Unusual Helicon (on German eBay)

[David Richoux]

Spotted this tonight - don't think I have seen a valve arrangement quite like it before!

helicon.jpg

No other views available -
item # 170477341149 ebay.de

[humphrey]

Difficult to tell precisely from that pic, but it looks to have a valve arrangement very similar to my Lidl helicon:

smaller Helmut.gif

Here's a closer view of the valve section

valve closeup.gif

It's the helicon I'm playing in my avatar. It doesn't get played much at all any more as I mainly play Eb for everything but I have started getting a bit of marching work recently and I'm thinking of getting it out again. The shoulder strap needs repairing and the valves need a bit of work but it does make a VERY pleasant noise.

Russ

[imperialbari]

Humphrey’s first photo along with the OP photo pretty well illustrate a difference between many German-Czech helicons and most US type sousaphones:

The latter usually have their valve tubing in one or more planes parallel with the plane of the main circle tubing. The European rotary helicons often have their valve tubing in a plane forming an angle with the plane of the main circle. One obvious benefit thereof is that the space for the player gets bigger.

Klaus

[imperialbari]

Several photos, just scroll down:

http://cgi.ebay.de/Groses-altes-4Ventil ... 9306wt_913

[David Richoux]

Several photos, just scroll down:

http://cgi.ebay.de/Groses-altes-4Ventil ... 9306wt_913

Thanks for the better link - for some unknown reason my browser could not get to those pictures last night... very similar to Russ's horn, but in much worse condition! (no wonder it is not getting a high price.)

[eupher61]

hmmm...the patch attempt on the bell look like my F Cerveny helicon, except that it has 3 of those!