It's a brand new classic!
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This is for posting links to off site deals that you are not personally selling,but wanting to pass along good deals
This is for posting links to off site deals that you are not personally selling,but wanting to pass along good deals
- Daryl Fletcher
- 3 valves
- Posts: 317
- Joined: Wed Mar 24, 2004 12:24 pm
It's a brand new classic!
I think we've all seen pictures of instruments from this outfit before, but this is the first time I've seen their version of a helicon.
Considering that the gooseneck/leadpipe/whatever on this instrument doesn't seem to be adjustable, I have to wonder (among other things) how they expect somebody to play it. I've heard of tubas with bad ergonomics before, but not anything like this.
This is so incredibly strange that I would love to have it as a wall decoration, but not at that price.
- windshieldbug
- Once got the "hand" as a cue
- Posts: 11512
- Joined: Tue Mar 01, 2005 4:41 pm
- Location: 8vb
This is just a rarely seen version of the helicon used during the civil war known as the BTB (Behind The Back) horn. These rapidly fell out of favor because in retreat situations the assistant required to carry the helicon often ran ahead, leaving the tubist "holding the bag of crap", as it were.
Next week: Horns even the former Soviet Union soldiers wouldn't or couldn't play!
Next week: Horns even the former Soviet Union soldiers wouldn't or couldn't play!
- Lew
- 5 valves
- Posts: 1669
- Joined: Fri Mar 19, 2004 4:57 pm
- Location: Annville, PA
I still can't figure out how one would reach the mouthpiece on this. It doesn't look playable.Matt Higgins wrote:Okay, what I'm seeing is a leadpipe that's impossible to get to and a leadpipe that goes through the third valve. ewww
The leadpipe entering the third valve doesn't bother me as much. King marching baritones have this leadpipe arrangement and seem to play fine:
http://www.kingwinds.com/catalog/detail.php?item=1127
King 2341 (one piece)
Besson 983
Besson 983
Look at how deep the mouthpiece goes into the "receiver". My guess is they gave this to the photographer unassembled and he (or she) never did figure out what those little bits of pipe were for.
Of course, I could be wrong and it cound be that no one at the factory has ever tried to play one of these.
Of course, I could be wrong and it cound be that no one at the factory has ever tried to play one of these.
- Daryl Fletcher
- 3 valves
- Posts: 317
- Joined: Wed Mar 24, 2004 12:24 pm
- Chuck(G)
- 6 valves
- Posts: 5676
- Joined: Fri Mar 19, 2004 12:48 am
- Location: Not out of the woods yet.
- Contact:
- Lew
- 5 valves
- Posts: 1669
- Joined: Fri Mar 19, 2004 4:57 pm
- Location: Annville, PA
I wrote to the seller and he said that there are tuning bits that come with it that are not shown in the photos, and for which he can't provide photos. He said that they are the same as the ones that they use with their sousaphones, but their sousaphone auctions don't show the bits either. The sousaphones clearly use the same body as this horn.
I still expect that either this or their sousaphone would be an expensive wall hanging.
I still expect that either this or their sousaphone would be an expensive wall hanging.
King 2341 (one piece)
Besson 983
Besson 983
- Kevin Hendrick
- 6 valves
- Posts: 3156
- Joined: Sat Sep 25, 2004 10:51 pm
- Location: Location: Location
Looks like it'd be a bits to play as shown ...Mark wrote:Look at how deep the mouthpiece goes into the "receiver". My guess is they gave this to the photographer unassembled and he (or she) never did figure out what those little bits of pipe were for.
Of course, I could be wrong and it cound be that no one at the factory has ever tried to play one of these.
"Don't take life so serious, son. It ain't nohow permanent." -- Pogo (via Walt Kelly)
- Daryl Fletcher
- 3 valves
- Posts: 317
- Joined: Wed Mar 24, 2004 12:24 pm
So you've talked to them too.Chuck(G) wrote:Oh, you mean the folks who identify themselves as "David Wayne" or "Samantha Johnson".Daryl Fletcher wrote:...or maybe the same person who answers the phone when you need computer support these days.
That certainly does clear up some things.Lew wrote:I wrote to the seller and he said that there are tuning bits that come with it that are not shown in the photos...
On the other hand, I have also seen pictures of sousaphones that have their bell on backwards, which somehow seems to lend credibility to windshieldbug's theory.
Let us know if you decide to take the plunge. I think that a lot of us are more curious than anything and would like to find out how they really play.tubariffic wrote: I may just buy one of these to prove it's not that horrible.
- Chuck(G)
- 6 valves
- Posts: 5676
- Joined: Fri Mar 19, 2004 12:48 am
- Location: Not out of the woods yet.
