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Before and after photos of my mid-1920's York BBb:


Someday I'll get my old Pepper Eb soldered back together and polished ...

A few years ago I had 2 helicons, one in Eb and one in F. I was glad to get rid of them because I've given up on bass tuba, and a helicon takes up a lot of room. A sousaphone can be disassembled and stored and transported in a very compact form, but helicons are one big piece of awkward.

Donn wrote:A few years ago I had 2 helicons, one in Eb and one in F. I was glad to get rid of them because I've given up on bass tuba, and a helicon takes up a lot of room. A sousaphone can be disassembled and stored and transported in a very compact form, but helicons are one big piece of awkward.

The BBb York with 26" bell certainly meets your "one big piece of awkward" description. It amazes me that it has survived so well over 90 years.

This is my Eb helicon no makers mark lots of patches.

I just spent the 'Volksfest' weekend with this one. I used the helicon bell but I made a transition to be able to use a conventional sousaphone bell. The body is crafted of a 14K with the 4th valve donated by another 14K valve section. With the helicon bell this is a very well balanced horn for stand-up playing. The silver helicon bell was donated by a Conn Eb 'monster' tuba.

There is no need for the typical bell brace normally found on helicons and sousas. The bell screws match to holes in the receivers to make everything stay together nice and tight.

I even did a complete valve job on this horn early this year. This is one sweet horn!

Any dealer who can get Cerveny or Amati can get one of their helicons new. BBb, Eb and F. Or order direct from the source.

http://www.cerveny.biz" target="_blank

Look at http://www.schneideruwe.de/tubashop. He regularly offers helicons for moderate prices. The MUSEUM section of his website may be interesting as well.
Hubert

Donn wrote:A few years ago I had 2 helicons, one in Eb and one in F. I was glad to get rid of them because I've given up on bass tuba, and a helicon takes up a lot of room. A sousaphone can be disassembled and stored and transported in a very compact form, but helicons are one big piece of awkward.

Just trying to help keep the used market prices from skyrocketing when a new customer appears. If someone has one for sale, you can bet the price is soft - once he's decided he doesn't need, he'll really want to get rid of that thing.

Amati BBb Helicon and Amati F Helicon:

bigtubby wrote:Before and after photos of my mid-1920's York BBb:

My early 1900s York looks much like this one, but you do a much better polishing job.

For anyone on the East Coast looking for helicons, Baltimore Brass has a good selection. On their homepage, http://www.baltimorebrass.net/" target="_blank , scroll down in the center "blog" portion and you'll find a pic with some of them in the background. I believe the top row are Eb and F helicons, with the BBb ones underneath. The empty hook on the bottom row is where my York was hanging.

Casca Grossa wrote:Being summer and lots of parades going on, I've noticed a trend of helicons outnumbering other tuba shaped objects and I must admit, I'm feeling a little envious. I went to a local parade on Saturday and I saw 5 helicons, 3 BBb tubas and 0 sousaphones. I'm not in the market now but down the line I might take the plunge. For now, could the proud helicon owners post a little horn dorn?

what parade that?
k

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Here's one from my time with the Po' Boys Brass Band:


Harv Hartman got it up and running for me: http://harvshappyhorns.blogspot.com/201 ... n.html?m=1

Dave Gannett and I swapped Bueschers a few years ago for this photo:



-And here's Tom Holtz with his Eb Buescher:



One more from a parade gig:



Bloke's Beauty:



You can still get a new one like this:

Here's mine:

Just take the bell off the helicon to make it more portable...

Here is my 1892 Eb: