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I don't see Goetz and side-loader as a choice, but it is indeed a choice. The bag for my Hirsbrunner has a zipper around the edge of the bell on the "front" of the tuba, and another zipper down the side. They meet where the side zipper reaches the bell rim. With both zippers open, the whole "front" panel of the bag opens up, providing even better access than using a clamshell, and there's no zipper across the bell opening.

Rick "if going with Goetz, work through Bob Tucci" Denney

YorkNumber3 wrote: ↑Wed Apr 13, 2022 11:47 am What is the diameter of the bell on the new Bortyphone?

Really a gig bag related question.

500 mm, which is 19.685 in.

Rick Denney wrote: ↑Wed Apr 13, 2022 11:55 am I don't see Goetz and side-loader as a choice, but it is indeed a choice. The bag for my Hirsbrunner has a zipper around the edge of the bell on the "front" of the tuba, and another zipper down the side. They meet where the side zipper reaches the bell rim. With both zippers open, the whole "front" panel of the bag opens up, providing even better access than using a clamshell, and there's no zipper across the bell opening.

Rick "if going with Goetz, work through Bob Tucci" Denney

If you have a chance, I'd love to see a picture of that. Sounds really interesting, but I can't quite visualize it!

The golf cart video reminds me of everything I dislike about golf -- everything.

I've had the Rudy at home for about a week now. Much of this time has been acclimation -- getting to know the tuba, it's tendencies, how it plays, and perhaps most importantly, normalizing its large size. It's very big, but the bigness of it wears off over time, and soon it just becomes the intangible thing of "my tuba."

The top-loading aspect of this is a non-issue for me. I've never quite understood the big deal. Necessarily, we all have to be able to pick up our tubas to waist height already, so this isn't much different. If I can't lift it that high, then I've got bigger problems.

The think the clamshell takes up a LOT of floor space to open it up, but once you're done and close it, it's still tuba-shaped and easy to move. You can also easily remove pet hair from leather, as others have mentioned. (Although the straps will still collect it.)

It's a no-loss situation, and I'm overthinking it. Anyway...

bloke wrote: ↑Wed Apr 13, 2022 10:32 am ok...but (ruining your joke - sorry), if a (driven) golf cart can drive to the venue, why can't I (simply) just drive MY car to the venue (as those who drive the golf carts are often teenagers), unload, and then go park MY car in the parking area?

I have played many a gig where there was a decent amount of walking and "dropping off" a horn is something I would never do. I could actually use a motorized trolley for places like Mount Vernon, where it's 10 minutes or more of walking to the performance spot and the golf shuttle is "absent". And they make ones that will follow you automatically (well, follow the remote) and keep pace and distance with you. Now, there's almost NO WAY I would trust my horn on one of those things. I'm fine NOT using one, but, I can certainly point out times when it would be used easy enough.

If there's some really sketchy gig, there's almost always some school's 186 B-flat sitting around here - which I could quickly repair, and - once repaired - use on such a gig to "test out" the instrument.

YorkNumber3 wrote: ↑Thu Apr 14, 2022 9:18 am

bort2.0 wrote: ↑Wed Apr 13, 2022 12:05 pm

YorkNumber3 wrote: ↑Wed Apr 13, 2022 11:47 am What is the diameter of the bell on the new Bortyphone?

Really a gig bag related question.

500 mm, which is 19.685 in.

Brand new, never used, Cronkhite kaiser case (“big”) in black cordura here available… for an 18” bell.

Bummer... but thanks anyway! The Rudy 5/4 is truly a huge tuba. It doesn't translate very well in photographs, but it's really a massive instrument.

That bag – assuming it probably has a 40 inch limit, and not something wild like 45 inches – sounds like it might be ideal for something like a Meinl-Weston 25.
…so, attention: MW 25 owners !!!

YorkNumber3 wrote: ↑Thu Apr 14, 2022 9:18 am

bort2.0 wrote: ↑Wed Apr 13, 2022 12:05 pm

YorkNumber3 wrote: ↑Wed Apr 13, 2022 11:47 am What is the diameter of the bell on the new Bortyphone?

Really a gig bag related question.

500 mm, which is 19.685 in.

Brand new, never used, Cronkhite kaiser case (“big”) in black cordura here available… for an 18” bell.

How tall a horn will it fit?

YorkNumber3 wrote: ↑Thu Apr 14, 2022 12:01 pm It measures @ 43”, iirc. Tall and wide, but the bell is @ 18”. Actual model it was made for is unknown to me. It came as part of a lot that I bought.

' an honest-to-goodness kaiser bag !!!

What would ALMOST fit the 1974 Miraphone model 90 kaiser B-flat (45" x 17-1/3" bell diameter) that I recently sold.
A amazing/fitted/streamlined-formed wood case was included, but no bag.
Sometimes, bags that are a bit short can be "convinced" to fit slightly taller tubas than those for which they were designed.

The buyer might notice this post, and open up a discussion with you (??)

High-end bag prices (when Mr. Cronkhite retired) suddenly doubled.
That having been said, SINCE THEN so have food/fuel/housing, and some of the other top-of-the-list basic needs, so...(??)
As high-end bags are now SEVERAL hundreds of dollars (rather than only hundreds of dollars), I'd go for the Superfine.
First, I overwhelmingly prefer the California-style bags.
Secondly (though I've only seen them in 2D), Mr. Rice's bags appear to be "industrial" versions of the California style.
(Apparently ??) being "industrial" versions, they may possibly weigh a pound or two more (BFD ), but they probably also end up being bags that may NEVER need to be repaired...and luggage repair/shoe shops ALWAYS sigh (ie. "oh man... ") when I take old formerly-abused tuba bags into their shops - seeking repairs.

The Cerveny Kaiser is approximately 118cm/47in in height, which makes it too tall for most/all of the COTS bags. My local luggage repair place was fine repairing my old gig bags, but I also didn't ask them to do much other than fix zippers and restitch some seams.

I had forgotten about this photo I took shortly after receiving a brand new Gotz bag for my Willson 3050 RZ (39" tall, 19" bell... so a little smaller than the Rudy). I love the svelte look and simple function. I think I'm gonna have to get one again... and possibly ALSO find a hard case to use at home and protect the tuba from the kids.

You want to lift that thing out of a top loader??

Enjoy it while you are young, I guess...

I don't mind!

Sounds like some kind of Kaiser from the bell/height combo. Wessex Kaiser?