Fiberglass Sousaphones?

WoodSheddin · Post by **WoodSheddin** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 1:55 pm

I need to get some feedback on people's favorite fiberglass Sousaphones. Perhaps an oxymoron, but what are your favorite fiberglass Sousaphone models?

Lew · Post by **Lew** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 1:58 pm

The Conn 22K. It is a fiberglass version of the 20K. Played one once. Sounded good, especially for fiberglass. Too bad they're not made any more.

ken k · Post by **ken k** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 3:39 pm

I have some old OLDS sousas that are fiberglass from circa 1975. They play great! Without a doubt one of the best playing fibersousas ever. It is a fairly small bore. I believe the valve set is from the old O-991 they used to make.

Also the Conn 14K is a good player, but unfortunately neither of these two horns are made anymore.

You were probably wondering about new horns. I would think the King fiber sousa would be a good player, but I have not played one recently. We had some old ones years ago at college and I always thought they played fairly well.

Never played a Jupiter. I don't know who else even makes them. I would guess Yamaha must make them. Probably not a bad bet either.
ken k

WoodSheddin · Post by **WoodSheddin** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 6:22 pm

Ok, maybe I was not clear. I need to figure out the best currently produced fiberglass sousaphone. Need to order 2 and don't know squat about what is on the market.

Jeffrey Hicks · Post by **Jeffrey Hicks** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 8:27 pm

Why not the King 2390? It is the one that comes with both a fiberglass and a brass body that way you could get the most use. If not that then I always like the King 2370.

Tom Holtz · Post by **Tom Holtz** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 11:33 pm

The Yamaha fiber-sousas back around '87-'88 were great. Cameron and I both used them back in Disney band days. Don't know how much they've changed since then.

Daryl Fletcher · Post by **Daryl Fletcher** » Fri Apr 08, 2005 8:27 am

Steve Marcus · Post by **Steve Marcus** » Fri Apr 08, 2005 9:25 am

Sean,

Why is a fibreglass sousaphone specified for a military application?

KarlMarx · Post by **KarlMarx** » Fri Apr 08, 2005 10:43 am

Steve Marcus wrote:Why is a fibreglass sousaphone specified for a military application?

If bands have to rally the streets of the towns of the living ones as well as of the less vital ones, then itâ€™s not the worst thinkable idea to let the tubists use a lighter equipment. The US military bands on station across the ponds have done so for decades, 4 at least. Even in a seated 4th of July concert, where no wheeled access was possible.

The sad thing in the current sousaphone market is, that the top model, the Conn 20K, seems to be in short supply (and in the longer run even threatened on its very existence) because there are very few craftsmen still able to make the special short stroke valve set.

The King alternatives may attract some players by their sonic qualities, but as often referred to the Kingâ€™s have one very serious fault to their design: the placement of the main tuning slide.

There is never too much space inside a sousaphone, especially not for the people considered tall enough to haul them through lengthier marching stretches. The choice between blue ribs and a bass instrument being too sharp is a less than happy one.

Carolus Marximus Ribsteakius

Joe Baker · Post by **Joe Baker** » Fri Apr 08, 2005 12:17 pm

Daryl Fletcher wrote: It looks like they took the King and wrote Conn across the bell.

But as you can see, the King has the neck and bits set up to be worn RIGHT way, while the Conn is set up to be worn the WRONG way; right, Bloke?
____________________________________
Joe Baker, who is performing with a sousaphone (borrowed from his son's school) this weekend, for the first time in 26 years!

Chuck(G) · Post by **Chuck(G)** » Fri Apr 08, 2005 12:31 pm

Has anyone tried one of the Glassl sousies?

http://www.musik-glassl.de/herst.html

Joe Baker · Post by **Joe Baker** » Fri Apr 08, 2005 2:20 pm

From the Glassl website "Extras" for fiberglass sousas:

"Korpuslackierung in Metallicfarbe"
or
"Body lacquered in metallic color"

Bloke, looks like they have the same idea -- and theirs is four-valved!
________________________________
Joe Baker, who suspects theirs "koste vielen mehr Geld", too!

Gorilla Tuba · Post by **Gorilla Tuba** » Fri Apr 08, 2005 3:30 pm

I have used Yamaha tupperware sousas on several occasions... not to contadict Bloke, but I liked them alot. I found them easy to get a good sound on. Compared to the pebble finished Conns we had in my high school, they are heavy, but still lighter than most brass.

KarlMarx · Post by **KarlMarx** » Fri Apr 08, 2005 4:01 pm

Chuck(G) wrote:Has anyone tried one of the Glassl sousies?

http://www.musik-glassl.de/herst.html

Chuck, you and I, maybe also JosÃ© and the Residual Genitals of this forum, may have discussed this matter in private.

Nobody will doubt which continent I come from, even if I actually am buried on an island. Yet I am a sworn-in endorser of the valve blocks found in post-1920 Conn sousaphones and front action tubas. Not to mention the many other US-based brands taking the same design approaches. The date may be set earlier. I am no expert in that matter. The guy with the residuals has issued a very credible theory about the front action tubas being a by-product of the sousaphone valve blocks.

I have absolutely no qualms about my 981 probably being my best bass by any standards, even my own ones, but I most certainly am happy about my 4 US-style basses, even if one of them is made in Germany. An outsourcing which today would have been located in the ultimate champion of â€œjust fake itâ€