What is it?

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P@rick
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What is it?

Post by P@rick »

Hi all,

This sousaphone (SN 106230) was sold to me as a Buescher, but I believe only because Buescher was engraved on the bell. The body looks to be a Conn 14K style/shape. Even the branches look Conn style. The only thing I have never seen on a Conn is the shape of those valve caps (not referring to the buttons).

So what is it? Is it a Conn from 1908 or did Buescher make it?
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KingBassTrombone
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Re: What is it?

Post by KingBassTrombone »

My 1912 Buescher Eb helicon has valve caps that look identical. Unless someone retrofitted Buescher valve caps, I'd bet that's a whole Buescher sousa.
humBell
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Re: What is it?

Post by humBell »

If it is Buescher, would it be old enough to have the triangle-tuning fork "true tone" logo on the valve set?

I believe other makers also knurled their valve caps, although i'm not thinking that hard at the moment to say who...

Serial number puts it at 1922 according to horn-u-copia if it is Buescher, and i'm pretty sure i've spotted the true tone logo on younger instruments, but am thinking from memory without an example in front of me, so i could be wrong.

I want to say that Conn style wrap was adopted by many different makers as well, so i got nothing useful to say there either.

Anyway, best o' luck on figuring it all out!
Thanks for playing!
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P@rick
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Re: What is it?

Post by P@rick »

Thanks all. Interesting to know that the valve caps are Buescher. I didn’t notice a true tone logo, but I will double check. To me the body looks to be more than the Conn style. It looks like a conn stencil when I compare it to my Conn 36K. Did Buescher use Conn stencils? I thought I’ve saw something mentioned on the internet about Buescher “Conn stencil”.

The bell is engraved “Buescher Aristocrat” and is 26”.

I play a King 2350 and I’m very happy with that one. Plays great and has a nice sound, but I miss the Conn sound which I experienced from the 14K and 32K (which I played in the past). When I play tested this “Buescher”, I immediately recognized a “Conn sound”. I think I want to try a 24” Conn bell on it, just to hear how that works out. Don’t know if it fits, but I can try my 36K bell.

Any other info on this (probably) Buescher is welcome.

Thanks!
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Re: What is it?

Post by toobagrowl »

The bracing on that is definitely Beuscher. The later 1970s-80s Selmer Signet sousas were made with Beuscher parts, and were very similar to the Conn 14/36k sousas, even very similar in sound and playing characteristics. Biggest differences were in the bracing and piston set.
Decades-ago Conn and Beuscher were both located in Elkhart, Ind. Would not surprise me at all if (even back then) there were parts-swapping going on between the two factories. I think that kind of thing has always gone on. I've seen the same thing with old German tubas from different factories :idea:
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P@rick
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Re: What is it?

Post by P@rick »

Thanks for the info. Interesting to know. I removed some dents and removed the remaining lacquer. Next thing is to address some other dents and to give it a good polish.
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