Posted by Jeffrey Chronister on May 17, 1999 at 00:49:56:
I was contemplating doing a little "tuba home repair". I've got an old beater of an Eb York that is an interesting old horn, I believe was made around 1898. I checked out the going rate for getting the valves redone at a repair shop, and it comes in at around 90 dollars a valve, being that this is only a three valver that still adds up to $270, much more than I want to spend on getting an instrument such as this in playing condition. The valve plating is quite worn, but from the current "playability" of the horn I don't think the valves are badly warped. I was thinking of sending the valves out to be plated and then lapping them in myself, but have no idea about how to do this. I know that even if this horn was in "like new" condition it wouldn't be much of a player, but was just kicking the idea around for something to do as a sort of project. I know you repair guys are out there, so your thoughts on the matter would be greatly appreciated. As it is now, it just sits around in the sun-room looking antiquey and is a nice conversation piece, it may just stay that way or maybe I can breathe a little bit of life back into this nice looking old instrument.