euphoniums and top-action tubas... (#2 slide)

[bloke]

Every time a euphonium or compensating tuba owner sees what I've done to the #2 slides on my euphoniums and my top action compensating tubas, they want me to do this to theirs...

...I'm running out of scrounge-able old trumpet #3 slide water keys.
I'm going to need to find somewhere to buy some for these little jobs, and then - once bought - remember where I shall have stored them away.

[arpthark]

Pretty dang nifty. Beats the old pull-and-fling.

[iiipopes]

It's not just euphs and top action tubas. I (or, rather, my local tech) did this to my Jupiter JTU1110 tuba as well, both shortening one leg of the slide and added the water key. I did not add the finger pull ring. I might do that in time to come. Trick: I kept the piece of inner slide that I cut off and slid it down the outer tube so you can only insert the slide the correct way. Yes, that sounds like, "no - duh," but when you're in a hurry we can all grab the slide wrong.

[bloke]

Pretty dang nifty. Beats the old pull-fling-and-"CLANK!".

[bloke]

The ring not only offers an option to pull the slide out, but it makes it really easy to open the water key as otherwise it would require precise positioning of the player's digit (aka "finger" ) and pushing either this traditional water key or one of the gadget style water keys at a particular/precise angle...

...and this slide tends to catch more water than some of the others, and fill up pretty fast.

[tubaing]

The more I look at this, the more I like it

[bloke]

I showed it on the tuba/euphonium facebook page, and some "euphonium snobs" were scoffing at it...
...mostly as excuses to brag about/brand name-drop their high-priced sh!t...

"I don't need this with my $1X,XXX Dutch euphonium."
~ or ~
"I had fancy-repair-guy put a fancy-water-key on mine."
...etc.

even:
[FROM A FRIGGIN' 3+1 COMPENSATING EUPHONIUM PERSON]

"I double on tuba, and don't like 3+1 setups, so I wouldn't be wanting this."

---------------------------------

OK...
Maybe in community bands, making clanking noises (yanking 2nd slides and shaking them out on the horn players directly ahead, etc.) isn't as disturbing/rude as it would be deemed in a British brass band or a symphony orchestra...(??)

...and I'm just not ever going to start sticking gimmick water keys on things.
- assuming the guy that makes the constantly-weeping ones (which rely on the venue being cooler than the inside of the instrument in order to not leak) will be in business (to buy his little screen things) forever...
- assuming another guy (who makes the oversized amado-like thing is going to be in business forever to buy clips, replacement springs, etc.

Lever water keys are simple/fast, and the pull ring not only offers the same easy of slide removal as before, but it makes emptying that #2 slide water key (grab the ring - it's open) faster than emptying the main, 3rd, or 4th water keys (assuming a manufacturer is considerate enough to include all three of those other water keys).

My front-action piston tuba features 7 water keys, and FatBastard (the gigantic Miraphone rotary thing) now features 4...previously 2.

I don't like gadgety things with proprietary parts, and I don't like pulling slides (*bit-by-bit, wearing down the tubing surfaces) and dumping.

I have to give my (77-year-old) customer (who asked for this) credit: He immediately recognized that the nipple/drain placement is straight down, in playing position.

____________________________________________
*If anyone doubts that this occurs, the slide in the picture is from a newish Yamaha 321 euphonium.
While doing this job I LOANED them the same slide from my ($100/brown) 1970's Yamaha 321 euphonium, and my own instrument's #2 slide fit so loosely into my customer's instrument that I was a bit concerned that it would fall out...and - as these tubes are so very short - the wear issue is exacerbated

[Schlitzz]

I think that would be a great ornament for my keychain.

[bloke]

This tool - seemingly, permanently attached - always appears to be ready for action.

[bloke]

I'm the same guy who puts water keys on upper #1 slides on top-action piston tubas, because I don't like pulling out those slides (more clanking noises) and dumping them, either..."tilt, open, depress #1, blow gently".

[MiBrassFS]

I like it, Joe!

“The Joe Key!”

A little side blurb…

I have an Adams euphonium that was first owned by one of the DC premier bands. Really nice euphonium. (Over the years I’ve owned 5 instruments out of the DC bands. Each one was a gem. I have a feeling that once the makers know where a particular instrument is headed, they make sure it’s a pretty good example!) The intended player, who shortly after this instrument was ordered became an artist for another brand, ordered it with seemingly every bell and whistle possible, including Pollard water keys in every useful spot. That includes one on the second slide. While I still don’t think I’d go out of my way to order such a fancy set up, it is really nice to have a water key on the second slide.

The Pollard keys have worked surprisingly well. Much better than expected. I’ve always disliked Amado water keys. Too low of water flow, too fussy, and seemed to wear out pretty quickly. The Pollards do have the same kind of spring noise. Not a big deal, but it’s there. Maybe not as bad as the Amado keys. Water definitely moves out much better than Amado keys. No complaints at all. Lever keys are still home base to me.

[arpthark]

I have never liked Amados either. Too finicky for tuba, and somehow I always end up with water all over my hands. I considered installing Pollards on my Eastman in the 3rd/4th tubing to assist drainage but ended up doing conventional ones.

Currently working on installing a conventional WK on an old French JTL euph/bari/saxhorn that has none to speak of. The French liked that burbly tone, ya know.

[bloke]

Being redundant, that second slide on top action instrument seems to collect a lot of water in a critical place, and there's not much room in that bow for water to pool up without it beginning to gurgle pretty soon. Even before the gurgling starts, it can cause me to goof up higher pitches with the water sloshing around (air pressure) while I'm trying to attack a pitch in the upper range. I tend to play my top action instruments more "busily" than the front action ones. I use a top action 3+1 compensating E-flat to play in jazz combos, and - unless it's a special chorus - I'm playing on every beat and often more than once on each beat. ... I really like being able to grab that little ring, blow, and be done with it.
The same goes for euphonium: When I'm playing the euphonium, I'm usually playing a bunch of notes and not too many rests. It's good to be able to get the water out of that tiny slide bow quickly, and without having to have to fish around to find a button, and just grab that ring.
...and pulling that slide is a non-starter for me:
Clank, sling, desperately fish around to get it back in, and maybe even drop the damn slide.

[MiBrassFS]

I’m not a big customizer (because everything is ephemeral and for sale), but I’m thinking about doing something like this on my favorite Eb.

[bloke]

As you can see, it's certainly an easy thing to do...as long as you can locate a short/tight-turn water key assembly that you like.

Again...I was just about out of things like this, so I had to look in cabinet drawers that I normally don't open (ie. not-particularly-elegant Elkhart Conn trumpet parts).