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What kind of marching band arrangements have b naturals??

Transpose the key signature.

Problem solved!!

Mark, I use the MTS from the underside.
My left hand stays there. Works like a charm
Joe

At one time Besson made compensated Eb sousaphones, both 3 and 4 valve. I don't know if they ever made BBb.

Rather than rebuilding the first valve tubing you could just free up the second valve slide and pull that out 2.5 inches for low B-naturals.
Vent that piston, and tie a string onto the slide to stop it from coming out too far. Seems to me that's a cheaper solution.

Learning to lip it down is simpler and cheaper still.

https://app.box.com/shared/sqoited2x0

Mark Finley wrote:we're talking about high school students marching/dancing or whatever high schools do now.

no slide pulling

Seriously, you are a tuba player and high school band director........do a few short sectionals with just the sousas during band practice. Have them set their slides to 'compromise' lengths and try to get them to blend and match pitch on B & low E natural. The important thing is for them to blend their pitch as a section. Marching baritones and straight slide t-bones are usually sharp on those pitches anyway, so if they have octave unisons with the sousas it should be close Again, ensemble pitch blend.
The 2nd & 3rd slides should be pulled out a bit anyway on standard 3v BBb sousas. Since you say the band shows are intricate and competitive in Texas, and you have a 'serious' band, the sousaphone players will listen to you.

Here is my Stofer/Jupiter CC sousaphone. All slides move, except the lower 1st valve slide.

Mark Finley wrote:A thumb trigger would be nice.

I’ve thought about this a bunch. Has anyone done it? Pics?

I’ve got the upper first loop converted to a slide on my 22k. Need to do it on my 38k too but I’m hesitant because it’s in such good original (1924) condition. But having to choose between somewhat in tune 23 and somewhat in tune 13 is not really acceptable.

Mark Finley wrote:A thumb trigger would be nice.

retrofittable without soldering, and universal

I was thinking #3 slide, connected via bike cable to plastic molded trigger mech mounted to the gooseneck, where they are already hanging on with left hand. Designed in such a way as to break before damaging the sousa. If it breaks, sell em another. yes you would have to still do some alignment work on the slide to begin with to free it up.

bloke wrote:Here's the most practical solution, in my view:
Eliminate the lower #1 slide, and orient the entire #1 circuit upward with a well-aligned and LONG upper #1 slide.
Get the students to stop grabbing on to their upper mouthpipes and bits (which require no support, if in good working order) and teach them to pull #1 for long-duration B's and C's.

I haven't completely reversed all of the circuit. I just had my tech pull the upper bow, add ferules and internal tubing, and fitted the slide. Much less work than reversing the entire 1st circuit, and it can be shoved back in so it does not stick out when put away properly, but does not cause damage when forgotten.

Mark Finley wrote: I've done what you suggest, but you really can't pull 2nd and 3rd slides on a Sousa without the 2&3rd combos going flat, which is even worse (old 3 valve compensating horns had that problem and had to have the 3rd valve slide shortened)

That has not been my experience, but everyone is different. I've found that having the 2nd & 3rd slides out a bit (for me personally: maybe 3/4" for 2nd slide; 1.5" for the 3rd) keeps the low 1+3 and 1+2+3 combos from being too sharp, and the 2+3 combos only slightly flat. And the 2nd slide out a bit also helps keep the 1+2 combos from being too sharp. That's why I set slides to 'compromise' lengths on 3v BBb sousas: to keep everything not-too-sharp and not-too-flat. It helps if the player HEARS the pitches in their head too (EX: not blowing a low 1+2+3 'B' like a 1+3 'C'). Somehow, school bands, professional military bands and others have learned to 'deal with' regular 3v BBb sousas for over a century now.....

bloke wrote: slide-pulling of upper #1:
Students need to stop needlessly holding on to the neck and bits (as if they were their _____s) and - instead - hold on to well-aligned upper #1 slides (or- even better - upper #1 slide right-hand THUMB TRIGGERS could rule the day).

I think most ppl hold on to their neck & bits because - even when tightened all the way - there is still some 'give' in the neck & bits while marching & playing