Steven Mead Valve Springs

[DelVento]

Steven Mead has made available on his website these new euphonium valve springs.

Expensive but I LOVE THEM. No bounce rebound, no noise, not too tight/too loose.

A great investment...especvially when you use a horn with pretty bad valves.......

HERE

[catto09]

have you noticed any improvement in quiet playing - like Steven himself has said should happen? I had a look at these springs before - but don't see them as a necessity as my valves don't seem to have any bounce and are fairly quiet

[Kurfie549]

does anyone know if these are compatible with the new bessons, as they have the rubber inserts that held keep the springs quiet

[DelVento]

They are compatible...since Steven uses them himself.

I have seem a lot of improvement in my valves, especially the quietness of the valve movement...it's great!

[Pat]

Are the springs "one size fits all"? I have an 80s vintage Besson Sovereign.

Thanks,

Pat

[DelVento]

I would say they're one size fits all...if not send him an e-mail.

[blueeuph]

For that price, they better last atleast a couple of years under a lot of steady playing.

[RickF]

I use plastic coated springs that Yamaha makes for the 641 through the 842. The coating makes the valves very quiet, but after about a year, the plastic starts to peel off from the winding and starts to float around in the casing. I replace the springs about once a year. But mine are only about $4 a piece. Maybe the coating on these others are different.

[prototypedenNIS]

Originally posted by: RickF

I use plastic coated springs that Yamaha makes for the 641 through the 842. The coating makes the valves very quiet, but after about a year, the plastic starts to peel off from the winding and starts to float around in the casing. I replace the springs about once a year. But mine are only about $4 a piece. Maybe the coating on these others are different.

Those springs are used on all euphs and 3/4 Tubas by Yamaha (BBb's have slightly bigger ones).

They work quite well and the coating used to last longer... if you can't get a set and you have buzzing, add a dab of hot-glue (glue gun) on the open ends where they contact the next coil. This is where the bulk of the buzz comes from unless your springs are bent.

[JTJ]

Bought a set of "Mead Springs" to try. They are longer and fatter, with a bulge in the center, than usual euphonium springs. Each valve is sized differently, from 1 (largest) to 4 (smallest). They are stiffer -- takes more pressure to depress the valve, and the valve quickly snaps back with a feeling of sureness. More use to some players than others, of course, and some (including me) may ultimately find them too stiff. They are coated, but do not look at all like Yamaha springs, both in color and in the coating.