Conn 4 Valved EEb Sousaphone Grand 1928

[Sousajazz]

Sousa 5a.jpg

Does anyone know if it is worth getting a 4 valved Conn EEb Sousaphone Grand (1928) with a 23" Bell re-lacquered? The valves are in good working order. It is currently a very tarnished silver colour which does not clean up and has had a gold inside bell previously. It will be played in a Dixie Band.

[Donn]

Kind of an open ended question. Do you want to know how much it will cost? How it will look? How will it affect the sales value? How will it sound?

You probably don't expect it to sound any different - I wouldn't anyway. Maybe it would help to include a picture. I would guess you can't really "re-lacquer" it, because it never was lacquered in the first place - they didn't do much of that back in the day, and it's unusual in any era to lacquer a silver plated instrument. Lacquer would be applied after complete removal of the silver plate and gold wash, and a good buffing. Expensive, I'd guess.

[EdFirth]

I recently got a Conn 36J that had that same look to the finish. Wright's Silver Cream didn't have any effect on it but when I sprayed it with TannX it lightened right up. Not saying it will work for sure but it doesn't cost much and isn't labor intensive at all. Good Luck. Ed

[Lew]

You could have it re-plated, but don't expect to ever get the money back that you would spend on that. I agree, that your best bet is to try something like Tarn-X and then silver polish to see if you can get the tarnish off. If you lacquer over silver, which I have seen people do, what will happen is it will still tarnish under the lacquer and then you will never be able to remove the tarnish.

[Lew]

I guess it may depend on the lacquer job, but I have seen a few lacquered silver plated horns and they have all tarnished under the lacquer. In any case, if he can't remove the tarnish first, all lacquer would do is preserve the tarnish under it.

[GC]

I've seen ancient cornets lacquered over silver that have never shown a hint of tarnish. I think it's dependent on the preparation of the silver before lacquering. I bet the composition of the lacquer may have something to do with it, too, but that's pure conjecture on my part.

[MikeW]

There was a thread once about old Conn and King instruments being finished with lacquer over Nickel plating.

Try an "advanced search" for "Conn Nickel lacquer"

[Gilligan]

Back then Conn used a slightly different mouthpiece shank/receiver than what we have today. This changes the mouthpiece gap when a modern shank mouthpiece is used in those old horns. Find an old Conn mouthpiece and get your mouthpiece cut to match so it will properly fit your old horn and you will find that it plays much better.

[BrassBandBass]

Nice Looking horn ,,,, use a little " Elbow Grease " clean it up and play it !! go for it ! enjoy !!

[Sousajazz]

Are there Bb and Eb shanks/tuning bits?
I am having trouble fitting the tuning bits into the Eb Sousa lead pipe and when I get something relatively firm, I still can't get a good lower Bb (1 & 3 or 4). Any ideas?

[sousaphone68]

Hello your photo does not show your mouth pipe or bits.
I have a Conn 26K with a Conn mouth pipe and bits and I too have problems with that note it is the only bum note on the instrument.
Conn tuning bits should be identical to each other but I don't think this is the problem I have tried different mouthpieces and have checked the valve alignment with a borascope and have flushed and snaked my one several times with out any improvement in the Bb the false tones are good and all other 1+3 notes sound perfect its the only bad note on my sousaphone.
I had until I read your post thought that my only solution would be to get a 4 valve body or valve set to solve the problem.