Beautiful old Distin engraving
Posted: Sun Sep 15, 2024 6:41 pm
This is the nicer of my two little Distin Eb tubas. I realized it only had a surface sheen of purple tarnish and shined it up a bit today after doing some work on it. I love the engravings and all the little details in the filigree.
This one is from ca. 1890, low pitch (note the big wide bowed-out main tuning slide), and plays pretty well.
My other one is a high pitch conversion (not done by me), and I believe it is 1880s, with raw nickel silver pistons, cork valve cap bumpers and other antique features. It's currently in pieces because the conversion made it play a quarter step flat. But it has a cooler (IMO) floral engraving of flowers spilling all the way down the bell. Needs a lot more work to be playable. Some day...
This one is from ca. 1890, low pitch (note the big wide bowed-out main tuning slide), and plays pretty well.
My other one is a high pitch conversion (not done by me), and I believe it is 1880s, with raw nickel silver pistons, cork valve cap bumpers and other antique features. It's currently in pieces because the conversion made it play a quarter step flat. But it has a cooler (IMO) floral engraving of flowers spilling all the way down the bell. Needs a lot more work to be playable. Some day...