Posted by Paul R. Ogushwitz on January 15, 2004 at 16:50:17:
In Reply to: Mounting the leadpipe off the bell? posted by Bill on January 14, 2004 at 01:52:49:
More myths and misquotes: Once again on this bulletin board, Arnold Jabobs is credited erroneously. To quote Clifford Bevan ("The Tuba Family", Faber and Faber, London, 1978): "Don Butterfield's interest in tuba design was initiated by the discovery that the vision of his left eye was deteriorating owing to its seeing no further than the bell of his instrument when he was playing; the right eye was both reading the music and observing the conductor." Don's solution was to have the lead pipe raised off the bell, which effectively cleared the field of vision of his left eye. He was playing "Old Deuteronomy", a 1910-ish King upright tuba with front-action valves, hence left-facing. I think this was in the 1960's, but it might have been earlier.
This was in the