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Folks-

I finally got back in to the tuba world. Yesterday I picked up a fine old FE Olds sousaphone from this fella near Gettysburg for the smashing price of $150. Its in really great shape overall. In fact, the valves look so good I almost have to think they were recently re-plated.

There are some dings/dents on the back.

New gooseneck.

The bell is 20".

He thought it was Bb but with a bell that small??

Also he lost the mouthpiece.

Can anyone suggest a good mouthpiece for this horn? Something used and decent would be great. If you have something send me a message!

Any info on this horn would be great, the serial is 37186

mark

Hi!
I had a Bundy BBb with a 20" Bell at one time...Yours is more likely an EEb! Get your chops back in shape on it, and find a case at Taylor Music or ebay if it doesn't have one. you may find you enjoy your Sousy so much, you'll want an EEb upright next! Kelly will probably have their red, white, and Blue sale in a week or two, and you could pick up a 24-AW to try, or scour ebay for a likely candidate!

Congratulations,
Al

tubaforce wrote:Hi!
I had a Bundy BBb with a 20" Bell at one time...Yours is more likely an EEb! Get your chops back in shape on it, and find a case at Taylor Music or ebay if it doesn't have one. you may find you enjoy your Sousy so much, you'll want an EEb upright next! Kelly will probably have their red, white, and Blue sale in a week or two, and you could pick up a 24-AW to try, or scour ebay for a likely candidate!

Congratulations,
Al

I'm no expert, but don't most EEb sousas have a false upper bow? Wouldn't a complete upper bow indicate either (a) that the "person hole" in the sousaphone be too small, or (b) that the horn is of lower pitch?

Just asking . . .

Hi!
just saw you were in Portland... If that's Portland, OR,I probably have a MP you can have for nothing!
Al

Hello, again!
I put my glasses on, so let me know if you need a MP! I'll just bring it to you in a day or too!

Yes, Jonesbrass!
I'm no Sousaphone expert either, but the horn looks about the same as my little Besson...If our OP has one of the small BBb's in good playing shape, He's a lucky man, as most of those (and the EEb's too) were former School horns...
Al

Oh I'm in Philly now, haven't changed my location online.

I kinda have a feeling its a Bb too. I've seen some people selling used mpc's on the forum here in "for sale", I might just pick on up. Of course I don't know what is best but something is better than nothing!

mark

If it's definitely a BBb, try a Helleburg, or 18.
Al

jonesbrass wrote: I'm no expert, but don't most EEb sousas have a false upper bow? Wouldn't a complete upper bow indicate either (a) that the "person hole" in the sousaphone be too small, or (b) that the horn is of lower pitch?

True enough - I mean, plenty were made with full loops, but of course that does make them small, relative to this one I think. The kicker would be if Olds never made an Eb sousaphone, or for that matter an Eb tuba of any kind - don't remember ever hearing of one.

If you scan the archives (use Google, the search function here probably isn't up to it), you may find a more authoritative comment about a small Olds BBb sousaphone model with a 20 inch bell.

It's an Olds sousaphone from the 1960s - BBb. Same small bore as the O-99; might even be the same valves. It looks like somebody changed the gooseneck on this one - probably a King or Cleveland.

We had one of these in my old HS - pretty easy to overblow as I remember it (from a long time ago).

For $150 you did great.

Mark Heter

Looks like a good find you may need one more tuning bit as well as a mp I can see only one on the goose neck and you need two for. Comfort and tunning

It looks as if that's a King goooseneck. You've gotten a great deal on the horn, enjoy.

Ah, so I may need another tuning bit too? that is good to know!

mark

Oh, and if this is a King gooseneck do I have to use King bits or would Olds bits fit? I'm seeing various prices/options out there.

mark

Here's a pic of just the neck so we can figure out for sure what it is and what bits I need to buy.

mark

Bore size seems to be about .687 or so.

mark

Full circle + long main tuning slide + 2 top knuckles on the 3rd valve loop => BBb.

You don’t tell which mouthpiece(-s) you already have. That would be the starting point. Otherwise the fairly small bore of the outer branches would not call for a too deep mouthpiece.

Klaus

I don't have any mouthpiece! I can't even play the thing.

I'm looking for some suggestions.

mark

Are you new to tuba/sousaphone?

What are your low brass experiences?

Knowing nothing about you makes it even more hazardous to give you specific advice. I am pretty sure what I would use myself, but pointing you to a costly solution without any foundation for doing so would not be productive for your playing.

Normally I would never direct anybody towards a product I don’t like very much myself, yet it makes some sense in this context.

Kelly makes Lexan mouthpieces, which are technically well made, and the price is lower than with many other models out of metal. Their 18 and Kellyberg mouthpieces represent two mainstream types of tuba mouthpieces, cup and funnel respectively. If you can afford both, you can test your preferences for yourself. If you want to just buy one, my default recommendation for such smallish sousaphone would be the 18.

http://www.kellymouthpieces.com/kmtuba/index.asp

Klaus, who prefers metal mouthpieces, but who owns some Kelly models

abracadabra wrote:

IMG_3757.JPG

Here's a pic of just the neck so we can figure out for sure what it is and what bits I need to buy.

mark

That is the "new style" King souzy neck. You already have one of the big bits but probably need a couple more bits to accept standard shank mouthpieces. The smaller bit has the fatter ring on the end, and it fits into the big bit (small ring - just like the one you have in the pic) and neck just fine.

King souzy bits here:
http://www.abimusic.com/p-7567-king-sousa-bits-2pk.aspx" target="_blank" target="_blank

Ditto the Kelly 18. It's a good cheap all-around mouthpiece.