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Is this Sousaphone Any good?

Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2014 8:23 pm
by GhostlyBoy08
http://www.jupitermusic.com/jbi_instrum ... =1&pId=183" target="_blank.

How does the horn play?
Is it durable?

Re: Is this Sousaphone Any good?

Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2014 9:15 pm
by SCHSGetzen
My college marching band has two, I love getting. to play on one of them. Both of ours we have experienced an issue of valve clearance. The valve in warm weather, almost doesn't fit in the casing. This of course is just my experience with this horn.

Re: Is this Sousaphone Any good?

Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2014 9:16 pm
by Jose the tuba player
http://www.wwbw.com/Jupiter-590-Univers ... 49041.wwbw" target="_blank" target="_blank

On All the Jupiter sousaphones and tubas I've seen the valves warp after a few years that's why lausd laps all Jupiter sousaphone pistons after all city. Plus for marching the 4th valve isn't really needed so you're paying more for extra weight, not to mention the water traps

Are you looking into buying your own sousaphone? If so get something better like a king or conn or Reynolds- olds.

Re: Is this Sousaphone Any good?

Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2014 9:41 pm
by Jose the tuba player
lost wrote:
Jose the tuba player wrote:http://www.wwbw.com/Jupiter-590-Univers ... 49041.wwbw" target="_blank" target="_blank

On All the Jupiter sousaphones and tubas I've seen the valves warp after a few years that's why lausd laps all Jupiter sousaphone pistons after all city.
Yeah this has been my experience. We purchased a Jupiter for our high school and all of a sudden one of the valves stopped moving from warping. I blamed the tuba player at the time. :oops:
Try the whole section getting blamed for not being able to play 16Th note runs with sticking valves, and to add insult to injury we weren't given any valve oil, when someone had a bottle of valve oil I'd be gone by the end of the day after everyone would oil their valves a few times within 8 hours of practice.
Plus Jupiter's are to heavy and they don't resonate at all.

Re: Is this Sousaphone Any good?

Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2014 10:02 pm
by Dan Schultz
The valve sections are not braced well enough to withstand the abuse they are put through by school bands. Simply removing the cluster and putting it back on can cause problems.

Re: Is this Sousaphone Any good?

Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2014 10:18 pm
by GhostlyBoy08
Jose the tuba player wrote:http://www.wwbw.com/Jupiter-590-Univers ... 49041.wwbw" target="_blank" target="_blank

On All the Jupiter sousaphones and tubas I've seen the valves warp after a few years that's why lausd laps all Jupiter sousaphone pistons after all city. Plus for marching the 4th valve isn't really needed so you're paying more for extra weight, not to mention the water traps

Are you looking into buying your own sousaphone? If so get something better like a king or conn or Reynolds- olds.
Well no these are more for my school. Currently im using an old conn 20k naked lady and age is kind of getting to it

Re: Is this Sousaphone Any good?

Posted: Sat Jun 21, 2014 1:41 am
by Jose the tuba player
GhostlyBoy08 wrote:
Jose the tuba player wrote:http://www.wwbw.com/Jupiter-590-Univers ... 49041.wwbw" target="_blank" target="_blank

On All the Jupiter sousaphones and tubas I've seen the valves warp after a few years that's why lausd laps all Jupiter sousaphone pistons after all city. Plus for marching the 4th valve isn't really needed so you're paying more for extra weight, not to mention the water traps

Are you looking into buying your own sousaphone? If so get something better like a king or conn or Reynolds- olds.
Well no these are more for my school. Currently im using an old conn 20k naked lady and age is kind of getting to it
then have your director get it overhauled so it can last a few more decades unlike a jupiter which will only last a few years then you'll have a very expensive paperweight,

Re: Is this Sousaphone Any good?

Posted: Sat Jun 21, 2014 1:44 am
by GhostlyBoy08
I dont think it needs to be overhauled. The only major problem it had was the reciever getting holes and the spit valve came off but it plays really nice and has this warm tone like no other sousaphone Ive ever played. It should last for a long time. we also are short on money

Re: Is this Sousaphone Any good?

Posted: Sat Jun 21, 2014 4:49 am
by Jose the tuba player
GhostlyBoy08 wrote:I dont think it needs to be overhauled. The only major problem it had was the reciever getting holes and the spit valve came off but it plays really nice and has this warm tone like no other sousaphone Ive ever played. It should last for a long time. we also are short on money
We'll as long as it plays
And not to be rude but if there's no money why bother looking into sousaphones?especially when you guys already have a 20k?

Re: Is this Sousaphone Any good?

Posted: Sat Jun 21, 2014 6:09 am
by GhostlyBoy08
Because our band boosters are currently talking about getting us new conn 20ks

Re: Is this Sousaphone Any good?

Posted: Sat Jun 21, 2014 4:59 pm
by Jose the tuba player
GhostlyBoy08 wrote:Because our band boosters are currently talking about getting us new conn 20ks
then you guys are certainly not in need of cash :shock: .

Re: Is this Sousaphone Any good?

Posted: Sat Aug 01, 2015 6:36 am
by tubasaz
Hello, does anybody know that will Conn 20K sousaphone fit in the sousaphone case of
Thomann SHF-400 Bb-Sousaphone MKII Fib ?

http://www.thomann.de/fi/thomann_shf_40 ... ii_fib.htm" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank
(or its possible American equivalent)

I am searching a sousaphone case for my old but good Conn 20K. Now I am using Protec gig-bag but want to buy a solid case (Jacob Winter do them not any more).
Fiber Thomann 4-valve sousaphone would also be a bit interesting but nobody seem to know if it plays any good.

Or how about 4 -valve Jupiter ? Is its case suitable also to Conn 20K ?

I contacted to Thomann seller but they didn“t know it if the case is suitable also to Conn 20K. Next I am planning to contact Jupiter (factory if there is somebody answering).

Any ideas ? Would be appreciated very much, thanks.

Mikko :tuba:

Re: Is this Sousaphone Any good?

Posted: Sun Aug 02, 2015 12:54 am
by toobagrowl
^ The Conn 7761C case is made for the Conn 20K. Since the Yamaha 411 is about the same size as the Conn 20K, I'd expect the Yamaha YAC HSC-43 case to also fit? Those are your best bets for hard cases that will fit your 20K.

http://www.interstatemusic.com/Categori ... 0000%5e461

Re: Is this Sousaphone Any good?

Posted: Sun Aug 02, 2015 5:04 pm
by insignia100
Kind of an old thread, but I can't speak highly enough of the Conn 20K sousaphones. If your band boosters can manage to fund the purchase, that's absolutely the way to go (both in terms of immediate quality, and longevity). I was lucky enough to play on new Conn horns in high school, and I can tell you the King and Jupiter horns we had didn't even compare. Oh, and the short action valves are NICE.