Gnagey

Tubas, euphoniums, mouthpieces, and anything music-related.
Forum rules
This section is for posts that are directly related to performance, performers, or equipment. Social issues are allowed, as long as they are directly related to those categories. If you see a post that you cannot respond to with respect and courtesy, we ask that you do not respond at all.
Post Reply
Grumpikins
Posts: 424
Joined: Sun Nov 20, 2022 3:09 pm
Has thanked: 7 times
Been thanked: 105 times

Gnagey

Post by Grumpikins »

I see a lot of horns labeled as Gnagey here. I'm unfamiliar with the background. Please educate me.

Sent from my SM-S367VL using Tapatalk



Meinl Weston 2145 CC
King Symphonic BBb circa 1936ish
Pre H.N.White, Cleveland Eb 1924ish (project)
Conn Sousaphone, fiberglass 1960s? (Project)
Olds Baritone 1960s?
Hoping to find a dirt cheap Flugabone
:smilie7:
User avatar
bloke
Mid South Music
Posts: 19324
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2020 8:55 am
Location: western Tennessee - near Memphis
Has thanked: 3852 times
Been thanked: 4102 times

Re: Gnagey

Post by bloke »

King 1241/2341 tubas with shorter/gleaned bells (such as 19" Holton/York/Conn/etc.), cut to C, and with 5th rotors added

Sam Gnagey (of northern Ohio)

OTHERWISE, it would refer to a factory Jinbao E-flat tuba (using a compensating E-flat bugle) with a 4+1 front-action non-comp valveset.
Inkin
Posts: 73
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2020 8:57 am
Has thanked: 81 times
Been thanked: 7 times

Re: Gnagey

Post by Inkin »

bloke wrote: Fri Oct 06, 2023 2:28 pm Sam Gnagey (of northern Ohio)
Sam is in Fort Wayne Indiana unless he has moved recently. But like Bloke said, he takes King 1241 bodies, cleans them up in various ways (and cuts them to CC when making a CC), adds a 5th valve, and puts on various older bells to make franken horns.
Grumpikins
Posts: 424
Joined: Sun Nov 20, 2022 3:09 pm
Has thanked: 7 times
Been thanked: 105 times

Re: Gnagey

Post by Grumpikins »

Thats what I thought. So wessex has a gnagey tuba, was he involved in the development of that?

Sent from my SM-S367VL using Tapatalk

Meinl Weston 2145 CC
King Symphonic BBb circa 1936ish
Pre H.N.White, Cleveland Eb 1924ish (project)
Conn Sousaphone, fiberglass 1960s? (Project)
Olds Baritone 1960s?
Hoping to find a dirt cheap Flugabone
:smilie7:
hrender
Posts: 1910
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2020 8:18 am
Has thanked: 612 times
Been thanked: 298 times

Re: Gnagey

Post by hrender »

Yes.
Grumpikins
Posts: 424
Joined: Sun Nov 20, 2022 3:09 pm
Has thanked: 7 times
Been thanked: 105 times

Re: Gnagey

Post by Grumpikins »

Thank you. I'm very glad to know more about that now.

Sent from my SM-S367VL using Tapatalk

Meinl Weston 2145 CC
King Symphonic BBb circa 1936ish
Pre H.N.White, Cleveland Eb 1924ish (project)
Conn Sousaphone, fiberglass 1960s? (Project)
Olds Baritone 1960s?
Hoping to find a dirt cheap Flugabone
:smilie7:
The Big Ben
Posts: 409
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2020 12:38 pm
Has thanked: 34 times
Been thanked: 62 times

Re: Gnagey

Post by The Big Ben »

bloke wrote: Fri Oct 06, 2023 2:28 pm King 1241/2341 tubas with shorter/gleaned bells (such as 19" Holton/York/Conn/etc.), cut to C, and with 5th rotors added

Sam Gnagey (of northern Ohio)

OTHERWISE, it would refer to a factory Jinbao E-flat tuba (using a compensating E-flat bugle) with a 4+1 front-action non-comp valveset.
Owners of the Gnagey CC horns seem to be pretty happy with them. If looking at a 12/234X and the branches, it's pretty easy to see how length could be taken out of them without a lot of fal-de-rah. Add the shorter bell/bottom branch of the Eb monster and bob's-yer-uncle. If someone had the urge to create a frankenhorn, it would seem there would be success in making one a lot like the ones Sam made.
User avatar
bloke
Mid South Music
Posts: 19324
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2020 8:55 am
Location: western Tennessee - near Memphis
Has thanked: 3852 times
Been thanked: 4102 times

Re: Gnagey

Post by bloke »

Not taking anything away from Gnagey C instruments...

SIMILAR models include (discontinued) Canadian Brass/Getzen (King pistons/slide tubing/valve caps fit those perfectly), Conn 52/54/56J (also very strongly King-related), and (China) Eastman 632/832 models.

Also similar (rare) is a (genuine) so-called "Donatelli" Conn, and (as I've played a couple that impressed me re: sound/intonation) Conn B-flats that have been conscientiously shortened to resemble those C "Donatelli" instruments.

======================================

Having (lately) become a "B-flat snob" (me: a C player for 48 years) in this (approximate) size range above, I've been enlightened towards the (slightly smaller and shorter) York/King 4/4 instruments (remaining in B-flat, but ALSO with King valvesets, as the York valvesets were .656" bore, and the the Holton valvesets were .665" bore - both perhaps...?? slightly smaller than optimum). I've played York/Holton 4/4 tubas (as York/Holton bows/bells were extremely similar) cut down to C, and the tuning (after such cutting) became too quirky - in my judgement.
Post Reply