Funny thing happened while getting a tuba chair

[opus37]

I saw an add on Craig's list for a Wenger Sousaphone chair. I have young grandchildren who love to honk on my Helicons/Sousaphones, but have trouble reaching the mouthpieces. I remember having a Wenger chair in junior high that allowed me to easily play a sousaphone, so I got this one. Well, I met the seller of the chair and he gave me a very good price on it. We got to talking and I found out his business is to collect instruments and drive them down to Mexico and sell them. They are wild about Sousaphones down there. He showed me his next truck load. He must have had 20 horns. All BBb. There were Martins, Conns, Kings and few other things that I didn't get a chance to look at closely. He buys them up here and sells them there. His son is doing some of the repair and is going to school to learn repair. A very nice and enterprising fellow. He does get a few tubas, but he really sells Sousaphones. He has trumpets, saxs and clarinets too. The one thing he will be selling up here is a 1906 Jumbo King Sousaphone with the two packing cases. It is in silver and looked in perfect shape. I suspect he will have that for sale later this summer. There is no market for a jumbo in Mexico. The people you meet through tubas........

[Teri]

Are you still looking for a sousaphone chair?

[opus37]

Are you still looking for a sousaphone chair?

I actually got 2 from him. I was able to assemble a good one out of the total parts and found someone who wanted the rest of the parts and is happily putting to gather a chair for himself. I must have $25 into the chair that is now like new.

[Steve Marcus]

The one thing he will be selling up here is a 1906 Jumbo King Sousaphone with the two packing cases. It is in silver and looked in perfect shape. I suspect he will have that for sale later this summer.

Has this sousaphone been posted for sale? King and Conn didn't build the REAL Jumbos until the mid-1920's, so I'm curious about what he has for sale because a friend is looking for a Jumbo.

[opus37]

I haven't seen the jumbo posted, I'll do some checking.

Here is another add from the same guy. Just contact him via e-mail through the ad and ask him about the jumbo.

http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/ram/m ... 19428.html" target="_blank

[Teri]

Are you still looking for a sousaphone chair?

I actually got 2 from him. I was able to assemble a good one out of the total parts and found someone who wanted the rest of the parts and is happily putting to gather a chair for himself. I must have $25 into the chair that is now like new.

Sounds like a great deal!

[Donn]

There's one sousaphone that isn't going to Mexico (unless I go ... hm ... Baja?) Best tuba ever. And the chair's still with us, as well, but it never really had all that much to do with sousaphones. I can't believe I was wasting my time with Eb tubas. A narrow escape from consequences of poor judgement.

[opus37]

I have a 28K sitting on my tuba chair. You can see parts of that horn in my avatar. The 4 valve horns are heavy, but boy do they have a great sound. I march with an old Pepper Helicon which weights 12 pounds. For other out-door or very large venue gigs (Mall of American, Sports Arenas, etc) the 28K comes out.