H.B. Jay Chicago "Columbia Pat'd" 4V Piston 1920's CC Tuba Used

Item Details

This is a small CC tuba built in the 1920's by the H.B. Jay Company in Chicago, IL, USA.  It's very similar in shape to a Conn 2J tuba.  This one has a 15.5" bell and is about 31" tall.  The finish is silver plate with hand engraved bell and custom main slide tuning trigger.  For stand-up gigs it has a lyre holder and strap mounts.  This tuba has been well cared for and regularly maintained so it's absolutely ready for another generation of music.  Pistons are in good shape as well.

Whose tuba is this?  It's Don Hagner's tuba.  Don was a student of Arnold Jacobs and became the assistant tubist for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra alongside Mr. Jacobs for several years in the early 1950's under Fritz Reiner.  And...he bought this tuba from Arnold Jacobs.  Mr. Hagner later sold it to a fellow musician in the Navy Band, who later sold it back to him.  Now retired from playing, the Mr. Hagner says the HB Jay seeks a new home with a younger player.

Includes Frank Holton Revelation 52 mouthpiece and serviceable hard case.  Also includes brand new Cronkhite backpack soft case in green and grey.

We have a recording of a brass choir in Chicago with this exact tuba playing on it and will try to upload the file soon.

This is a terrific instrument.  Mellow, velvety, nimble, compact...or snarky and blatty when you need it.  Low range is fine, not huge due to the smaller bore of this kind of tuba.  Pitch is fine, very easy to play.