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DG valves or similar on a small bass
Posted: Thu May 16, 2019 2:34 pm
by SoVTTb
Hey All,
I see Duo Gravis Valve sections and similar dependent valves come up for sale from time to time, and I've been thinking that I would love a second valve on my Holton TR183.
For those who've done plug in valves or added valve sections onto smaller basses or single plug basses, do you have any thoughts or considerations about bore, configuration, general viability etc?
Thanks all!
Best,
SoVTTb
(Riley)
Re: DG valves or similar on a small bass
Posted: Thu May 16, 2019 3:54 pm
by JohnL
I'd suggest trying to find one of the plug-in valves for the TR-185 and see if it fits...
Re: DG valves or similar on a small bass
Posted: Thu May 16, 2019 4:00 pm
by hyperbolica
I put a DG section on an Olds S-20. The bore was within 0.010". I think the DG valves are ~0.562 through the valve tubing, and the S-20 was about 0.565". You can just about guarantee that the tr183 bore through the valve tubing is larger. It will definitely change the nature of the instrument significantly. It might change for the better or for the worse, I don't know. It might be a crime to alter a 183 like that in your state, not sure. No one missed the Olds S-20 I hacked up, it definitely was improved by taking the old clockspring valve and flat wrap off of it, but freed from that mess, it's a player now.
A plug in valve for a 72h was quoted to me by a good builder to be about $1500. That's the price of a whole used horn. Of course that includes the valve, tubing, levers, mechanism... Not that his work wouldn't be worth it, it's just the horn its going onto isn't worth it.
One thing I did on one horn was to get an Eb slide made for the valve. That only cost about $350. I really would like to have a plug in valve for my 72h, but I'm going to have to come up with something else, maybe another Eb slide. An Eb slide gives you a fully chromatic single valve horn, but you have to use 6th and 7th positions for some notes, which seems to make real bass trombonists ill. I think an Eb slide makes more sense than an E pull. It takes just about the same effort/time to change, and you get a more secure C and B. Plus, it doesn't do anything permanent to your horn.
Max Seigel plays a plug-in on his 185, and it's a thing of beauty. Not visually, but aurally. Check out his Weathervest videos.