TubeNet

Hi

I've just played and have to decide whether to buy this lovely Gretsch Sousaphone. It's in pretty good condition in the body - slightly off-silver I guess, and a couple of small dents, but nothing bad. The valves are tarnished and will probably use a good overhall, but it plays really well and in tune. I don't know sousaphones that well, but this BBb seems to be tune across the range, nice and fast really.

My biggest concern is whether it's worth the cash (buyer wants £1000 - about $1500) and whether Gretsch sousaphone would be worth the purchase. Pictures attached, no serial numbers though or history of the horn. It's a big horn, although not as heavy at the 40k I tried a few months ago. Wandering if Eb would be more useful and more portable?

Curious to hear your thoughts! Sousaphones are fairly rare in the UK .. well, nice ones anyway ...

Cheers,
Bruce

In the words of youngsters these days... meh.

Seams a little steep to me unless it was darn near perfect at that age.

Yes ... I feel the same ... although it does play well though and is a very attractive horn. I think a quick overhaul and it'll be flying. I'll be interested to hear about Gretsch horns in particular ...

Is this the same horn that was discussed here:

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=35854" target="_blank" target="_blank

$1500 sounds like an average price for a good sousaphone in good condition. On the other hand, at least in the US, you can often find good playing horns from better known manufacturers for significantly less than that. From what it sounds like, Gretsch brasses were not really top end instruments, but if it plays well for you that may not matter.

As to whether an Eb would be more useful, that really depends on what you will be using it for. It's really hard to find a 4 valve sousaphone, so you would have to rely on false tones to get into the low range, but an Eb would certainly be more portable. In the US Eb sousaphones sell for much less than BBbs because they are not used in schools any more, so there are a lot that were surplussed. I don't know whether that is true in the UK. I have found very nice 3 valve Eb sousaphones in perfect playing condition for a few hundred dollars here. In fact I only paid around $1000 for my 4 valve Conn 28K Eb sousaphone. I find myself using the 28K rather than my 40K for the rare times that I march or stand while playing just because of the weight, and because the sound is not that different.

From what I can see of the airpath through the valve block this sousaphone is European made. Gretsch apparently had Couesnon making a lot of their brasses except for horns, which Zalzer made for them.

Klaus

Thanks for the replies. I think the goose-neck bits are definitely just later addons ... they say slovakia on them, but they're probably from a helicon or something. It does play well, lovely tone and in tune though, so I think I'll make a lower offer today. The trouble is that in the UK we don't have nearly as much choice with sousaphones, so finding a good one is difficult without importing from the US...

IMHO... the only thing good going for this horn is that it may already be in the UK. Correct?? This horn is not of US manufacture and with the rareness of sousaphones in Europe... it might be a real bear to get serviced or buy parts for.

If I was shopping for a sousaphone... it would be one that I could readily purchase new or used parts for.... such as a Conn 14K.

The only Eb sousaphone I've owned that I cared anything for is the one that Klaus now owns.

If you want a nice light, robust sousaphone.... pick up one of the 36K horns that frequently appear on the auctions. Plenty of spare parts... descent sounding... and easy to service.

It really looks like a Huttl to me, though I haven't seen many. I have a Huttl made Whaley Royce sousaphone someplace and it looks similar. From what I've read, Huttl produced an incredibly large variety of instruments in various shapes/sizes/styles to be stenciled by many different importers and manufacturers. They were in Czechoslovakia (then), rarely marked their stenciled instruments with serial numbers, and routinely marked "Made in Czechoslovakia" (or some variation of that) on the mouthpiece receivers and/or sousa/helicon necks.

TubaTinker wrote:IMHO... the only thing good going for this horn is that it may already be in the UK. Correct?? This horn is not of US manufacture and with the rareness of sousaphones in Europe... it might be a real bear to get serviced or buy parts for.

Thanks for the reply. Well, it's actually in great shape generally, plays nicely, and is in tune across the range. Not sure if the valves will give any problems in the future though. If it had a Conn, King or Martin or even Besson stamp on it I would've snapped it up already I think. I'd probably just go for it if it was quite a bit cheaper, but at that price I think the general consensus is to not get it. Thanks for the 2c all those who've chimed in.

Bruce

Or would that be 2p for all who chimed in, considering you're on the east side of the pond?!

Anyway, here's a diffrent viewpoint: any horn that has good intonation and good physical condition is going to be worth more than a horn that just has either/or one or the other. For example, a good old Conn or King in the same condition, then with the shipping and customs to be able to take delivery of it in the UK as shipped in from the USA, might make it even more expensive, with not that much extra going for it, taking you at your word it is in both good physical shape and has good intonation.

At the offered price, considering the local market, I'm not that sure it's that far out of line. I mean, what is a standard brass band non-comp BBb tuba going for, compared to a new Besson comp? Probably something very similar. Contact someone like Mark Carter aka "Mr. Tuba" in Wales, and see what he thinks. A souzy in the UK is just going to cost more. Going the other way, this is just like when I go to my local supermarket and a box of domestic Lipton teabags is @$4.00, and over on the other side of the aisle the same sized box of Brooke-Bond PG Tips is @$7.00, but the superiority of flavor, even for what is considered a "cheap" tea in the UK, compared to most USA offerings, makes it worth it, at least to me.