Creating a Suitcase Euph

[the elephant]

Bid on two items that were pick up only (about three hours away) and won those, but didn't get the big fish mirafone tuba that would made it more worthwhile. Oh well I guess I'm taking a day trip to pick up a euphonium

Great price, I like the way these play, and at that price it was a no brainer

https://www.ebay.com/itm/225063052108

also got a cornet for my wife, because at that price, why not?
https://www.ebay.com/itm/225063060090

this is the tuba I missed out on. I bid $400.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/225063208852

[bloke]

Bid on two items that were pick up only (about three hours away) and won those, but didn't get the big fish mirafone tuba that would made it more worthwhile. Oh well I guess I'm taking a day trip to pick up a euphonium

Great price, I like the way these play, and at that price it was a no brainer

https://www.ebay.com/itm/225063052108

also got a cornet for my wife, because at that price, why not?
https://www.ebay.com/itm/225063060090

this is the tuba I missed out on. I bid $400.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/225063208852

yeah...
I was watching those auctions.
You can drive there - from your freeway philharmonic gig - and pick them up...
It's not practical for me.

If that 16-1/2" bell case is in pretty good shape - and you - or them-to-whom-you-flip-it - don't want it, that could become the F tuba hard case I've been seeking (to complete my set of hard cases). I'm not asking for a gift, but not sure when I could retrieve it.

[iiipopes]

Congrats!
1) I have always thought a 3-valve comp euph for most players is superior, in weight, ease of play, etc., especially if you don't need the lowest register below bottom of the bass clef F, which is 99%+ of community band music. I have one, or I would have been in the running for this one.
2) I also have always preferred "underslung" cornets, like King, Reynolds, and this one. It gives more room for the right hand than the bunched up tubing all on the right; and I find on cornet, as opposed to trumpet, since you hold it a little closer, I like to anchor where my left hand palm meets the wrist on the underslung lead pipe.

[LeMark]

Bid on two items that were pick up only (about three hours away) and won those, but didn't get the big fish mirafone tuba that would made it more worthwhile. Oh well I guess I'm taking a day trip to pick up a euphonium

Great price, I like the way these play, and at that price it was a no brainer

https://www.ebay.com/itm/225063052108

also got a cornet for my wife, because at that price, why not?
https://www.ebay.com/itm/225063060090

this is the tuba I missed out on. I bid $400.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/225063208852

yeah...
I was watching those auctions.
You can drive there - from your freeway philharmonic gig - and pick them up...
It's not practical for me.

If that 16-1/2" bell case is in pretty good shape - and you - or them-to-whom-you-flip-it - don't want it, that could become the F tuba hard case I've been seeking (to complete my set of hard cases). I'm not asking for a gift, but not sure when I could retrieve it.

that was a mirafone tuba WITH a case, and I didn't win.

[bisontuba]

I have bought so much vintage/antique musical stuff of late...great items...when it rains, it pours...

[bloke]

see...??

I'm at LEAST as guilty of skimming over others posts as others are of skimming over mine.

[Three Valves]

That happens to me when I get the “shipping included for $49+ purchases” from Midway email.

[LargeTuba]

Nice, You got yourself a good deal there!

[Finetales]

A 3v compensating Besson for $29? That's a steal and a half!

[Three Valves]

I pick it up on Monday! road trip!

[York-aholic]

Wow... that euph plays really good. Good valves, no stuck slides, I just put lighter springs in it, and that's all it needed, other than a good cleaning

[LeMark]

I've decided to turn this Euphonium into a suitcase Euph, one that I can carry safely in a carry on bag in an airplane, and visit some of the farther away tuba christmas destinations that I haven't seen yet. (New york, chicago, ect)

A guy from the Frankentuba board was nice enough to send me a removable bell from a besson, so I'll use the lower part from that and the tenon to graft onto the upper part of the upright bell. I probably could do this myself, but we have so many skilled craftsmen here in DFW, including our very own @UncleBeer , that I'll probably just clean up this bell and pass it off to him to finish the job, assuming he has time to work on it for me.

