post shows the later version ...

The more I look at the pictures of this horn and compare it to various Cervenys, the more I'm convinced that it is some early version of an Opera: the geometry, relative sizes and positions of the slides, and the mechanism for the 5th valve. I just can't find an image of one with those 'S' rods on ...

Dear Mary,

Congratulation for this nice instrument.

From an old Amati catalogue from the 1970-ies I have attached a picture of the #822 B Bass Opera from VF Cerneny. Looks very similar to your model. (body, bell ratio and postion, entry of mouthpiece into 5th valve etc).

Regarding dimensions ...

Late 1800s to early 1900s Bohemian rotary valves look a lot different than what’s posted.

I throw my vote behind 1960s Opera model BBb. I have a scan saved somewhere…


Hello arpthark,

Thank you very much for your reply.
It is interesting to consider that this instrument could possibly date ...

Dear Mary,

Congratulation for this nice instrument.

From an old Amati catalogue from the 1970-ies I have attached a picture of the #822 B Bass Opera from VF Cerneny. Looks very similar to your model. (body, bell ratio and postion, entry of mouthpiece into 5th valve etc).

Regarding dimensions ...

My AI speculates that it's a "Kaiserbass" (mostly on the basis of the 5th valve). It suggests the date as 1895-1908. It's assuming that it's a BBb horn, based on its appearance and the five valves. It also remarks that "The ornate geometric engraving + rolled garland is consistent with top-tier ...

My post has now been approved by the moderator.

I realize that while it was waiting for approval, the thread may have moved down the list.
If anyone happens to notice it and has any information, I would greatly appreciate your insight.

Thank you for your time

Hello everyone,

I would like to ask for your knowledge regarding this Cerveny tuba.

I recently won this instrument at an auction.
Based on its size and the 4+1 rotary valve configuration, it appears similar to the model often referred to as the OPERA (CBB-883-5Z).
However, when I compare it to the ...