TubeNet

I believe, contrary to the marking, that they were Czech made.

To me that had a distinctly American look, the narrow bell and piston valves. It looks like a sousaphone wrap, which the Czech helicons do not.

The first tuba I ever played was a Symphony Eb. It was stamped "Made in Czechoslovakia" behind the valves. The braces, ferrules, etc. on this helicon are very similar.

The 2nd and 3rd valve tubing and the long straight support tube look very much like a fatter helicon I found some years ago which (according to the engraving) was made by Henri Gunkel in Paris, France, imported to the US by Lyon & Healy.

The name Symphony is too common to be registered as a trademark, so a stencil instrument by that name could be made by just about any maker.

The long chordal stay is rarely, if ever, seen with American instruments.

All valve loop branches exiting and reentering on the same side of the piston casings is a European trait allowing for the use of the valve block from a top action tuba (minus the bent knuckles).

The 3rd valve loop looks like being so long that it would lower the main bugle pitch by a major third. With piston instruments that is a French/Belgian trait.

Klaus

I have a Boland and Fuchs helicon in the shop now that has the same 3rd valve wrap.

It seems like a helicon for an ID would be awfully hard to get in your pocket. Would be tough to get through TSA checkpoints, too.

Re: Helicon ID
Post by Adam Peck » Sun Nov 01, 2015 2:57 pm

This Heli has a c. .670 " bore through the valves. tubari...can you tell me what the tubing length between the receiver on the gooseneck and the spot where the tubing goes into the main slide outer tube is? ( The part that is missing on mine.) I'm hoping to find a replacement in my collection of old parts/tubing.

It is 18" long. This is not the original leadpipe however. Looks like some generic parts and a Conn receiver.