Items found in Sousaphones

[Wes Krygsman]

This is not an item found but more of a prank we pulled on one of our section mates in high school, but i think it is worth sharing so some one else can use it.

We had next door access to the town drinking water well. During a break during band camp, that player went to the bathroom, and we took his sousa to the well and filled it up with about 2-3 gallons of water. Of course he noticed the extra weight right away, and he let out his spit right in front of the band director. It didn't stop for a few minutes, the band director's face, along with the looks of disgust from some of the woodwinds was unforgettable.

We did the same thing to his tuba a few months later before a concert as well, with about a gallon of water. Fun times.

[David Richoux]

3 mummified birds in an 1890's helicon, a plastic flower arrangement in 60's colors among the other usual items.

One mummified blackbird very deep in a 1918 Conn helicon - only discovered after the horn was taken apart for a major overhaul.

[Rev Rob]

At a high school band gathering at the University of Minnesota, I stored my lunch in my Sousaphone. The Sousaphone worked well as a carrier for lunch, but a I forgot that I stored my lunch in my Sousaphone. When I started to play, I was panic stricken because my Sousaphone wouldn't play right. My fellow Sousa player kindly mentioned to me, my lunch was in the Sousaphone. Once out I could play to my hearts delight "In the Hall of the Mountain King."

[TYA]

My friend has a vibrator stuck in his sousaphone a drunk member of our line threw it in there. We can't get it out any ideas? We tried hangers fish hook filling it with water and other stuff.

[Bandmaster]

Try taking the main tuning slide out and get a water hose with a spray nozzle and shoot the water up the slide into the main bugle of the horn. If the water is cold, you should be able to feel the brass to find where the tempature changes. That will be where the vibrator is stuck. Keep the water pressure up and carefully tap on the bow where the vibrator is stuck and maybe it will break free. Thta's just one idea....

[jamsav]

My friend has a vibrator stuck in his sousaphone a drunk member of our line threw it in there. We can't get it out any ideas? We tried hangers fish hook filling it with water and other stuff.

hmmm....I think I've heard this joke before....what kind of band is this that you're in ?

[TYA]

My friend has a vibrator stuck in his sousaphone a drunk member of our line threw it in there. We can't get it out any ideas? We tried hangers fish hook filling it with water and other stuff.

hmmm....I think I've heard this joke before....what kind of band is this that you're in ?

In a college marching band where the sousaphones are older then the players

[SousaSaver]

My friend has a vibrator stuck in his sousaphone a drunk member of our line threw it in there. We can't get it out any ideas? We tried hangers fish hook filling it with water and other stuff.

A serious suggestion? With the bell off of the horn, flip the body upside down and gently tap the collar on the ground. If you're lucky, the vibration (no pun intended) will shake the object loose. Be careful

[Dean E]

My friend has a vibrator stuck in his sousaphone a drunk member of our line threw it in there. We can't get it out any ideas? We tried hangers fish hook filling it with water and other stuff.

I hate it when that happens.

I like to use a long hose attached to a Shop Vac.

An alternate position is to slip in a set of small Ben Wa balls, in the small tubing upstream, and then slide-hammer them against the vibrator.

[Rick F]

A Playboy magazine.

This happened in H.S. in the mid 60's. A student was reading the magazine (is reading the right word?) when the Dir came into the band room. The student curled it up and quickly threw it down the bell. Unfortunately, it went past the bend of the sousy. That afternoon was one of the few times the Sousy went home with the student ... so he could practice he said.

[tubaluna]

Pair of Keds tennis shoes....amazing how free blowing the Sousie was afterwards.

[Steve Marcus]

When my recently acquired Conn 48K Jumbo sousaphone was being repaired, found inside it was:

- a high school 4-page newspaper (newsletter?) from April 1, 1951. Yes, it was their April Fool's Day edition. All of the "stories" were nonsense. The newspaper's title is in reverse print. My wife is giving serious thought to framing this piece of literature. The high school was built in 1911; the sousaphone in 1930. Both still exist.

- a Wrigley's spearmint gum wrapper with the logo from the 1950's. Fortunately, the wrapper's contents had been enjoyed and discarded elsewhere by someone almost 60 years ago.

[jstrother123]

TYA wrote:
My friend has a vibrator stuck in his sousaphone a drunk member of our line threw it in there. We can't get it out any ideas? We tried hangers fish hook filling it with water and other stuff.

I once had a plastic stadium cup wedged in my sousaphone. I was able to get it out by removing the bell, putting on the horn and blasting as hard as I could while bent over at the waist pointing the horn downward. After about 6 - 7 blasts, the cup came out. Of course my band director walked in while I was doing this and just walked out shaking his head without saying a word.

[Arthur]

An old Conn 14K in the back of my college band room (a converted ROTC rifle range) had about 5 pounds of expended .308 brass.