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bloke wrote:bloke "who - to this day - has not seen any historical instrument - or historical drawing - that resembles this modern-day instrument (copies of Jim Self's TuBone) referred to as a 'cimbasso' "

I remember that instrument. The valve section was positioned the same as a sousaphone valve section usually is. Otherwise, the instrument taper, the bell position, etc. were typical to the cimbasso.

There's a school of thought that says the word "cimbasso" came from "C basso", meaning any bass brass reading at concert pitch. This would obviously cover a variety of instruments.

Is your point that positioning the valves slightly off to the side makes Jim's instrument less of a 'historical cimbasso', or effects the sound in any way whatsoever?