eb to bb sousaphone conversion

[yemag]

I recently bought a Conn 26K for a good price. I'm wondering if it's possible to convert it to a bb sousa?

[Dan Schultz]

Lowering the fundamental pitch of an Eb sousa to BBb would require adding 4 1/2' of tubing to the open bugle and extending all of the tuning circuits about 30%. It's really not a good conversion. Sell the Eb and use the money to buy a BBb.

[yemag]

What do you think a 26k goes for?

[Kevin Hendrick]

What do you think a 26k goes for?

"What you paid for it" would be a good starting point -- it went for that once (to you) and might do so again.

[imperialbari]

What do you think a 26k goes for?

"What you paid for it" would be a good starting point -- it went for that once (to you) and might do so again.

Kevin, you are a very bad boy! Evaporating somebody’s dream of a nice profit, ouch!

Klaus

[yemag]

I got the sousa from someone cleaning out his garage. So I'm not so much interested in making a quick $, but I'd like to be able to offset the price of a Bb sousa. Thanks everyone for your comments.

[Dan Schultz]

.... Add a fourth valve (piston or rotary), which would let you play BBb, since the fourth valve would lower the instrument down a perfect fourth, and then you would just need to pull your slides out a couple more inches or have extensions made for the slides. This has been done before by the late Harvey Hartman with a Eb to CC helicon conversion.

This is not a good situation, either. ... and is EXACTLY the same as adding 4 1/2' of straight-bore tubing to the open bugle. You can do it but it won't play worth a damn.

The moral to the story here is you can do anything you please but don't expect good results.

[yemag]

Thanks Dan. Always appreciate your advice.

[Alex C]

It will cost you far more to convert an Eb to BBb and the result will be a far inferior instrument than if you sold the Eb and bought a good BBb.

Eb sousaphones are rare and worth more than BBb sousaphones. You should be able to come out with a couple of hundred extra dollars in your pocket after the exchange is complete. That's the smart move.

Because Eb sousaphones are rare, it would be more responsible not to destroy it in a conversion.

[Z-Tuba Dude]

Why not learn to play Eb???