NOW THE BIG QUESTION... Do I make it shiny brass like factory, or do I paint it some wild tuba christmas paint scheme?

[bloke]

I would suggest that you find a Jupiter or Jinbao bell to cut to fit that, rather than cutting the Besson bell.
Put the UN-cut Besson bell in the attic.

green paint...??

Save that for your Cerveny tuba for your orchestra's "Home For the Holidays" concert.

Also - since the bell will still be 11", I'm not seeing that it's going to be all that much smaller with a removable bell...' sorta like a removable helicon bell (or even a removable upright tuba bell), which (as they tend to still be fairly tall) really don't accomplish all that much.

Do as you wish...I'm not attempting to coax out any justifications or rebuttals...simply: "It seems to me..."

ok yeah:

I'm THINKING (not sure ??) that I might have a genuine/engraved Besson RECORDING euphonium bell that will fit that tenon (as that was what was soldered to those tenons. You can HAVE it (if you want it...and IF I have it).

[LeMark]

I paid $29 for this horn, I'm really not worried about preserving its value.

If my measurements are correct, the edge of the bell to the edge of the tenon should be less than 8 inches, but now that I have the tenon in hand I will do more measurements. If it winds up being more than that, then you're right, it wouldn't fit into a carry on suitcase

[LeMark]

I have the original Besson bell. I just removed it from the tenon before I posted, thanks

[bloke]

I understand, but aren't you planning on cutting that Besson bell to solder the upper part of it into that tenon - or do you already have a spare euphonium bell to chop in half ?

Anyway...If don't want the no-male-tenon Besson recording euphonium bell (which will fit right into your male tenon) I won't go upstairs and look for it.

"The monetary price at which someone sold something has nothing to do with what it's worth to the next person."
- [my friend, a multi-millionaire, who never did much work]

[LeMark]

Yes I'm cutting the upright bell to Solder onto the tenon if the measurements hold up to estimates

I already have the bell forward version, but it's actually a 12" bell, and I dont think that helpse with my suitcase idea, but I can revisit that idea if my ideal plan doesn't work out.

If done right, I don't think a removable bell 3 valve compensating Besson is worth any less than a fixed bell version of the same model.

[bloke]

Well it looks like the height of the bell with the tenon is 8 1/2 inches which makes it too tall to put in a carry on bag, but not too tall for checked luggage. I was hoping to avoid checking it, but if the airlines are going to play dodge ball with a horn of mine I'd rather it be one that I can design the padding for the case plus one that isn't worth that much money anyway.

And yes the 8.5 inch profile will be at least 3 inches smaller than the curved bell is in any direction. Ironically enough, the curved bell is larger in every direction than the stock 11 inch bell is on the "new standard". Model

[bloke]

Well it looks like the height of the bell with the tenon is 8 1/2 inches which makes it too tall to put in a carry on bag, but not too tall for checked luggage. I was hoping to avoid checking it, but if the airlines are going to play dodge ball with a horn of mine I'd rather it be one that I can design the padding for the case plus one that isn't worth that much money anyway.

And yes the 8.5 inch profile will be at least 3 inches smaller than the curved bell is in any direction. Ironically enough, the curved bell is larger in every direction than the stock 11 inch bell is on the "new standard". Model

yeah...Unlike a sousaphone, there's not donut (larger than the bell throat) within the shape of a euphonium body.

I almost offered you a Jupiter euphonium bell to cut (instead of that vintage Besson bell), but then realized that some band program may well end up needing that Jupiter bell (after some young scholar hopelessly trashes some fill-in-the-blank brand bell).

If you want to polish it up the rest of the way, some thinned-out muriatic and a sponge (outdoors, with some rubber gloves) might save you some time...(??)

[bloke]

Actually there is. on a 3 valve horn, there is a LARGE cavity that the bell will fit through, especially if I remove the main tuning slide.

Scroll up to the photo I posted and you'll see what I mean