- Contact:
Modicum or not, there is no way on God's green earth that I'd want to work on a an instrument that's chromium plated. Solder won't stick to it--you have to sand said plating off to get a solderable surface. In my experience, the valves on Indian-made instruments are nothing short of dreadful.tubariffic wrote: The lack of a gooseneck on this one is not a big issue, that's a super easy modification for a person with any modicum of repair ability. I may just buy one of these to prove it's not that horrible.
Let's see $575 for the horn + $175 shipping = $750 for a chrome-plated wall hanger that's going to need work to make it playable. Doesn't sound like much of a deal to me!
- Daryl Fletcher
- 3 valves
- Posts: 317
- Joined: Wed Mar 24, 2004 12:24 pm
- Bandmaster
- 4 valves
- Posts: 778
- Joined: Sat May 15, 2004 3:33 am
- Location: Upland, CA
- Contact:
I can't believe that you ALL missed the other great feature of the horn... NO TUNING SLIDES! Look closely at all the valve tubing! Exactly how would you adjust the pitch of this horn? But then maybe they don't actually tune their instruments in India?
Dave Schaafsma
1966 Holton 345 | 1955 York-Master | 1939 York 716 | 1940 York 702 | 1968 Besson 226 | 1962 Miraphone 186 | 1967 Olds | 1923 Keefer EEb | 1895 Conn Eb | 1927 Conn 38K | 1919 Martin Helicon
1966 Holton 345 | 1955 York-Master | 1939 York 716 | 1940 York 702 | 1968 Besson 226 | 1962 Miraphone 186 | 1967 Olds | 1923 Keefer EEb | 1895 Conn Eb | 1927 Conn 38K | 1919 Martin Helicon
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- 6 valves
- Posts: 4109
- Joined: Mon Mar 22, 2004 4:24 pm
- Location: San Antonio, Texas
- Contact:
Maybe this is one of those instruments which was "tuned at the factory."Bandmaster wrote:I can't believe that you ALL missed the other great feature of the horn... NO TUNING SLIDES! Look closely at all the valve tubing! Exactly how would you adjust the pitch of this horn? But then maybe they don't actually tune their instruments in India?
Ray Grim
The TubaMeisters
San Antonio, Tx.
The TubaMeisters
San Antonio, Tx.
- Kevin Hendrick
- 6 valves
- Posts: 3156
- Joined: Sat Sep 25, 2004 10:51 pm
- Location: Location: Location
That would be a great time-saver!TubaRay wrote:Maybe this is one of those instruments which was "tuned at the factory."Bandmaster wrote:I can't believe that you ALL missed the other great feature of the horn... NO TUNING SLIDES! Look closely at all the valve tubing! Exactly how would you adjust the pitch of this horn? But then maybe they don't actually tune their instruments in India?
"Don't take life so serious, son. It ain't nohow permanent." -- Pogo (via Walt Kelly)
- Chuck(G)
- 6 valves
- Posts: 5676
- Joined: Fri Mar 19, 2004 12:48 am
- Location: Not out of the woods yet.
- Contact:
What, you've never heard of hand-stopping?Bandmaster wrote:I can't believe that you ALL missed the other great feature of the horn... NO TUNING SLIDES! Look closely at all the valve tubing! Exactly how would you adjust the pitch of this horn? But then maybe they don't actually tune their instruments in India?
- windshieldbug
- Once got the "hand" as a cue
- Posts: 11512
- Joined: Tue Mar 01, 2005 4:41 pm
- Location: 8vb
Is that the Indian equivalent of "talk to the hand!" ?Chuck(G) wrote:What, you've never heard of hand-stopping?Bandmaster wrote:I can't believe that you ALL missed the other great feature of the horn... NO TUNING SLIDES! Look closely at all the valve tubing! Exactly how would you adjust the pitch of this horn? But then maybe they don't actually tune their instruments in India?
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- 6 valves
- Posts: 4109
- Joined: Mon Mar 22, 2004 4:24 pm
- Location: San Antonio, Texas
- Contact:
- MartyNeilan
- 6 valves
- Posts: 4873
- Joined: Fri Mar 19, 2004 3:06 am
- Location: Practicing counting rests.
- Daryl Fletcher
- 3 valves
- Posts: 317
- Joined: Wed Mar 24, 2004 12:24 pm
I would suggest that schlepporello put it in front of his big rig's radiator like a wreath and decorate it with Christmas lights. That way we would all know that it's him when he's driving down the road. Not only that, it would almost be tasteful.
On the other hand, I'm not so sure that I would recommend mounting it bell-forward for use as a hood ornament. Just imagine what would happen if it came lose while traveling at high speeds. Oh, no! Here it comes!
On the other hand, I'm not so sure that I would recommend mounting it bell-forward for use as a hood ornament. Just imagine what would happen if it came lose while traveling at high speeds. Oh, no! Here it comes!