Sousaphone Refinishing Poll! LACQUERED

[SousaSaver]

New in-progress pictures!
I removed some more dents (but not all yet) and put some patches over the screw holes left by some animal who once hung this creature on a wall...

[toobagrowl]

I agree that people are like animals........just look at all the wild animals that post here
Anyway, it's good to see those holes patched. What type of finish are you gonna do?

[SousaSaver]

I intend on letting the poll go until the project is complete, but it looks like I am going to go with a bright polish lacquered finish.

I should have the body finished and sprayed before the end of the week!

[SousaSaver]

UPDATE:

Not finished yet. A combination of illness and fatherhood has prevented me from doing much work lately. BUT there has been progress.

Pictured below, my daughter, the boss SITS on my horn while watching her pre-bedtime TV show. Turns out that Sousaphones also make great chairs for infants.



Currently, the horn is in playable condition, has a light pre-polish and awaits the removal of a few minor dents, the final burnishing of the bell and a final polish before lacquering.

[SousaSaver]

UPDATE:

The poll results are in: by a 3 to 1 margin, the poll results call to have the Sousaphone lacquered. So it goes...


This photo is of the instrument hanging in the lacquer booth waiting to receive a new coat.

Just to contrast this, here is what the instrument looked like the night I received it.


The work isn't 100% perfect, but tempered against what is WAS like, I think that there is a significant improvement. What do you think?

[SousaSaver]

The Achilles heels of the Olds brass sousaphone design were

- the knuckle coming out of the 1st valve to the lower mouthpipe tube (related to the receiver braces)
- the main-slide-to-body and 5th-branch-to-body braces

...and the Olds seems to be noticeably heavier than a Conn or King. Maybe that adds to its character.

[SousaSaver]

FINISHED-



Just for comparison, here is what it looked like on day one:


The picture isn't the best because I think I smudged the lens on my phone camera when I pulled it from my pocket.

These horns are great players. Heavy, but great.

[rodgeman]

Looks great!

[tubaforce]

right on! Now you need to find a small EEb Sousaphone for the boss...

[SousaSaver]

you're right...with four valves