Pan American BBb Sousie arrived today!

[tubatom91]

That is a very interesting finish. It seems like some at home plating job gone wrong (or right), depending on how you look at it. anyways, very cool instrument.

[WakinAZ]

For any finger buttons, etc., I'd recommend http://thebandroom.biz/01_cat_brasswind.php Not the fastest shippers around, but I've had good luck with them and their prices are reasonable.

Enjoy,
Eric "who loves playing sousaphone" L.

I am going to retract this recommendation. I have registered a Better Business Bureau complaint about "The Bandroom" re: a part sent in for exchange that was never replaced. Avoid them - bad business practices and poor communication. I just don't want someone else to go through this. Thank goodness it is a smallish amount of money.

[rocksanddirt]

love the look of the stripped bell....

yeah, some tubing around the rim might dampen the ringing.

I bet the body cleans up pretty nice with some polish/making sure you've got it clean clean.

looks in great shape! hope you get to play it lots.

[iiipopes]

...yeah, some tubing around the rim might dampen the ringing.

It definitely will. 3 1/2 feet of clear 5/16 o.d. tubing at a home improvement store or hardware store will probably cost less than $1. Slit it lengthwise and thread it onto the rim, let it settle on for a day or two, as it will stretch as you put it on, then trim to length. I have that on both the 186 and the 38K, my friend has it on his Jupiter euph, another friend has it on his MW11. It's the most cost effective "mod" you can do to a horn to get more core to the sound. I wish I had known about this before I spent the $$ on the lead tape for the rim of the Cavalier.