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This beast is getting too heavy for this old guy. Comes with one body and both recording (original) and upright bells, and wooden cases for all three. $2500.00:
Principal tuba, Bel Air Community Band
Old (early 1900s?) Alexander BBb proto-163
1976 Sonora (B&S 101) 4-rotor BBb
~1904 York 3P BBb Helicon
Old Alex Comp.F, in shop
I love those old descriptions. "...and is a boon to all players." "The intonation is the finest ever built into a bass."
Can't wait to see the pictures. Those older horns are fantastic. Can't swing paying the freight to Alaska, and I don't know how I'd explain yet another tuba to my wife, but I wish I could get out there and give it a toot. Good luck on the sale!
tubanh84 wrote: Thu Feb 12, 2026 10:41 am
I love those old descriptions. "...and is a boon to all players." "The intonation is the finest ever built into a bass."
Can't wait to see the pictures. Those older horns are fantastic. Can't swing paying the freight to Alaska, and I don't know how I'd explain yet another tuba to my wife, but I wish I could get out there and give it a toot. Good luck on the sale!
And don't even get me started on "Clickless Crysteel Pumps." A phrase that absolutely rolls around luxuriously in the mouth and flows languidly off the tongue like a puff of cigar smoke.
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tubanh84 wrote: Thu Feb 12, 2026 10:41 am
I love those old descriptions. "...and is a boon to all players." "The intonation is the finest ever built into a bass."
Can't wait to see the pictures. Those older horns are fantastic. Can't swing paying the freight to Alaska, and I don't know how I'd explain yet another tuba to my wife, but I wish I could get out there and give it a toot. Good luck on the sale!
And don't even get me started on "Clickless Crysteel Pumps." A phrase that absolutely rolls around luxuriously in the mouth and flows languidly off the tongue like a puff of cigar smoke.
*Chortles in Transatlantic*
These users thanked the author tubanh84 for the post:
tubanh84 wrote: Thu Feb 12, 2026 10:41 am
I love those old descriptions. "...and is a boon to all players." "The intonation is the finest ever built into a bass."
Can't wait to see the pictures. Those older horns are fantastic. Can't swing paying the freight to Alaska, and I don't know how I'd explain yet another tuba to my wife, but I wish I could get out there and give it a toot. Good luck on the sale!
Pics are up.
Principal tuba, Bel Air Community Band
Old (early 1900s?) Alexander BBb proto-163
1976 Sonora (B&S 101) 4-rotor BBb
~1904 York 3P BBb Helicon
Old Alex Comp.F, in shop
I bought your horn today! I've been looking for a 20J or 21J for years. A very beat-up 21J was my practice horn in high school many, many years ago, and I even played it a couple of times in youth symphony (Tchaikovsky and Sibelius, IIRC). I loved the sound, and the amount of air I had to put in that horn was really useful for a practice horn. Anything else I'd play was easy to fill with air after practicing on the 21J.
So I'm in Baltimore Brass today getting a quick repair done on my main horn...and I look up and see a 20J hanging on the wall. Long story short, I had to bring it home with me. It's probably going to end up getting some use in my German Oktoberfest bands. And maybe if I can finally scare up a New Orleans style jazz band, it'd be perfect for that, too.
Anyway, just thought I'd let you know that putting that horn up for sale made my day. Enjoy the money; I'm sure I'll enjoy the horn!
(Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go tell my mid-'80s Miraphone that just because I have a new tuba in my life, that doesn't mean I love it any less...)
Last edited by LH_Puttgrass on Fri Feb 20, 2026 10:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.
These users thanked the author LH_Puttgrass for the post (total 5):
humBell (Sat Feb 21, 2026 5:01 am) • gocsick (Sat Feb 21, 2026 7:04 am) • prodigal (Sat Feb 21, 2026 9:39 am) • York-aholic (Sat Feb 21, 2026 9:56 am) • Heavy_Metal (Sun Feb 22, 2026 8:04 pm)
Just want to encourage you to use the upright bell on a 20k someday for a full-sized modern rain catcher, as opportunity permits.
(my beater 20j went to a college friend's kid to satisfy tuba curiosity and now has followed them to college... ps the younger sibling now has a beater extra tall reynolds, so you can always spot them above the rest of the band)
These users thanked the author humBell for the post:
Thanks, @LH_Puttgrass - enjoy! Maybe post some vids of you performing on it- that would be so cool!
If anyone else out there is looking for a 20J, there's one for sale over on TubeNet. Also one in the Off-Site section here.
Principal tuba, Bel Air Community Band
Old (early 1900s?) Alexander BBb proto-163
1976 Sonora (B&S 101) 4-rotor BBb
~1904 York 3P BBb Helicon
Old Alex Comp.F, in shop