Helicon ID?

[Tuba Guy]

Hi everyone,
I just finished watching a movie called Super 8 Stories (about an Eastern European brass band called the No Smoking Orchestra) and they are awesome. Their tuba player was apparently a guy named Alexsandar Balaban and he is a super solid player.
I love their music, but was wondering if anyone knows what sort of helicon (brand or key) this guy is playing? Obviously it sounds great, but it's always cool to know how someone sounded good.
A music video by them http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqC_kAwTuVc

[imperialbari]

There are no really good shots of the helicon allowing for a good ID.

The bell looks like having more flare than standard for German, Czech, or Russian helicons. I have seen a few Cerveny helicons with such wider flare documented.

Klaus

[Donn]

Same here - not much to go on, but I'd bet some close relative of the modern Cerveny 611 Eb. Which I remember as having a 450mm (18in) bell.

[PaulTkachenko]

From what I can see, it looks just like my Amati Bb. Fairly big bell flare and 50cm bell.

Tricky to say for sure though.

[eupher61]

At first glance, on a tablet with limited capability of getting a good still, I agree with Paul.

[Donn]

The BBb and Eb look similar - the Eb is like a scaled down BBb (unlike the more commonly seen F which is a different design.) I wouldn't bet my life it's the Eb, but 1) look at the volume of the bell, relative to the bell flare - the BBb is fatter there, isn't it? 2) At 2:56, see how the player's right hand is only a few inches below his collarbone, because it's a cramped little Eb. I've never seen the BBb Cerveny/Amati/etc. in person, but it's pretty big, isn't it?

[Tuba Guy]

I took a picture of the movie (sorry about the quality). I was curious because it seems enormous compared to most helicons (of which I'd seen pictures), though going by the length of the 1st valve slide, my guess is Bb. Either way, that's a pretty cool tuba

[Donn]

Eb from a different angle:

[eupher61]

But, the angle at which he's holding the helicon is an important consideration. That photo looks like no bits in the gooseneck, so it's turned quite high. This photo confirms in my mind that it's a BBb, but hard to say if it's a Cerveny/Amati. Of course, I fill up the circle a bit more than this guy.

[David Richoux]

Interesting group - a bit surprised I never heard them before...

My guess on the helicon is some version of an Amati BBb - I have one that is very similar.

Here is the full video of the film in question: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KbmfXEdqOk