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Why are helicons (heliconi?) no longer in production?

bloke wrote:guess: They don't come apart for silver plating/shipping/transport.

THey could've made them with screw on bells, right?

It's probably partially Bloke's answer and partially a drop in sales versus the modern Sousaphone. I can't prove this, it's just a guess.

Essentially, (especially for Conn) Helicons and Sousaphones are identical except for the bell section.

goodgigs wrote:Maybe Sam Gangey can start building them ?
But what could he call them since we already call his tubas "Gangeyphones" ?

Other then that it's up to Joe !

Helignagey's, just a thought

I have two descent Eb helicons here that nobody wants. Why should anyone consider building more?

TubaTinker wrote:I have two descent Eb helicons here that nobody wants. Why should anyone consider building more?

Most schools don't want Eb's (but why not, that'd be sweet if ours got Eb's though)

TheHatTuba wrote:

TubaTinker wrote:I have two descent Eb helicons here that nobody wants. Why should anyone consider building more?

Most schools don't want Eb's (but why not, that'd be sweet if ours got Eb's though)

It wasn't too many years ago that Eb tubas was all that most schools had! .... especially grade schools.

Here's a link for Cerveny (Amati) Not many pics though:
http://www.amati.cz/produkty/vfcerveny- ... struments/" target="_blank" target="_blank
And another for:
MUSIKHAUS Höllwerth
KURPARKSTRASSE 1
A-4822 BAD GOISERN
http://www.cerveny.biz/" target="_blank" target="_blank
Lots of pics and prices(Euros)...even a couple of Helicons

Here is my new V.F. Cerveny & SYNOVE, CHL 621-4PX silver, 4 rotary valve helicon in F, picture taken at Cleveland's 2010 TubaChristmas. Jim McIntyre is on the left with his Besson 983 Eb.

I custom ordered it through a U.S. dealer.

TheHatTuba wrote:Why are helicons (heliconi?) no longer in production?

Aside from some of the very good answers you've already received....

Weren't helicons originally intended for mounted cavalry musicians? It's basically a tuba you can wear and still clear tree branches and maintain your balance.

TubaTinker wrote:I have two descent Eb helicons here that nobody wants. Why should anyone consider building more?

I WANT one of them, I just don't have the cash flow right now or I'd have bought one from you when you first put them up this winter

Helicons are not made any more because school athletic departments like sousaphones because they look better on the field. Only a few of us wierdos like helicons, and very few of us would shell out for a new one.

New helicons of high quality are as costly as good tubas. Everybody wants one, but only as an extra for-fun instrument, which they don’t want paying that much for.

When the Red Army cut down and left the former Warsaw pact countries, a huge number of surplus instruments flooded especially German eBay. I may have seen the back end of that wave from 1999 through maybe 2005 or so. Among these were many BBb and Eb helicons with huge funnel bells that had very little flaring. I guess much of the for-fun market was saturated by this lowly priced source.

There are very few makers carrying helicons in their catalogue. To my knowledge only Cerveny. And I am not even sure they stock them. Just traveling to Czechia expecting to pick one in a store hardly would work without pre-ordering one.

B&S/Weltklang didn’t have helicons in their catalogue, but still they made them. Other European makers also have made helicons within more recent decades. I guess that a big purse, prepayment, and a good deal of patience would get you a helicon from B&S, Miraphone, B&M, or even from Meinl-Weston, possibly also from one or two Austrian makers.

Aside from the already mentioned matters speaking against helicons, I could imagine the extraordinary percussive effects, if they were used in modern marching band displays.

Klaus

I take my Bbb helicon (4 rotary v. 42 cm bell, Constantin Riedl, Nuremberg) when I have to play standing or marching. It is then much more confortable than a tuba.
But indeed: It is also in Germany so rare as a pinc elephant
Ulli

TubaTinker wrote:I have two descent Eb helicons here that nobody wants. Why should anyone consider building more?

Dan, If they were BBb, I would be at your front door in a heart beat. I personally think a helicon is a more comfortable walking horn than the Souz. Of course the Europeans have kept making them.

TheHatTuba wrote:Why are helicons (heliconi?) no longer in production?

Marching musicians like bell-forward tubas, and concert musicians like bell-up instruments.
Helicons are neither.

bloke is an exception (and delights in it... )

TubaTinker wrote:

TheHatTuba wrote:Why are helicons (heliconi?) no longer in production?

Aside from some of the very good answers you've already received....

Weren't helicons originally intended for mounted cavalry musicians? It's basically a tuba you can wear and still clear tree branches and maintain your balance.

Dan, I've read that fact about helicons being designed for mounted calvry many times and ALWAYS wonder how many front teeth were lost "per battle". Do you think they used rubber mouth pieces??