1974 post-repairs Miraphone model 86-C (L.H. 5th valve) original professional owner instrument
Posted: Sun May 25, 2025 6:44 pm
We worked on this tuba before about a decade ago or so. It was brought 800 miles to us for its ten year (??) checkup.
It definitely needed a serious cleaning job on the inside, some pretty serious dent removal, some slide alignment, some little cracks brazed shut, some rotor work, and some linkage work along with "picking over it" (since it is here).
This is a 51 year old 9000 series Miraphone model 86 C.
It has used professionally (original owner) from day one, it's still used heavily, and I'm sure will be for years to come.
Some of you may have laid eyes on this particular instrument, and - perhaps - quite a few times.
It's by no means for sale, but we just thought some people would enjoy a couple of pictures of a cool tuba.
Something interesting is that big old fifth valve loop lower geometry. It seems like they bent it uphill too soon, and - as you can see - it's sort of not parallel to the instrument coming up to the 5th slide. Originally it wasn't actually slanted enough for the 5th valve tuning slide tubes to be wide enough for the 5th valve tuning slide bow, so at the factory they sort of put the 5th valve slide together caddywampus. It would previously slide in and out, but not nicely... I moved that long vertical tube over yet another 1/8 of an inch or so, and now the fifth valve slide is "fast" - as with a nicely-aligned first valve slide.
oh yeah...One of the two bottom bow braces was busted (the small side one), I found a Miraphone brace that is similar-enough to the original, so the one you see "up in there" is a replacement from bloke's box-o-stuff.
previous to this major servicing: lots-and-lots of issues
It definitely needed a serious cleaning job on the inside, some pretty serious dent removal, some slide alignment, some little cracks brazed shut, some rotor work, and some linkage work along with "picking over it" (since it is here).
This is a 51 year old 9000 series Miraphone model 86 C.
It has used professionally (original owner) from day one, it's still used heavily, and I'm sure will be for years to come.
Some of you may have laid eyes on this particular instrument, and - perhaps - quite a few times.
It's by no means for sale, but we just thought some people would enjoy a couple of pictures of a cool tuba.
Something interesting is that big old fifth valve loop lower geometry. It seems like they bent it uphill too soon, and - as you can see - it's sort of not parallel to the instrument coming up to the 5th slide. Originally it wasn't actually slanted enough for the 5th valve tuning slide tubes to be wide enough for the 5th valve tuning slide bow, so at the factory they sort of put the 5th valve slide together caddywampus. It would previously slide in and out, but not nicely... I moved that long vertical tube over yet another 1/8 of an inch or so, and now the fifth valve slide is "fast" - as with a nicely-aligned first valve slide.
oh yeah...One of the two bottom bow braces was busted (the small side one), I found a Miraphone brace that is similar-enough to the original, so the one you see "up in there" is a replacement from bloke's box-o-stuff.
previous to this major servicing: lots-and-lots of issues