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I keep seeing these on ebay and was wondering what was the idea or pupose behind them

http://www.ebay.com/itm/CONN-DOUBLE-BEL ... 1168928509" target="_blank

Are the bells selectable or are both always in use ?
Is it a sound volume like recording bells on the tuba or is it too produce a different tone?

One of the valves switches the sound from larger bell to the smaller bell — which is called the trombone bell. On this particular model it only has 4 valves... 3 to play the notes, with the 4th valve switching the sound. The better DBs had 5 valves with the 5th valve to switch bells. These were popular a long time ago during Sousa's time when Simone Mantia played. Meredith Willson - who wrote "Music Man" - referred to the double bell euphonium in the lyrics of that piece.

More info:
Double bell euphonium

thanks for the info, has anybody got one at the moment and how does it sound?


One youtube search later while the quality of the video is not good the ability shines through
http://youtu.be/fneakYq2FYU" target="_blank

I don't have one, but a section mate had one. He normally didn't use the smaller bell. One time we were playing, Franz von Suppé's "Light Calvary Overture" where it was marked to use T-bell in a section. We asked him to play it that way. Well, after a few measures we said never mind.

found youtube with a more obvious use of both bells though I dont like the sound of the big bell in this example

http://youtu.be/9D3AYnh4KKU" target="_blank" target="_blank

found a slightly better sounding one wouldnt cross the steeet to get to it but have a look at the related videos on this one some very unusual instruments incl a rear facing tenor trombone
http://youtu.be/Td5Onzzoorc" target="_blank

Back in the day when the only music one heard was performed live, these served a very practical purpose.

When the town band trombonist couldn't make a gig, it was hard to find a sustitute...
only trombonists were used to using a slide.

The obvious choice would be a baritone or euphonium player, since the mouthpiece and the ranges were practically the same.

Unless someone was flush enough to afford a valve trombone, however, it was hard to get a fair sounding substitute.

Enter the double-bell euphonium. That way, the euphonium player always had a valve trombone with him. And, when needed, he could also re-enforce the trombone sound.

There were always, of course, notable soloists who could use the these horns to great effect.

I have always suspected that part of the appeal of these horns, and their unusually high resale value, is in the Dr. Seuss-like name "double bell euphnium," and perhaps in the unintentional connection to cartoons our minds associate with all the extra tubes and buttons.
The guys in the union who were really old when I was really young would talk about the smaller bell being used for "peckhorn" type parts in parades (um-pecka peck peck, etc) but I never remember actually hearing it done. I have one, but never liked the sound of the small bell.