Polished my horn...

That's right, the old thing shined right up. What you are looking at ladies and gentlemen is a late 1930s tuba made by the H.M. White Company in Cleveland Ohio. Date has been verified by their website and an instrument repair man that worked on this horn for me one time. They called their line of instruments "King." The company is now owned by Conn Selmer. Here is an artist type rendering picture of what the factory looked like in the 1940s. Pretty impressive place, the world needed more horns!

Mr. White, in the picture, he passed in 1940, designed all the instruments including a complete line of low brass that according to the company website "...Provided the player both musical superiority and long-lasting construction." I second the long lasting construction. I also can vouch for the superiority of the bell front design. Everyone should have a bell front tuba.

This horn came to me through the museum of East Texas. One time, it has been some years ago, I'd say 7 to 10 or 12 maybe, they were having a fund raising garage sale. They had this tuba out for 75 bucks. I was at work on a Saturday and Cathy called me to tell me about it. I could not get there that day, but when they opened Monday morning I was there with money in hand. It was a bit funny because they acted kind of like they were getting to me for $75 and I felt a little guilty for getting it so cheap. No telling what it is worth, I would guess more than $75. Tubas aint cheap. Of course it is not as nice as a brand new Czech or English made horn, but it has a nice vibe.

The reason I have it all shined up is that I have a tuba gig next week. Some old guys I went to high school with are getting together to record the Lufkin High fight song, school song and so on. I have been practicing a little bit to build up the lip.

I think the more I practice the better this horn sounds. May be it's the operator, not the horn. I have been playing the tuba since I was 12, and have had a horn most of the time since then be it begged or borrowed. That's makes 37 years of playing. I might just wear out before this horn does, it kind of makes my head feel funny to play these days, all viberaty and stuff.