TubeNet

There's been talk of helicons lately and here is a Buescher 3v BBb helicon which appears to be in reasonable condition:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0339702375" target="_blank" target="_blank

I believe that the Blokeophone was made from one of these. This one looks like it has been through the wars some but it still looks like a horn and there are few remaining whangs in it.

schlepporello wrote:Bloke's horn has rotor valves and a crest on the bell and plays like a dream. Few horns have impressed me the way Bloke's has.

Rotors? I'll have to search for a picture and have a look. I thought his had pistons.

schlepporello wrote:Hopefully Joe will see this and post the photo again, and it's totally possible that I could be wrong as I played many horns at his house the night I was there. But I know it originally had four valves and he added a thumb actuated fifth valve.

Here's the Blokeophone:


4 pistons, one rotary. (Blame Klaus for the cropping. I 'stole' it from one of his posts.)

I'd think of having the leadpipe/gooseneck on the BBb for sale reworked to be more compact like Joe's. I think that would give more choices as to where to place the bell.

Did you read in the Ebay listing where someone told the seller his horn was an E-flat?

No, I haven't looked back. I usually don't until closer to the ending. Sure looks like the seller doesn't know what he has. I must say, though, that he is quite the handsome fellow.

schlepporello wrote:I'm grounded from Ebay until further notice by the wife or I'd be bidding.

Your 187 should be asking you: Why are you looking at another tuba?!?! Am I not still beautiful?
My 191 says that to me.

For when you need a gun moll.

schlepporello wrote:Hopefully Joe will see this and post the photo again, and it's totally possible that I could be wrong as I played many horns at his house the night I was there. But I know it originally had four valves and he added a thumb actuated fifth valve.

Did you read in the Ebay listing where someone told the seller his horn was an E-flat?

Bloke has two helicons. One in E-flat with five rotors and one with 4 pistons + 1 rotor in CC.

schlepporello wrote: Did you read in the Ebay listing where someone told the seller his horn was an E-flat?

I wouldn't bet my life it isn't, even though it looks absurdly big for Eb. I reckon the the bell and loops add up to about 13 feet, so there would have to be a lot of tubing in amongst the valves, and I haven't tried to map out that stuff. My Eb helicon's loop diameter is only a couple inches less, and its bell hangs out more.

I think the dashing model with the sombrero, and the mangled English, add a lot to the romance, too. Easily worth $129.

bloke wrote:To Hell with it.

Hey now, sell it like that, and you could make over 10K with it!