Sousaphone help

[TYA]

Hi I would like to reach out to everyone and anyone to ask for help or ideas on how to get new sousaphones for my college marching band or how to fix them. I am not exaggerating when I say most or all of the sousaphones we use are held together with duck tape.(If you don't believe me I can take pictures and show you.) Our college gives the music department 0 funds to my understanding. Our tuba section is willing to do side fundraisers or anything to try and get new tubas or at least have the ones we have fixed. Does anyone have suggestions on how this can be done? Anything and everything will help. We tried going through the school and that didn't work so now we have to be proactive. Thank you for your help.

[SousaSaver]

If you don't have any training or hands-on guidance from a tech, do not try to fix them yourself. You could do more harm than good and turn a cheap repair into a really expensive one very quickly.

Are your horns fiberglass or brass? Can you please post pictures?

[Harvey Hartman]

I think you should get a repair people to look at the horns.. I just fixed 4 Sousaphones fron a Camden NJ School $205.00 Just made them Play again!!! The band Teacher & 2 students helped me
Take your bent up horns to the Mall and play some Tuba Christmas stuff. Put a sign & a hat for donations Put some Candy Canes Out with your sign People will love you .. DON'T goof around and act like Clowns... DON'T play TUBA WAR stuff. You will get donations ..Find a good small repair shop Tell they you have cash and to fix what he or she can for the cash that you have.. TAKE the horns back to the Mall do the same show again show the people how they have helped.. People love to help and to see first hand what there donations have done..
I am a Shriner My Shrine goes to the Local Wal-mart and Sams Club ..We play dixieland music and have one person talks to the people about how the shrine hospital helps Childen ....I know there is a BIG BIG difference in helping Hospitals and fixing sousaphones But if your Player act like Professionals and you have some Candy for the kids and sheet to hand out to the parents & a person telling what your doing you will get donations, Just a Idea something for you to think about... Thanks Harv.

[Tom Holtz]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
What Harvey said.

[Porkins]

You said you "tried going through the school and that didn't work". Are you sure you exhausted all options?

I think Harvey's recommendation is fantastic. However, since these instruments are owned by your college, make sure you have permission to go out and represent your school by asking for money in this manner. In addition to any legal ramifications regarding the college soliciting donations, your school administration may object to the public presentation of "desperation" to get routine repairs made on their equipment. Go up the ladder, starting with your band director, explaining completely what you plan to do. Make sure your presentation is clear and succinct. You want the full support of your University and it's employees (and people to share the blame with if something goes wrong).

I applaud your efforts to be proactive and make things happen. I'm just saying be methodical about doing this the right way.

[iiipopes]

What Harv said. Old souzys can be rebuilt, many times to play better than new ones. Play standard Tuba Christmas repertoire as a real concert in the atrium of the shopping mall. Have a big sign announcing it as a fundraiser for the band. See if you can get some free radio "public service announcments" about the concert.

[Dan Schultz]

..... I am a Shriner My Shrine goes to the Local Wal-mart and Sams Club .....

Me too. Go Harv!

[TYA]

Thank you everyone I will go to my director with Harv's idea and see what he has to say about it. The sousaphones are brass and as soon as I take some pics i'll Post them. Thank you again

[SousaSaver]

TYA - Any updates?

[TYA]

Hey their is an update I wrote a report to the music head as my director said and I am still waiting on a reply.

[TYA]

Hey just to update there is no head way with this problem yet. Actually the sousas are just breaking more. My neck and my friends lead pipe cracked. I have yet to take pictures and I apologize for that. School has been hectic this semester. But I will try to get some up.

[SousaSaver]

Referring back to paragraph 1 (above) I have repaired MANY sousaphones that were classified by "music store 'certified' Repair Technicians" as "unrepairable".

I have run into this as well. My experience has been that "unrepairable" might be used when they mean "too expensive to repair."

I have repaired MANY Sousaphones and have yet to find one that is unrepairable.

[aqualung]

Late winter and spring are very slow times for instrument repair techs. You may be able to get a bargain rate on dentwork in their off-season.
Look for the same services to get expensive during the summer and fall.
Necks and bits are easily available for common domestic brands. Lower leadpipes can also be replaced, consider grafting a domestic unit onto an off-brand.
Solder work and un-sticking slides is something you might learn yourself.

[iiipopes]

This problem is no different than any other repair business: automotive, business or office machines, or whatever. Folks like bloke have the capacity to "think outside the box" to find a reasonable solution that is practical and keeps the horn functioning to the best economy of the school system. So to with all of the other fine gentlemen who do repairs and contribute to this forum, who also put the reasonableness factor and playability at the top of the list. This is opposed to the unfortunate number of techs out there who either simply don't have the ability, or are more concerned about making a profit selling new instruments, rather than keeping a horn up and running to everyones' benefit.

I read bloke's first post on the repair he mentioned. There are pictures on that thread. Brilliant repair is an understatement.

[SousaSaver]

This problem is no different than any other repair business: automotive, business or office machines, or whatever. Folks like bloke have the capacity to "think outside the box" to find a reasonable solution that is practical and keeps the horn functioning to the best economy of the school system. So to with all of the other fine gentlemen who do repairs and contribute to this forum, who also put the reasonableness factor and playability at the top of the list. This is opposed to the unfortunate number of techs out there who either simply don't have the ability, or are more concerned about making a profit selling new instruments, rather than keeping a horn up and running to everyones' benefit.

I read bloke's first post on the repair he mentioned. There are pictures on that thread. Brilliant repair is an understatement.

I couldn't agree more. I greatly value Bloke's opinions...I also bank his suggestions. If there is anything I have learned, it is to surround yourself with talented people and become a sponge. That is why I pester guys like Bloke and Dan Oberloh.