Most Protective Sousaphone Bottom Bow Pad?

manatee · Post by **manatee** » Sun Aug 20, 2006 1:43 pm

After having sunk money into having my sousaphone undented I would like to keep it that way. Which is the best pad(s) for keeping it happy when slid between bleachers, etc.. Cost does not matter and where can I get them/it? I am not concerned with a neck pad, it is the bottom bow I don't want crunched. I could've swore a few years ago I saw one with hard protection, as well as the ususal foam, but I can't seem to locate those now. Thank You.

Dan Schultz · Post by **Dan Schultz** » Sun Aug 20, 2006 10:09 pm

Apparently sousa pads are in short supply right now. I just installed a piece of insulating foam that is made for plumbing on my helicon. One word of caution... if you use tape to secure the foam in place, cut additional pieces of foam so it runs full-circle where you wrap the tape.

dmmorris · Post by **dmmorris** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 10:14 am

I use the Yamaha pads on my Helicon. Love 'em a lot!!

I think I bought 'em through The WoodWind & BrassWind ....but I don't know if they carry 'em anymore.

Gorilla Tuba · Post by **Gorilla Tuba** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 9:00 pm

Sousa Savers... They are the best.

http://inventshop.net/SousaSaver.htm

imperialbari · Post by **imperialbari** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 10:09 pm

dmmorris wrote:I use the Yamaha pads on my Helicon. Love 'em a lot!!

I wrote on this topic in a specifically military context recently. May work in a civilian context also:

viewtopic.php?p=133056#133056

Your photo induces comments and questions:

I do not like the plastic buckles of the Yamaha pads. In some cases they will worsen mishaps.

Your helicon shares a lot of traits with my 1927 Conn 40K sousaphone. But I see a more modern trait on your instrument, which surprises me, as the US production of helicons basically would have ceased by 1927. That trait is the pull-able top bow of the first valve slide. My 40K cannot be rebuilt on that matter, because the soldering between that fixed top bow and the main circle is an important part of the stability of the whole structure. What year was your instrument made?

I never saw a mouthpiece like yours. Make, model, and specifications please! A link wouldnâ€™t hurt either.

May I pilfer this photo for my brass galleries? Do you have more of the same instrument and/or others? The high resolution is right out of my best dreams.

Klaus Smedegaard Bjerre

dmmorris · Post by **dmmorris** » Tue Aug 22, 2006 12:47 am

Klaus,

The mouthpiece is by Mike Finn. It is a MF3-H with Gold Chop Rim.

Sure you can have a copy of the image for your archive.

The Conn 32K dates from like 1921. I came by it via tubahed, who got it out of Lee Stoffer's shop in Georgia, who in turn found it in some barn in the midwest.....or so the story goes.

Cheers,
dmm

smaxwell · Post by **smaxwell** » Tue Aug 22, 2006 3:31 pm

I second the susasaver that Doug mentioned above! It has saved us plenty of $ not having to take out dents and scratches from the bottom bow every year with our twenty sousaphones. I have yet to find anything that compares!!

manatee · Post by **manatee** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 5:07 pm

Well, I did what the Village Tinker said and went down to Home Depot. . . The Pipe insulation was $6.00 and I cut it up and duct taped the whole thing together, (this is not a beauty contest). I am pretty impressed with my work, but if the adhesive melts, or it deadens the sound too much, then I'll have to do something else.
Those Sousasavers were exactly what I had envisioned making, but I couldn't find any pvc pipe that was bent as needed. Guess that is why he can charge $100+. I may just buy one if I get a spare C note. Thanks!