Buescher 4 valve sousaphone

rosotuba · Post by **rosotuba** » Thu Feb 14, 2008 7:22 pm

I'm hoping someone will be able to guide me to a location where I can find out some information on a 4 valve, BBb Buescher sousaphone. The horn is silver with a 24" gold wash bell. I believe it was military issue around 1940. Thanks for any help you can offer.

iiipopes · Post by **iiipopes** » Thu Feb 14, 2008 11:54 pm

Does it look like the one near the bottom of this thread?

http://www.horn-u-copia.net/cgi-bin/yab ... 1132373801

Z-Tuba Dude · Post by **Z-Tuba Dude** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 12:41 am

What are you looking to find out?

I also have a Buescher 4 banger, but it is from the mid-20's, and has a 26" bell.

OldsRecording · Post by **OldsRecording** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 7:26 am

schlepporello wrote:I think Bloke knows how to cut one to CC.

I would be more impressed if he could take a CC and lengthen it to AA.

LOTP · Post by **LOTP** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 6:49 pm

"I would be more impressed if he could take a CC and lengthen it to AA."

EASY-----Just push down valves#1 and #2.

The Jackson · Post by **The Jackson** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 7:03 pm

Bbb Buescher sousaphone for sale!

"Oh, it must be a typo..."

rosotuba · Post by **rosotuba** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 8:17 pm

Oh, is it that transparent?
I'll move the post and see what kind of interest there is in a 4 valve Buescher sousaphone that is still in pretty good condition.
It is the same horn with fewer dents as iiipopes mentioned in his reply. I'll get a few photos ready.

imperialbari · Post by **imperialbari** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 12:25 am

As for dating that sousaphone:

24" rather than 26" points towards an older version, if Buescher followed the same tendencies as Conn.

The best indicator (after secure dating by means of serial #) will be the shape of the leadpipe and main tuning slide. The large U-shape says older, similarity to Conn 20K says newer.

Klaus Smedegaard Bjerre

rosotuba · Post by **rosotuba** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 9:29 am

Thanks for the dating information. It has the large u-shaped lower leadpipe with a serial number of 148686. In looking through old posts I found a couple that mentioned a super sousaphone and this thing is big and heavy. Other than that I don't see them discussed much here and I was just curious to see how often older 4 valve sousaphones are being played or sold.

Z-Tuba Dude · Post by **Z-Tuba Dude** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 10:38 am

According to the serial number, it was probably manufactured between 1923-24.

imperialbari · Post by **imperialbari** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 10:42 am

rosotuba wrote:Thanks for the dating information. It has the large u-shaped lower leadpipe with a serial number of 148686. In looking through old posts I found a couple that mentioned a super sousaphone and this thing is big and heavy. Other than that I don't see them discussed much here and I was just curious to see how often older 4 valve sousaphones are being played or sold.

http://www.musictrader.com/buescher.html

would make this a horn from late 1923.

The heavy thing is bad for marching shoulders. And very few Americans marched 4 piston sousas anyway. Given the period, where electrical amplification was at best primitive, these instruments rather were intended for the plentiful dance bands. And there the heavy gauge brass was effective in creating a very strong projection. The heavy brass together with the smaller bell makes blatting almost impossible unless one blows really ill-willed.

I have a 4 years younger Conn 40K. A Wenger chair is next to mandatory and transportation is pure hell. But it plays wonderfully.

Klaus Smedegaard Bjerre

iiipopes · Post by **iiipopes** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 12:10 pm

Hey, Klaus -- speaking of projection -- have you tried a Kelly 18 with your 40K? It really adds the definition and projection I need when I play a souzy outdoors.

armytuba · Post by **armytuba** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 12:41 pm

While we're on the subject......

For all you high school, college and military guys and gals who play a lot of sousaphone, I'd like to recommend the Pure-Sound Tuba Mouthpiece that is offered at WW & BW, item #266595. I use this mouthpiece exclusively when I perform on sousaphone and have been doing so for 2 years now. I have no problems tuning while using this mouthpiece on my Conn 20K. It is super-lightweight like the Kellyburg, priced just right, and perfect for playing during the coldest winter and hottest summer months and everything in between.

imperialbari · Post by **imperialbari** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 7:57 pm

I use a PT-50 with an opened up backbore and a mouthpiece weight for the 5 basses in Eb and BBb that will take a large stem. I use DW 1 and 4 for the 1960's New Standard 3+1 BBb comp and the 1870 Besson 3+1 Eb non-comp.

I prefer the rather similar flat rims of DW and of Conn Helleberg, but I need a very wide cup for my preferred sound. I have been looking at the largest G&W and Loud versions on the web, but I am not inclined to dare a private import until somebody really can convince me, that I will get that sharp Conn Helleberg inner edge, that I prefer for easier articulation of ppp staccato.

Klaus Smedegaard Bjerre

iiipopes · Post by **iiipopes** » Sun Feb 17, 2008 4:34 pm

Klaus, I tried an LM-7 on my 186. Razor sharp articulation is that mouthpiece's strong point, at the expense of some breadth of tone. Dynamics are not a problem. If anything, I could play both louder and softer with that mouthpiece than any other.

The only reason I returned it is because I play in a community concert band, so I need more breadth of tone and a little "looser" slotting so I support the band better and am not always riding my 1st valve slide like a hand throttle.

If I were an orchestral tubist, with a 5/4 piston CC, and all the tuning slides up for access to keep up with the strings, the LOUD LM-7 would be the mouthpeice I would play: comfortable rim contoured as you describe, razor sharp articulation, and very wide dynamic window.

TubeNet

Buescher 4 valve sousaphone

Buescher 4 valve sousaphone

While we're on the subject of PROJECTION