Sousaphone Poll

[OldHorn]

I have a 4 valve Bb Martin Monster with a 30" bell. Great player, except that it gets heavier each passing year.

[iiipopes]

I voted Conn, but let me refine that: PRE-MACMILLIAN Conn or PRE-CYBORG King.

[jonesbrass]

I understand Jonesbrass' feelings about sousaphones, particularly since he had to play Kings in the Military. During two of my assignment, I played King sousaphones, because that's what we had. Don't get me wrong, a properly set-up King is a thing of beauty that plays as well as a 2341 BBb. There is an issue with us that have larger ribcages, in that a King 2350 brands me with a bruise on my ribcage, and that can dampen anyone's enthusiasm. At one time I had a pre-WWII King sousa that was wrapped more like a Conn, and it was a treat to play.

There have been a lot of sousas that had poorly-aligned joints in the bell receiver region that render an otherwise good instrument awkward and barely usable. Fortunately, these problems can be repaired.

Also, school- and military-owned instruments are just not cared-for like they were someone's personal instrument, so many of us have never played a really nice sousaphone. I had a Martin at one time that played and sounded like a Mammoth concert horn, and was relatively lightweight, too. I've owned and detailed-out a Conn 20K that could move mountains, and had a Buescher Aristocrat (metal Bundy) sousaphone that was just a killer player. The Olds and Reynolds sousaphones, in 100% playing condition, offer plenty of good sound with really crisp and precise articulation, due to a smaller valve bore. And, they do not require as much air as one would use playing a large Conn, Buescher or Martin.

Thanks, Lee. The sousa's I've played have either been school owned or military owned, perhaps that's why I never enjoyed playing sousa. They always seemed like a lot of work to play, and never could approach the sound or response of a decent tuba. If I could find just one that played well and sounded nice, I'd change my tune.

[iiipopes]

Also, school- and military-owned instruments are just not cared-for like they were someone's personal instrument, so many of us have never played a really nice sousaphone.

I am very lucky. My high school band director was Navy Band. So even for a school horn, and even old when I got it, a first generation King fiberglass that I was playing in the late '70's, he issued one horn to one student for the duration of high school (no "upgrading" with seniority), taught us how to maintain it, and except for the yearly visit to the tech or for truly accidental damage, expected us to take care of it as if it were our own, and (rare these days) had the backing of the school administration in doing so, making the student responsible for the horn. So even for a comparatively heavy 1st generation fiberglass horn, it played great. By the time I got done with it, it was whiter than some of the other newer horns, and played better, with refurbished corks and felts out of my own pocket, etc.

I live in a conservative area of the country, and under this director my high school had almost 30 years of consecutive "I" ratings at state contest, until he retired, and with school budgets tight, of course the administration backed him with imposing personal responsibility on the students. But then again, I was also lucky in that (and even more rare) the parents of my home town were as a community also conservative, respectful, church going, and also imposed as parents proper upbringing on the students about taking care of any property, be it band instruments, football uniforms, etc., or whatever, that were checked out to the students.

[SousaSaver]

I played Harvey's Martin - great instrument. A smaller bell really helps the sousaphone sound more like a tuba and less like a blatt machine. Or rather I should say, a proportional bell helps to make this tone.

They don't have to sound blatty. It just takes a greater degree of control when the bell flare gets bigger in diameter.

I think that another factor is rate of taper and how fast the bell opens up. I think Kings are very tight players and the reason for that just might be because they have a .687" bore that expands to a 6.5" bell collar and a 26" bell. This provides some good resistance and makes for a nice blowing instrument. On the other hand the Conn 20K has a .734" bore a 7.25" bell collar and a 26" bell. I think the combination of these factors produce a darker, more "chocolaty" tone that, at times, can be more difficult to control than a King. Just my opinion, I could be wrong.

I second the idea about 24" bells. 2" of material can be a good amount of weight. There are still plenty of good pre-1950 Conn Sousas out there. You just have to be looking for them.

