Martin-Nirschl

This is an old mid-size BBb Martin which my father purchased back in the early 1930s after having his teacher (Lucas DelNegro) check it out. He used it for about 60 years, including some time in the early 1950s when he was studying with William Bell, on the GI bill. It originally had three front-action pistons with a rather small bore, and a recording bell. After I inherited the tuba in 1997 I rebuilt it with a Nirschl valve section, a Bohm & Meinl leadpipe, and detachable upright bell from a Buescher helicon. I used it in concert bands for the next 20 years. Much of the original silver plating was gone, but the body was not banged up; that indicates that it was loved and cared for. I also made a case for the body out of my college footlocker, and used it for bus rides to Carnegie Hall. It's still a great tuba, but it became too heavy for me to manage at my present age. I sold it in 2017. (See more photos below.)






Making Valve-Button Extenders to make the instrument fit a human hand..

Making a Support for my heavy Frankentuba...

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