modern ball and sockets or...???

[dp]

I could do with some real "spring-guided 3B linkages" (from B&S?) or current/modern high-grade equivalent,
for an old 4-banger I'd like to tighten up.
Not really interested in dubro model airplane or flexible pot metal (chinese?) nonsense.
Can someone help a brudda out and point me in the right direction to get these parts?

[LeMark]

I could use the same. I'm so sick of the stripped parts on my one chinese tuba

that being said, my dubro linkages I've built over the years have been reliable, quiet, and durable. If this thread doesn't go anywhere, that's probably my next project

[bloke]

If you poke around the web enough, you can find the Minibal website (Germany).

I have Dubro (big black ugly wonky-looking) links on the rotary tuba of mine which offers THE MOST light/trouble-free/quiet action...They've been on that instrument for roughly 35 years (same ones).

It doesn't look "feshunul", and - if I ever get around to re-lacquering that instrument - I'll probably put (inferior to Dubro plastic, in my opinion) expensive Minibal linkage on it so - when I croak - my family will get more dough for it (as people buy pictures, and not tubas).

The response to your quest is in bold...and I sent you the main website "link" (see what I did there?)

...As far as those B&S/Melton/Meinl-Weston coiled spring thingies are concerned...
McMaster.com has some cool/weird springs made of flat metal (compact) that do the same job of keeping the links oriented correctly...as long as you select the size that does the job.

[TheBerlinerTuba]

Hi DP,

if you don't find a solution stateside, please feel free to write me and I'll get you squared away.

Have a good weekend,
TheBerlinerTuba

[dp]

Hi DP, if you don't find a solution stateside, please feel free to write me and I'll get you squared away. Have a good weekend, TheBerlinerTuba

Hi Thank-you so much for your kind offer, I just do not understand American's fascination tinkering with fishing gear and model airplane parts. Sent you a message through the website

[bloke]

...I just do not understand American's fascination tinkering with fishing gear and model airplane parts. Sent you a message through the website

quieter / less expensive / don't break apart (as have American spacecraft, etc.)

Yes...Cheap linkages (same footprint as the larger M-W/B&S metal links) absolutely do NOT "look" as cool, but also not wonky (conveniently: not requiring improvised/Rube-Goldberg-esque springs or thin plastic washers to prevent them from clicking).
==========
Having shown you the website, it's considerably cheaper to buy Minibal links direct from them than from American importers/retailers/resellers.
I can show you those clever flat metal springs I was talking about - that McMaster sells - which can be used to control the angles of the links without those spiral B&S-style control springs (which also require horizontal cylindrical extensions to be brazed on to the levers)... but I'm not going to devote the time and effort to find them for you in the online catalog unless I hear from you.