Ebay - Fake Conn 20K

[oscarcahue]

I don't know if this falls under Ebay scandal but...

Someone is selling a Schiller Sousaphone as a Conn 20k on ebay.
& it already has 26 bids...seller knows its a Schiller, i saw it on FB Marketplace...

Don't want someone to end up disappointed. I reported it but no avail.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/333740861666" target="_blank

[edsel585960]

Buyer beware

[Dan Schultz]

Buyers need to have at least a pre-school education. It's pretty clear that the horn in question does not have offset pistons.

[Ltrain]

I tried reporting this to eBay and nothing came of it.

Meanwhile, I recently had an eBay listing taken down for tacking “similar to LM12” on the end of my item title to help describe a as less-commonly-known mouthpiece. I wasn’t being deceptive, I just added an analogy to the already super-clear description to help the buyer.

[greenbean]

eBay is a cesspool.

[anotherjtm2]

Buyers need to have at least a pre-school education. It's pretty clear that the horn in question does not have offset pistons.

Do all Conn's have offset pistons?

Anyway, I'm getting decently educated about normal tubas, but I've never shopped for sousaphones, and I've only played whatever my schools had for marching band, so I wouldn't know what to expect.

Where does one look for the meaning of the Conn model numbers? I have a (probably) 1960's Conn sousaphone (was surplus from a high school many years ago), and I guess I'd like to be able to identify it (beyond seeing that it's not a Schiller).

[oscarcahue]

Buyers need to have at least a pre-school education. It's pretty clear that the horn in question does not have offset pistons.

Do all Conn's have offset pistons?

No they do not. But they are unique to the 20K model.
The main Conn Sousaphone models are
"Regular body" - 14K
"Regular body" & better bracing - 32K
"Larger body" & better bracing - 38K
"Larger body" & better bracing & offset pistons - 20K (Replaced 38K)

[anotherjtm2]

Buyers need to have at least a pre-school education. It's pretty clear that the horn in question does not have offset pistons.

Do all Conn's have offset pistons?

No they do not. But they are unique to the 20K model.
The main Conn Sousaphone models are
"Regular body" - 14K
"Regular body" & better bracing - 32K
"Larger body" & better bracing - 38K
"Larger body" & better bracing & offset pistons - 20K (Replaced 38K)

Thanks! So, just to make sure I understand, "offset pistons" means that the pushrod for each piston comes out through a hole that is not centered on the piston so that the buttons can be closer together than the piston centers? Maybe I have a 20k (currently gunmetal grey).

[iiipopes]

Thanks! So, just to make sure I understand, "offset pistons" means that the pushrod for each piston comes out through a hole that is not centered on the piston so that the buttons can be closer together than the piston centers? Maybe I have a 20k (currently gunmetal grey).

Yes. "Gunmetal grey" is tarnished silverplate.

Conn 20K Valves.jpg

[anotherjtm2]

Yes. "Gunmetal grey" is tarnished silverplate.

I've shined the bell, so I know that it can look good, but I'm not likely to play it much any time soon, so I haven't gone to the trouble for the rest of it.

[Dan Schultz]

Buyers need to have at least a pre-school education. It's pretty clear that the horn in question does not have offset pistons.

Do all Conn's have offset pistons?

No. But the 20K does.

[Dan Schultz]

Buyers need to have at least a pre-school education. It's pretty clear that the horn in question does not have offset pistons.

Do all Conn's have offset pistons?

No they do not. But they are unique to the 20K model.
The main Conn Sousaphone models are
"Regular body" - 14K
"Regular body" & better bracing - 32K
"Larger body" & better bracing - 38K
"Larger body" & better bracing & offset pistons - 20K (Replaced 38K)

Good explanation. In my earlier comment I didn't mean to imply that anyone was 'uneducated' just because they didn't know the difference between the 2XK and 2XJ series of Conn tubas and sousaphones. Working with this information on a daily basis tends make me take things for granted.

Before bidding on anything on Ebay a person needs to either know the details or do a little research... which some posters have done by posting here. Sorry.