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I recently decided that my sousaphone bits were leaking air, so I sealed the joints up with lanolin. It seemed like a big improvement at the time, but now the Seattle area has been enjoying a rare few weeks of summer, and the warm lanolin has become an excellent lubricant. So we have a little erectile dysfunction problem and I have to hold the mouthpiece up to play.

Anyone have an idea for some other sealer that would hold under normal temperatures? I may try beeswax next, if only because I have some on hand. Or, a very thin sheet of soft, elastic plastic.

Will also try fitting them together dry again. The problem seal was between the lower bit and the gooseneck, it seemed to me.

goodgigs wrote:Although it makes the bitts immobile, I would suggest scotch tape.

Thanks, that's interesting. In the joint, or wrapped around it?

I have some teflon pipe thread tape around somewhere, could try that.

Make sure they are perfectly round. I'm not even sure about slide grease. I put a little slide grease on mine because of the opposite problem -- sticking together -- and got some on the gooseneck. It wouldn't tighten, and I had to rub it off.

I'd just take a dry cloth, rub them completely dry, and see if you can find any places that are not round.

A King needs the bits in the proper order, but about anything else you might try changing the bits around to see if it helps.

Otherwise, it's probably time for new bits.

I really had to cobble some together (borrowed middle school sousaphone) at the last minute, and used what I had in my truck...duct tape. I have replaced it with clear duct tape, and it looks a lot better. I also had to wrap a couple ends with some masking tape to get a tighter seal. I still have to hold the moutpiece sometimes.

When I first read the title of this thread........



Bad sousaphone, bad sousaphone.

poor seal?????


or good boots???





I always used good old pieces of paper in the bits....lol