TubeNet

Hi tubenet and repair guys especially,

I just had a fellow bring in a 1928 Beuscher Sousaphone. It's actually in quite good condition but is missing the leadpipe and tuning bits. He'd like to get the instrument playable and has asked me to help him find a leadpipe. We don't see a whole lot of sousaphones here in Australia and I don't have any leadpipes to try. Does anyone have a suggestion of where to obtain a leadpipe for this instrument? Used would be fine but just as happy ordering a new one from Allied if I only knew what might work? The receiver for the leadpipe measures approximately .689" (but isn't exactly round) so suspect the Allied A210 might work but hoping someone here has some direct knowledge on the subject. thanks for any help!
Ed Diefes

The neck receiver on my (Martin) Indiana sousaphone measures .700 with the ligature screw loosened, and takes a Conn neck. I'd wager that a Conn neck would fit the Buescher.

This may not be helpful, but I played a BBb "The Buescher" sousaphone from the same era for a couple of years and the original neck on these curved towards the player coming out of the receiver, then curved to the right, then back towards the player, and used one bit.

By all means, get this tuba back into service. Assuming it's a BBb, these are absolutely glorious sousaphones. Really even response and spot-on intonation, along with very clear privileged tones, makes the Buescher much more capable than your average sousaphone and, actually, a better instrument than many concert tubas I've come across. I feel fortunate to have played one.

Maybe this link will help, an article about necks and bits, with the page out of the Allied catalog. You can click on the image and it will enlarge the page. Of course, in the fine print, they recommend modifying the receiver or changing it to a Conn receiver to take a Conn neck and bits, but at least it is a place to go if you can't find original Buescher parts:

http://sousacentral.blogspot.com/2011/1 ... -bits.html" target="_blank

I tried to post the .jpg of the actual page as is on the blog in a larger format easier to read, but I got:
"Sorry, the board attachment quota has been reached."
I have notified Schlep.

bloke wrote:For the 1920's Buescher sousaphones, a Yamaha neck/bits works, in my experience.
Not only the appropriately-goofy bend-angle, but also (serendipitously) the tenon diameter (.688" - c. 17.5mm)

Indeed! On review of the chart I see the Yammy neck - looks good.

That looks like it is heading in the right direction. The main tuning slide is routed differently on this horn and there are signs of damage and repair but doesn't look as though anything changed significantly from it's original layout. Seems to me looking at the Yamaha mouthpipe and the two different bits available, 20 and 45 degree, something functional could work out.

Since a picture is worth a thousand words, I'll put one on this time:



I won't order anything until next week so any more thought are welcome. Thanks for everyones help!