TubeNet

I'm pretty sure i know the answer, but hel in helicon rhymes with dell, right?

For a few years there, i was pronouncing it to rhyme with feel, as in helix. No wonder i had to explain what i meant to everyone...

Anyway, this post will serve to me as a reminder that i'll put something in this thread once i figure it's time to go through the learning curve o' taking pictures and posting them internetwise... I've done it before in other contexts, but so rarely and in varying contexts that i kinda have to relearn it, even if the few steps are trivially simple...

For nothing more than the dorn value ...

OK, here's some good old helicon dorn.

Here's some helicon action:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkBi_DsYw18" target="_blank" target="_blank

humBell wrote: Anyway, this post will serve to me as a reminder that i'll put something in this thread....

Sorry i am late to the party...

Does this count?



(editted so size appears reasonable... learn something new every... so often.)

humBell wrote:

humBell wrote: Anyway, this post will serve to me as a reminder that i'll put something in this thread....

Sorry i am late to the party...

Does this count?



(editted so size appears reasonable... learn something new every... so often.)

Hells yeah, it is way cool!

Stumbled upon this thread again and reminded me that I've acquired a couple of Cerveny helicons in F since my last post. The 4/4 has become my go to horn.

Casca Grossa wrote:

bigtubby wrote:Stumbled upon this thread again and reminded me that I've acquired a couple of Cerveny helicons in F since my last post. The 4/4 has become my go to horn.

I almost forgot about my own post. Those are really nice. I keep following eBay to see if I can find a bargain. One of these days I will have one.

Frank Hosemann (g.mu6 on ebay) usually has newer Amati F helicons on ebay. I bought the 4/4 from him in fact (it needed some work). He's a straight shooter and has a couple on ebay now for under $1500.00 OBO - shoot him an offer.

Here's a video of my Twin brother and I playing some George Formby. I'm using a King Helicon that I no longer own.

https://youtu.be/jFSwFrp0xdw" target="_blank

bigtubby wrote:

humBell wrote:

humBell wrote: Anyway, this post will serve to me as a reminder that i'll put something in this thread....

Sorry i am late to the party...

Does this count?



(editted so size appears reasonable... learn something new every... so often.)

Hells yeah, it is way cool!

Thank ya kindly!

My bad for not identifying it...

Early 1880s Boosey & Co. Eb helicon. Using a conn bit.

I believe i flushed it out with water, and played fine right off the bat, as long as i held the water key closed. Got spring for the water key (ziptied on because it isn't quite right, or i am just clumsy) and replaced the valve springs, but haven't done anything else for it yet. Has a wonderful sound, but not so loud as to knock others' socks off.

For those who come to this thread for the articles, there is a pretty good story here...

The fellow who sold this to me recruited me for local parades, and has paid me more for them than i paid him for this. Sadly, most of the time, he prefers sousaphones so i have not yet marched for him with this.

One of these days i'll get another helicon picture up here...

This is my 1917 Conn (Elkhart) BBb 4-valve helicon, with a 22" bell; refurbished with a polished silver finish by Lee Stofer in 2015-16 (you might recognize his photoshoot location). All original parts except the 3rd valve slide bow (the original of which was crushed beyond repair), and the 3rd valve slide water key which was added to the new crook for convenience.

Here's the 1903 Conn BBb I bought from Tom here on TubeNet:

On the seedier side of horn dorn: "Joe" or "Mr. Stalin", Ukrainian BBb helikon. Ugly as all get-out but lots of fun to play.

bigtubby wrote:On the seedier side of horn dorn: "Joe" or "Mr. Stalin", Ukrainian BBb helikon. Ugly as all get-out but lots of fun to play.

With practically no bell flare, is it pretty directional?

Donn wrote:

bigtubby wrote:On the seedier side of horn dorn: "Joe" or "Mr. Stalin", Ukrainian BBb helikon. Ugly as all get-out but lots of fun to play.

With practically no bell flare, is it pretty directional?

Yes and it fits pretty much the way it is on the stand - with the bell horizontal. My bandmates request that I carefully choose my seating position when using this horn. These things look ancient but I have seen the same design St. Pete/Lenningrad helicons (which are stamped with dates) into the 1960s.

It is fun to play, I have several York Monster Eb's and have always wished for a contrabass which played similarly and this is pretty close: huge, open voice and similarly tricky steering.
I will never have Wolfgang Rabensteiner's chops but his is a nickel plated version of Mr. Stalin, he told me that his junk shop score is unmarked as well.
https://youtu.be/9yilOvZyPXk

Casca Grossa wrote:What is intonation like and what is it like to carry one? I play one or two marching gigs and see these come up from time to time at a reasonable price. Would be interested in looking into one if they aren't an ergonomic pain and if it can be played in tune.

For me it balances well (Wolfgang in the video above is about a foot shorter than am I) and weighs about 16 pounds 12 ounces which is a fairly light BBb contrabass.

Intonation is basically like a three valve tuba with a more rapidly expanding bugle than usual. I found that having dozens of different mouthpieces was a good thing. I found that an old King #26 worked well but YMMV and I've been known to revisit these decisions. "close enough for jazz" as they say.

For the price (typically under five hundred bucks including shipping), they seem a bargain to me. Once again YMMV - you might despise them. "Why have 3 valves when you can have 6 and a main tuning slide kicker???" leads me to suspect that you might despise them. As "they" have been known to say: "It is what it is".


Regarding your own needs/desires, you might go to youtube and search for "Moscow Ragtime Band" to hear what a much better player than I (Stas Cheremushkin) can do with funky old three valve tubas.

My “original” Hopf eb. Made in east germany. Have to do weird alternate fingerings. Eb in the staff instead of open is 23. D instead of second is 1/3 low Bb becomes 123

Just stumbled across some old videos of the Dutch Army Bicycle Band. Any heliconophile should appreciate them.

https://youtu.be/gLRldoD7G8o

Here's my "new" helicon I picked up in some village in Serbia a few weeks back.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/dAHjdJ2yuJbrHXag7" target="_blank

I wanted to upload a picture, but I guess I just couldn't compress the file to make it small enough. Oh well...

It's a Cerveny BBb (duh). It plays pretty decently and I'm using a Wick 1L on it. The upper range is a bit difficult to slot, but I'm working on it. G right at the end of the staff and above is difficult.

Anyone else with one of these?

I got the beast to play this kind of music

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSo-OQb4b1s" target="_blank

But I'm also going to start doing all the Rochut etudes in succession, provided I don't get burned out. I'll post them to youtube for fun.

Nick (currently in Macedonia with the Peace Corps)

Here's my 1924 Holton Mammoth BBb that was reworked by Martin Wilk in action.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T58kCgaWjqc" target="_blank" target="_blank