Cool Horn: 1942 Fixed Recording Bell 2341

[Dan Schultz]

Lee generally knows his stuff. However... I don't think HN White/King used the model number '234X' until after the 'cyborg' takeover. The 234X model number came into being in June of 1980.

[Lee Stofer]

Thank-you, Dan. So, what would you call it? Is it a 1241? Now that you mention it, it seems that the 1250 sousaphones became 2350 sousas at some point. I'd be happy to know for sure what the nomenclature is, so that the purchaser will know exactly what they're getting.

[Dan Schultz]

Thank-you, Dan. So, what would you call it? Is it a 1241? Now that you mention it, it seems that the 1250 sousaphones became 2350 sousas at some point. I'd be happy to know for sure what the nomenclature is, so that the purchaser will know exactly what they're getting.

Lee... the best information I have on these is the model #1240 and 41 was used prior to June of 1980 and serial number 780900. After June of 1980 and that serial number were the model 2340 & 41 tubas.

King supposedly took the curly-cue out of the 3rd loop, moved the 1st slide to the top, and added another 'kink' to the leadpipe around June of 1980 but no one seems to know for certain since these modifications were relatively simple.

Also of interest is that HN White/King use the 1240 & 41 model numbers on the much older horns that had the main slide in the leadpipe before the valve section.

These horns were sort of the 'Volkswagen version' of tubas inasmuch as the majority of the parts were used from the 20's all the way through present production.

[Pat S]

I love the darkened brass of the finish. Beautiful horn.

[Art Hovey]

Some time in the late 1930s my father haggled with the folks at H.N.White to obtain a fixed-bell-front 3-valve tuba for one of his students. It resembled this one, but the lacquer was even darker and the tuning slide was in the leadpipe. The pistons were un-plated raw brass, perhaps as a result of the haggling.
He bought it back from his former student when I entered high school; it was my first BBb tuba. It still had the original green felt chamois-lined gig bag and leather strap for marching.
I used that horn all thru high school and college, and even used it on the second tuba part (next to Eli Newberger) in the "Rite of Spring" with the New Haven Symphony.

Harvey's autobiography has photos of him in his younger days with a very similar tuba.