Removable braces?

[LargeTuba]

Does anyone have any ideas about removable braces? (Braces that can be unscrewed). Where they can be found? Who sells them?

Thanks!

[bloke]

There's a European company that sells the hardware that goes on the ends, and I think there's also a mom and pop American company called something or other solutions (??), but the repair guy needs to make the braces correct length.

[bloke]

https://instrumentinnovations.com/parts-for-techs/

[YorkNumber3.0]

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[arpthark]

https://instrumentinnovations.com/parts-for-techs/

Great company. They make top notch stuff.

Yamaha has some detachable brace parts usable for tubas (if you can get ahold of them). Eastman also has (had?) detachable braces on professional level tubas, but unfortunately I don’t think they use them on current production. Not sure about availability.

I was at Dillon last summer, and if I am remembering correctly, the 632 (Matt Walters) CC has some removable components, but the 832 (mini-Yorkalike) does not. Were there more removable braces on the 632 at one time?

[YorkNumber3.0]

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[bloke]

When I started seeing removable valvesets of factory instruments (as INCONVENIENT as they are to remove and reinstall), it became immediately apparent to me that those serve(d) no purpose other than making things easier on the buffing and lacquering crafts at the factories.

[DonO.]

My Kanstul has both screwed braces and a removable leadpipe. The leadpipe is held by a beefy screw at the bell and a collar with a thumbscrew where it enters the valve cluster. The valve cluster can be removed by unscrewing 5 beefy screws in 5 very beefy rectangular braces. I know I use “beefy” a lot in this description but that’s the best description. Or I could say sturdy, substantial, what have you. I had it apart to clean it. Remove the leadpipe, take out the main tuning slide, take out the 5 screws, and everything comes apart quite neatly. Given a reasonable amount of care, it is not something I am afraid to do. Re-assembles pretty easily too, and this feature makes the cleaning easier. I have never seen the rectangular braces before on anything else. Every other tuba I’ve seen had the more typical “rod” shaped braces, for lack of a better term.

My King also is supposed to be able to be disassembled. However, I would not describe the braces as “beefy”. A better term would be “spindly”. The leadpipe can also be theoretically taken off, but I am afraid to do so with that big screw connector to the valve cluster. I’m worried about the seal inside and messing it up. I am also afraid to remove the valve cluster, as it is a much bigger and heavier animal than the Kanstul, and I’m not sure I could line everything back up properly. So I will leave that to a professional when the time comes. The Kanstul is pretty easy, though. I don’t know if the Kanstul braces are something they machined for themselves, if they farmed it out, or if there’s an off the shelf source. My suspicion is that that they are custom machined.

[YorkNumber3.0]

I was at Dillon last summer, and if I am remembering correctly, the 632 (Matt Walters) CC has some removable components, but the 832 (mini-Yorkalike) does not. Were there more removable braces on the 632 at one time?

Yep, the first 632’s had a removable piston valve set and 5th valve. They seemed to have thrown every trick thing at them they could in the beginning. I think it was a cool feature. Too bad it didn’t last. I’m sure they had their reasons. Like many products produced (not just tubas), cost savings causes things to be deleted!

I have one of Matt’s prototypes of the 632. Conn bell with King valves and body, plus what looks to be a Yamaha fifth valve. In order to completely disassemble the fifth valve, some other bits and pieces must be removed. However, the cluster and leadpipe are soldered in place.

[YorkNumber3.0]

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[arpthark]

I was at Dillon last summer, and if I am remembering correctly, the 632 (Matt Walters) CC has some removable components, but the 832 (mini-Yorkalike) does not. Were there more removable braces on the 632 at one time?

Yep, the first 632’s had a removable piston valve set and 5th valve. They seemed to have thrown every trick thing at them they could in the beginning. I think it was a cool feature. Too bad it didn’t last. I’m sure they had their reasons. Like many products produced (not just tubas), cost savings causes things to be deleted!

I have one of Matt’s prototypes of the 632. Conn bell with King valves and body, plus what looks to be a Yamaha fifth valve. In order to completely disassemble the fifth valve, some other bits and pieces must be removed. However, the cluster and leadpipe are soldered in place.

Do you have a pic of your prototype CC? Just curious how it differs from a production 632.

[York-aholic]

Yep, the first 632’s had a removable piston valve set and 5th valve. They seemed to have thrown every trick thing at them they could in the beginning. I think it was a cool feature. Too bad it didn’t last. I’m sure they had their reasons. Like many products produced (not just tubas), cost savings causes things to be deleted!

I have one of Matt’s prototypes of the 632. Conn bell with King valves and body, plus what looks to be a Yamaha fifth valve. In order to completely disassemble the fifth valve, some other bits and pieces must be removed. However, the cluster and leadpipe are soldered in place.

Do you have a pic of your prototype CC? Just curious how it differs from a production 632.

I’ll get some tonight.

Updated:

[matt g]

I have one of Matt’s prototypes of the 632. Conn bell with King valves and body, plus what looks to be a Yamaha fifth valve. In order to completely disassemble the fifth valve, some other bits and pieces must be removed. However, the cluster and leadpipe are soldered in place.

Do you have a pic of your prototype CC? Just curious how it differs from a production 632.

I’ll get some tonight.

Updated:

In case it’s not obvious, the screw that holds the valve in is not accessible. So the loop with the tuning slide can be unscrewed and there are two small legs that allow the loop to disconnect from the branches coming from the valve so that the valve can be removed from the front and then disassembled.