Posted by Lee Stofer on September 23, 2003 at 18:41:22:
In Reply to: Valve Guides posted by BAL on September 23, 2003 at 15:47:51:
The old Holton/Yamaha BBb's had the old-style Yamaha metal valve guides. There has been a conversion kit available from Yamaha that fits newer valves and top caps on the older tubas, like the one I'm working on now that had two valves and top caps missing. When the instrument has been thoroughly chemically-cleaned and the valves are handled carefully, the plastic valve guides work great and are not an issue. But, things seldom work that way in the real world, so now Yamaha offers upgraded valve guides that are a plastic/metal composite, made in such a way as to protect it from most damage. They work on everything from Yamaha sousaphones, to student tubas, to the CC and F tubas.
Lee Stofer