hobson27 wrote:I guess the key world is DISTRIBUTED
If we saw photos of the OP’s sousaphone, we might see, whether there had been a design flow from Gretsch to Couesnon. There is a distinct difference among mainstream US made sousaphones and most European sousaphones.
Aside from the short action pistons the Conn 20K follows the wrap pattern known from the Conn’s 26K, 14K, and 38K, which is characteristic (in 1st and 3rd valves) by having a very open angle, 135°, between the entry and exit ports, when the valve is pressed. This is not possible with 2nd valves, as both slide ports have to be on the same side of the casing. This approach of open angles also is seen in American-type front action tubas (but not in some Belgian made front action tubas).
To my knowledge only one European maker of sousaphones uses the American type valve block: Böhm & Meinl, now Nirschl. They made the York Master line of brasses after American specifications during the first decades after WWII.
Most European sousaphone makers (Besson, Amati, Miraphone, Glassl) use their usual top action piston blocks, albeit with different slide wraps, on their sousaphones. Often some very small radius bows are seen in the valve tubing.
I would be interested in seeing whether the Gretsch American Model Sousaphone has an American type or a European type valve block. If the former is the case, then the next question will be whether Couesnon worked from an American design or whether Gretsch contracted their sousaphones from an American maker?
Klaus
