Sousaphone Necks and Bits

[CJ Krause]

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[Dan Schultz]

Are Necks and bits from different brand sousaphones interchangeable? My school has Yamaha but the other brands are much cheaper to replace lost necks and bits. Any info would be appreciated
Erik
Erik@cc.usu.edu

As far as I know, nothing interchanges perfectly with Yamaha necks and bits. The catalogs I have indicate that there is a significant difference in price between the old and new Yamaha bits but the necks appear competitive with other makes. Necks and bits of any sousaphone should be handled with care as they are quite expensive to replace... often costing over $150 for a complete set.

[Lee Stofer]

Olds and Reynolds sousaphone "necks" (upper mouthpipe, technically) and tuning bits are the same, all Conns use the same neck & bits, King has had 2 different style necks but uses the same bits. The King bit set consists of one larger and one smaller bit. In a pinch, a Conn bit can be substituted for the smaller King bit, but is too small to fit into the King neck. Bueschers had a neck similar in shape to the Olds, but is a larger bore. Yamaha sousaphones are more-or-less based on an old Martin design, and can play well if properly set-up and maintained. Sousaphones are wonderful instruments, and should not be "boo-ed". After all, they are only a open-wrap piston-valve tuba, and if played like a tuba, sound like a tuba. The first three valves of a Yamaha 822 are the same as the Yamaha sousa valves.
Just spend the money, get the Yamaha upper mouthpipes and bits, and then care for them as if they are expensive. The price of sousa upper mouthpipes and bits have risen, but are no more expensive than the corresponding tuba leadpipe, and usually cheaper.

[CJ Krause]

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[Kevin Miller]

Yamaha is very good about designing their products in a manner so that only their parts will work on their stuff. Great for them and bad for the consumer.

Also, have you noticed that in your home town music stores that only the mega music store carries Yamaha and no one else. Yamaha will not allow competition among local stores thus maintaining a very healthy margin on their products.This eliminates local competition and allows the sole store carrying Yamaha to set their own price. And guess which beginner horns are most prominent on the local directors "approved list". I'm not implying complicity on the directors part. They often have no choice on these matters. I've worked music retail and have seen this on a first hand basis.