Buying a sousaphone. advice please?

[Monty]

Im about to buy a new (used) Sousaphone- Ive been on a King 2350 for 20 years and am thinking of either 1) getting a new king same model 2) a 20k 3) a conn 14k.

I play mostly jazz (new orleans) and some through the amp. Alot of the jazz stuff has tempos in 200 range so,while I miss the big boom of bass found in 20ks I think sometimes the bore size of a king might give me nice mids and maybe more accurate pitch on the fast walking lines. Anyone with similar experiences. Im pretty set on silver because I have brass now and wouldnt mind one of each.

Also curious to know about other brands- Ive never played a Reynolds, know nothing about them but see them on Ebay from time to time.

Thanks!

[jamsav]

Is there anything about the 2350 you find deficient ? Thats a pretty good horn...I like the ones built in the 60s- 70s ...but I suppose if I could swap out for a 20K naked lady, I'd be all over it...

[Dan Schultz]

Just so you know.... if you order a NEW Conn 14K.... you're really going to receive a King. The only stalwart Conn left in the Conn/Selmer/Steinway offerings is the 20K.

If you want a REAL 14K (which I strongly recommend over the Kings), you're going to have to shop used.

Now... if you're considering a fiberglass sousa... I highly recommend the old Reynolds sousa or the Selmer/Bundy/Signet/Buesher fiberglass sousas. The later mentioned sousa has a .750" bore as opposed to the .688" Reynolds (or King) or the .737" bore 14K.

[kontrabass]

on the advice of this board a year or two ago, I bought a used (older) Conn 14K, and it's since become my primary horn. I use it for all manner of bass playing in all styles, amplified and unamplified, and I'm quite happy with it.

I found it at Borodi Music in Cleveland. He had a few Conn's and a few King's in stock that I was able to try.

[T. J. Ricer]

I'll go ahead and agree with Rob. . . I was a King sousa guy through high school and college, but had a chance to get an older Conn 14K a few years ago - absolutely great sousaphone! I believe our own Bloke decided to use the 14K's fiberglass equivalent (36K, I think) to make his blinged-out Mardi-Gras-o-phone and that's a guy who is very picky about pitch and sound of his instruments.

The 14K sounds like what you're after - between the King and the 20K in size and with very solid pitch.

Shameless self promotion: you can hear my 14K with the Po'Boys Brass Band: link deleted

--T. J.

[Rick Denney]

Another vote for an old 14K. Smaller on the outside but bigger on the inside than a King. I consider it the best 4/4 sousaphone ever made. The 20K is a 6/4 sousaphone, and has all the same intonation issues associated with 6/4 tubas (particularly the Conn variety), in addition to the requirement for three visits a week to a chiropractor.

Rick "what Tinker said" Denney

[SousaSaver]

If you like the King, stay with Kings. If you buy Conn or King you really can't go wrong. Always try before you commit to buy.

Kings and Conns are plentiful in lacquer and silver. Reynolds and Olds Sousaphones can be found in silver plate, but they are more rare than Conn or King in silver plate.

In my opinion, a 20K is great, but on the heavy side. You can get a greater variety of sound color with a 20K and the short stroke is nice.

A King is easy to focus the sound on and push without over doing it.

If the valves are set up correctly, the length of the stroke isn't that big of an issue.

Find a shop that has a variety of Sousas and try a bunch out. Let us know what works for you and why.

[tubaforce]

Hi! If you want fast falves and don't have to have a sousaphone, try a Cerveney Helicon w/4 Rotors!
Al

[Rick Denney]

Find a shop that has a variety of Sousas and try a bunch out.

Where would that be?

Rick "who has never seen a shop with a variety of Sousaphones on hand" Denney

[SousaSaver]

I understand Rick. There is a shop that has a variety of Sousas, but a certain someone respects the rules of the board and is not yet a sponsor, so that shop will remain nameless.

[Rick Denney]

I understand Rick. There is a shop that has a variety of Sousas, but a certain someone respects the rules of the board and is not yet a sponsor, so that shop will remain nameless.

Mentioning the existence of a shop is general information for all and not a sales pitch. I do it all the time. If you own the shop, then by all means buy the sponsorship. If a parsimonious cheapskate like bloke can do it, anyone can.

Rick "noting the difference between referrals and promotion" Denney

[kontrabass]

As I mentioned in my previous post, Borodi Music in Cleveland had several sousaphones in stock when I was there a few years ago. At the time I was able to try two Conn 14ks and two Kings.

http://www.borodimusic.com/" target="_blank

I suggest giving him a call if you're close by and see what he's got at the moment.

[Monty]

Thanks for all of the very helpful responses yall. I think the advice on the 14k is something Iv heard before but will check out- Ive only ever played Kings and Conn 20ks. would never get a fiberglass horn.I love my old King but it needs to be refurbished and I cant be without a horn for that long- so not even averse to getting a second king.
Its hard to find places with sousas in DC except for Baltimore Brass - which Ive never been to.

Thanks again.

[Bandmaster]

While I love how the Conn sousaphones play and own a great old 38K, don't over look the Olds sousaphones if one becomes available. For the kind of playing you want to do the old Olds would work well. I used to own one and really enjoyed playing it. It also has a movable tuning slide on the first valve slide right in the perfect position for your left hand to use to make any needed pitch adjustments, the Conns do not!

[tclements]

DON'T DO IT!!!!

[toobagrowl]

^ That repeated riff is in B natural, so those are F#s, not F naturals. There were other notes more "funky" pitch-wise than the F#s. I have noticed this with many sousaphone and tuba recordings - lack of "pitch center" especially with bigger horns with fatter sounds. The trumpet teacher at my college years ago addressed this "issue" at one of my juries. I think I have greatly improved on it since; especially after graduation

Anyway, you can't go wrong with any of the sousaphones listed here; they are all good. Just really depends on what type of sound and playing characteristics (and weight) you are after.

[Bubba Blasen]

I remember the Treme band from when I worked some in NO @20 years ago. At that time the sousaphone player was "Big Al" Carson, who was so huge that the full sized sousaphone looked like a toy when he had it on....
Good player...

Best, Bubba

[dxnmrl]

I remember the Treme band from when I worked some in NO @20 years ago. At that time the sousaphone player was "Big Al" Carson, who was so huge that the full sized sousaphone looked like a toy when he had it on....
Good player...

Best, Bubba

fwiw, big al doesn't play horn any more (that i'm aware). but he *does* have a regular gig on bourbon street singin' with his blues band.

[Monty]

Hi all- just bumping my thread to ask another question- Ive looked around and, aside from not being able to play any of the horns Im interested in, have found an old Pan American- Any opinions on this model (notice no one brought that up- thats why Im asking)
Probably getting a Conn 14k- but I like the finish on the Panamerican.

[SousaSaver]

Post some pictures and we can help you identify it.