[toobagrowl]

I had so many good memories from playing those silver King BBb souzys back in high school and my first year of college. - good sound, pitch, everything. I just remember my souzy section putting out a lot of good deep sound with lots of core. Also remember being pleasantly surprised at the good sounds I heard emitted from the metal and fiberglass Yamaha sousaphones.
The (real) Conn sousaphones actually have a more open and broader sound to the more muted/covered and compact sound of the Kings, which gives the Kings that 'sweeter' sound. I agree that the wrap of the Kings can be problematic if you have a larger ribcage or if you are fat. I like the smaller Conn or Conn-made sousaphones - 14K, Continental Colonial, Pan American. But the bigger Conn souzys just sound too tubby/woofy every time I have heard one played, imo. The Conn tubas are a different story though.
Heard the Jupiter sousaphones 12+ years ago and.....uhhhhh....I hope they have improved them since.
Would love to try and hear the other souzys listed...

[SousaSaver]

The (real) Conn sousaphones actually have a more open and broader sound to the more muted/covered and compact sound of the Kings, which gives the Kings that 'sweeter' sound.

As opposed to what?

[CMRO225]

I played Yamaha sousaphones while I was in high school. I played a new Yamaha sousa my first year at UK. I played a
Yamaha sousa this year at Murray State. I can rightfully say that Yamaha sousaphones are not high quality and, in my opinion, overpriced. Now I know it's hard to get a college sousa line in tune, but even in high school it was a chore. And there were only two of us...and we were both quality players. I did get the chance to play on a few Conns and they were the most free blowing of all of the sousas that I have played.

[Brown Mule]

One vote for Keefer!

[SousaSaver]

I played Yamaha sousaphones while I was in high school. I played a new Yamaha sousa my first year at UK. I played a
Yamaha sousa this year at Murray State. I can rightfully say that Yamaha sousaphones are not high quality and, in my opinion, overpriced. Now I know it's hard to get a college sousa line in tune, but even in high school it was a chore. And there were only two of us...and we were both quality players. I did get the chance to play on a few Conns and they were the most free blowing of all of the sousas that I have played.

I noticed this as well. Things seem to break easier on them. The neck screws broke often from over-tightening, the valve guides broke off at strange angles and one became lodged inside of the casing; another letting the valve spin freely, fit and finish were a big issue - told it should polish out (although not with the stuff they supplied or approved), same thin metal and easy denting and bending.

Yamaha has since corrected their valve guide problem by making a newer style guide with a metal insert. Jupiter has copied this. I think that the Yamaha metal is fine, it just needs reinforcement in one place: the back side of the spout where the bell connects. I don't honestly think that the Sousaphones dent any easier than any other Sousa made today.

[PaulTkachenko]

Hi,

Although I play a King fibreglass and am pretty happy with it, I am very much into my Yamaha tubas.

I am thinking about getting a brass sousa and I'd be interested to at least try a Yamaha.

Anyone know where I might be able to try one in Europe - UK would be ideal ...

Regards,

Paul

[windshieldbug]

I know that this is just what people want to hear, but I like my Coleman/Missenharter raincatcher.

[Bubba Blasen]

I have a King plastic and I'm very pleased with it. VERY easy to play, good intonation. I do have issues with the wrap hitting my ribcage, and have solved this with the placement of a 2" thick piece of foam that I took from some packing material (for a hard drive, I think). It has a U shape that fits around the bottom bow as it hits my side around belt height. This is just enough to raise the tubing where it doesn't touch me at chest level. Works great, when I remember to bring it.

The darndest thing is that when I am out playing the plastic Sousa, lots of people come up to me and say "Nice tuba". When I am out playing my rotary B&S people come up to me and say "Now, what instrument is that?"

Go figure, Bubba

[PaulTkachenko]

So, anyone know where I can play a Yamaha sousa?

A lot of people seem to hate them - but they seem like a 20K copy. I would have thought they'd be cheaper than a 20K on the second hand market in general ... Any thoughts?

[PaulTkachenko]

I'll keep my ear to the ground for a 20K as well as a Yamaha.

Cheers,

Paul

[SousaWarrior9]

I played Yamaha sousaphones while I was in high school. I played a new Yamaha sousa my first year at UK. I played a
Yamaha sousa this year at Murray State. I can rightfully say that Yamaha sousaphones are not high quality and, in my opinion, overpriced. Now I know it's hard to get a college sousa line in tune, but even in high school it was a chore. And there were only two of us...and we were both quality players. I did get the chance to play on a few Conns and they were the most free blowing of all of the sousas that I have played.

Totally agree. Our school's Yamaha sousas have an extra tuning bit in them and they still play sharp and blatty.
I voted Olds because of the thick brass they have, plus the awesome sound.