Sousaphone Keys

[Shockwave]

Large EEb 4 valve compensating

-Eric

[imperialbari]

Have some sousaphones. Never saw a lock on them, so I don’t need any keys. However I have some experiences of pitches.

Wanna full sound for real basement work? Go for a 4 valve Conn! But don’t expect to be able to march it.

Wanna march as a fundamentalist? Go for a Conn 14K or 20K, as we do not speak plastophones in serious discussions.

Wanna broken rib? Go for a King BBb.

Rumours have it that there are fine older samples from Martin, Reynolds, Olds, and York out there. Ranging from mammoth through tiny-weenie.

If your torso is not too overloaded, Eb may be an option, but they are not true fundamentalists even with 4 valves. King and a few other makers (but not Conn) made some full circle Eb sousaphones without the non-acoustical shoulder branch. They take slim-line players. I have a full-circle Eb, which I cannot play with my right hand without having 4 or 5 ribs clipped off. Just for starters I play it with my left hand.

At least King made some CC sousaphones, but they are rare. I have heard one report about the existence of an F-sousaphone. The current state of my memory tells me, that I never saw that report documented.

I have only one BBb and then three Eb’s which all are a whole lot better than many non-circular tubas. But for real fundamental work the only true pitch for a sousaphone is BBb. If you can find a 3-valve sample with a strong sound and the option of pulling the top bow of the 1st valve loop, then most bases would be covered.

Klaus Smedegaard Bjerre

PS: There is no such thing as a compensating sousaphone. And as a European I am sad to say, that there is no such thing as a worthwhile European sousaphone.

[windshieldbug]

I favor my Conn Eb 26K Sousaphone Grand for sound and my Missenharter/Coleman Eb "raincatcher" for looks.

[iiipopes]

My observations: For body of tone, a Conn 20k cannot be beat. Eminently tubesque, I dare anyone to play it with a deep mouthpiece inside along side a 2Xj tuba and tell the difference. But it has its intonation quirks because of the larger taper to the bugle and throat.

For best intonation, and colorable tone, a Conn 14k is your choice. As Klaus says, and I have had done, have your tech make the top loop of the 1st valve tubing into a usable slide, which happens to sit exactly where your left hand rests. I have absolutely no intonation issues. When outside, I use a Kelly 18 with its rounded cup for projection, and indoors a funnel or Helleburg style can approach the orchestral in tone quality. Moreover, the false pedals, starting at Eb below 123 low E natural, are in perfect tune, and are limited only by your breath and embouchure. I can only get down to Db, and an occasional CC, but that says more about me than the horn.

An added bonus: if you can find an older 14k, or one of its cousins a Pan American or Cavalier (what I have), the bell is only 24 inches, which facilitates the logistics of transport immensely over the standard 26 inch bell.

For best projection, a King 1250. With the smaller bore and more cylindrical tubing at the front end, it is more the "trumpet" of sousaphones, whereas Conn is more the "cornet" of sousaphones.

Yes, the occasional Reynolds or Olds would be OK, as they are basically the same as a King, since Reynolds worked for York, then H N White before going on his own, but they always seem so beat up. Martins are just too rare to really expect to find one. I just can't recommend any other brand, as I would go on a long rant as to their shortcomings, as I have played almost all of them.

Make sure any Conn is pre-1969, and any King is pre-cyborg, so there is still enough metal and workmanship in the horn to be able to bring back to top form without hassle.

[Donn]

OK, say you could get a Sousaphone in whatever key you wanted - which would provide the best utility? The best instrument to use for most occasions.

What a strange question! Did you know that I play tuba for a Morris dance group, Northwest (of England) style? Most tunes are in G, some in D, so while I play an Eb helicon (so same idea as sousaphone), I must confess that the key isn't ideal. The F helicon was a little better, and it worked OK in the street march on Martin Luther King day, too, where we play some church hymns that we know IWW words to, plus random odds and ends, so maybe that's the perfect sousaphone if one could find it. But written tuba parts call for a low Bb too often to suit me on F, so maybe not. If I can shed any more light on this topic, let me know.

[imperialbari]

A couple of comments:

From where will a school get a full section of 4 valve Conn sousaphones?

I don’t remember having heard about 40K’s made much later than 1932. I have an Eb 28K with 4 valves from 1943, but it obviously was a special order for the US army. There must have been made a few Conn 4 short-action-valve sousaphones with a large bore. But I only have seen them documented in form of a valve block placed on the body of ar large BBb tuba from another maker.

As for playing Morris or other dances in keys more relevant for string instruments there is a literally dirty trick.

I got myself some brass tubing, which enabled me to take my Eb Conn 26K down to D. You will have to pull the valve slides a bit, and that will put dirty grease on your sleeve, if you do not put a cloth over the slides.

You also will have to take the extending tubes off during transport, as they make the main tuning slide go beyond the main circle.

Klaus Smedegaard Bjerre

[windshieldbug]

we're about to upgrade and be the first band in the state to use 4 valve Conn's

That goes back a long way, both Conn and state. Are you SURE?