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Where would I find the serial number on a very old Conn 3 valve BBb sousaphone? I have checked both the bell and the body and only found the #2 on the bell flange. There are numbers on the top of the valves, once the button and the felts are removed. Are they what I am looking for? Thanks for your help!

roughrider wrote: There are numbers on the top of the valves, once the button and the felts are removed. Are they what I am looking for? Thanks for your help!

What you see there likely are parts’ numbers.

The usual place for a Conn sousaphone serial number is on the outside of the 2nd valve casing as seen from the players position.

Klaus

I have seen serial numbers on Conn souzys stamped on the tops of the valve.

Thank you to "Lost" and other folks who replied. I did find a serial number on the top of the first valve. It is 209423, which places the manufacture of this horn between 1924-1925. It is in need of a fair degree of attention right now. A really thorough cleaning, new felts, corks, and springs are needed. As well, a brace needs to be fixed and several dents attended to. The tarnish removal will be a project as well. I hope to use this horn at several Octoberfest celebrations later in the fall. I am sharing this horn with a great friend who happens to be a very good tuba player as well.

After looking a little harder and with the aid of a magnifying glass, I did find a serial number on the outside of the second valve. It matches the number found on the top of the #2 valve, 209423. This horn was made between 1924-1925 in Elkhart, Indiana. Hopefully it will turn into a very good polka band player. Thanks again to those who helped in this search. Perhaps It has already played quite a few polkas and waltzes in its 91 years of life!