Who the heck made this horn?

Bandmaster · Post by **Bandmaster** » Wed May 23, 2007 12:12 pm

This is a photo from an add on eBay right now. I have never seen a helicon like this. Any ideas on the manufacturer? That crazy tuning slide is just asking to be crunched.

MartyNeilan · Post by **MartyNeilan** » Wed May 23, 2007 12:20 pm

My guess would be that the tuning slide was an add-on to lower the pitch.

windshieldbug · Post by **windshieldbug** » Wed May 23, 2007 12:52 pm

Henry Distin, Williamsport Medium BBb Helicon in High Pitch, with Low Pitch slide added for A=440

Just a casual opinion.

Lew · Post by **Lew** » Thu May 24, 2007 8:58 am

I would say Distin or early Keefer. I have owned Distin helicons and Keefer sousaphones with similar main tuning slides. I tend to believe that it is a Distin though because the rest of the valve tubing looks like the earlier configurations that I have seen or owned. On the later versions they curved the end of the tuning slide to follow the curve of the body, undoubtedly for the issue you mentioned.

windshieldbug · Post by **windshieldbug** » Fri May 25, 2007 6:05 pm

Keefer Eb Sousa. Wrong key, wrong bell, but notice similarities...