Posted by Mr. Curious on February 05, 2001 at 17:27:56:
A well known and respected repairman in my area has made it a habit to remove solder blobs and close gaps in leadpipes and tuning crooks of tubas he repairs. He does this, of course, to promote the free uninterupted flow of air through the horn. Theoretically it makes perfect sense. However, on three occasions I have played a horn before and after he has done the work. Each time I have liked the tuba less after the procedure. (On one of these occasions, the horn was mine and he took the liberty of making these "repairs" without first asking me. He thought it was unbelievably better. I sold the horn a few months later.)
I know these gaps and chunks of solder were never intended to be there, but are these imperfections actually a major part of the individual "personality" of each tuba?