Posted by Tony Clements on January 16, 2001 at 10:11:51:
In Reply to: side loading bags (revisited) posted by Ian Easton on January 13, 2001 at 08:16:25:
I use Reunion Blues bags exclusively. They are easy to load, last forever, reasonably priced and the guy who runs the biz, Michael Snead, is a real sweetheart. He has helped me out on NUMEROUS occasions. Dave Fedderley loves the Altieri bag. I have had them in the past and I still use one for the Dehmal, but I prefer the side loading bag, especially on the larger instruments. Open the case, put tuba in, zipper up. Top loaders (for me) are a bit more problematical on the large tubas. Hold the bag up and open with left hand, lift tuba with right, drop it in, hoping the bag doesn't close, or the valves don't get hung up on the way in. The other problem, on downwred-facing main tuning slides, top loaders tend to bend the slide inwards as the tuba settles to the bottom of the bag.