Tuba Services

Play Condition (P/C): This service includes mouthpipe swab and rinse, cleaning and greasing all slides, oiling and adjusting of valves. Check for foreign objects, pinholes & cracks. Also, check bracing and all solder joints. Replacement of corks and felts as needed, re-stringing of rotors as needed and play-test.

Price: $95.00 (4 pistons) $120.00 (4 rotors)

Chemical Cleaning (C/C): Chemical cleaning is important because contaminants building-up inside an instrument year-after-year will result in a chemical leaching of zinc from the copper/zinc alloy. This de-zincification will ultimately result in tubing splits and pinholes, especially in the mouthpipe. The cleaning starts with the disassembly of the instrument and the removal of built-up oil and grease. A chemical bath (usually a solution of hydrochloric or acetic acid) along with certain detergents, removes the corrosion, mineral scale and other foreign matter from the inside of the horn. When done correctly, no metal is removed in this process. Chromate baths (which were used through the 1970s) are environmentally damaging and tend to etch metal from the rotor and casing, so they are no longer used. During the chemical cleaning, we take steps to avoid damaging lacquered finishes. Also, any steel parts (springs, lever rods, and sometimes screws) are not immersed in the acid solution because they would react with the acid causing staining to exposed brass or silver parts, as well as oxidation (rust) to the steel components. After the cleaning, the rotors are bathed in oil and reassembled. Strings, felts and corks are replaced, and new springs are installed as needed. Slides are greased, levers and springs are oiled, and the instrument thoroughly checked.

Price: $35.00 (per piston) $45.00 (per rotor)

Piston Valve Rebuilding: In order to successfully rebuild a piston, it must be honed from both ends to return the casing and piston to a perfect cylindrical shape. After the piston and casing are trued, the piston is built up with copper plating until an airtight fit is achieved. Then a final coat of hard nickel plating is added, and the piston is hand-lapped to the casing. We also replace the valve guides and springs, then check and correct valve alignment as necessary. When the casing is out of the horn we can also repair the knuckles leading from the casing.

Price: $225.00 per valve

Bearing Refit: Job includes removing and cleaning valves, machining top bearing to remove vertical play and swaging bottom bearing to remove horizontal play. This vertical and horizontal play causes the valves to clank or make noise. New corks, string, and springs are installed, and lever hinge tubes are tightened as needed. After this service your valves will be much quieter and smoother.

Price: $85.00 per valve

Complete Rotary Valve Rebuild: Rotary valves endure both chemical wear from mineral salts and mechanical wear from grit and crystallized chemical compounds. After many years rotors gradually become out-of-round or elliptical. The horn gradually begins to leak air (compression loss) and therefore makes the player work harder for the same volume of sound. At this point, there is no choice but to do a complete re-plating and overhaul of the valves. After rebuilding, valves will be like new (or better than factory). The player will get more sound with less energy. Valve Plating and Repair includes the following:

- Disassemble valves and slides and levers. - Cleaning and degreasing of rotors, casings and slides.

- Copper build-up and hand lapping (usually several rounds of this step to achieve exact tolerances).

- Sulfamate Nickel plate and lap. This step imparts hardness and the "slippery factor" for quick valve action.

- Removal of all vertical and horizontal end play.

- Complete cleaning and degreasing of horn body and slides, Careful assembly of valves.

- New corks, strings and springs are installed. Complete test play.

Price: $275.00 per rotor

Linkage Conversions: Tubas may require replacement of their mechanical actions with nylon or Minibal links. Clockspring valve levers can be replaced with factory levers or custom hand-fabricated levers. Houghton Horns utilizes "Minibal" links wherever possible.

Price: call for estimate

Strip Lacquer (strip, clean, hand-polish and leave unlacquered): Priced upon request

Mouthpipe installation: $145.00