Setting up a Sousaphone's neck and bits

[Dave Detwiler]

I've looked at previous threads that address this topic, but I'm still not clear on the best way (assuming there is a best way!) to set up a neck and bits for a Sousaphone to sit correctly on the player (which sounds like is front-to-back).

Why this is important at present is that I have been asked to help my son's tuba section get set up on their new (overhauled) Conn 14Ks, which will be arriving later this month. I'd like to get the best possible ergonomics, as well as have the section look uniform.

So is it like this, where the neck points to the left shoulder of the player, and the bits curve around to the mouth? Seems like this would get that "front-to-back" position.

Sousaphone 1 (neck points left).jpg

Or is it like this, where the neck points to the right shoulder and the bits curve around to the mouth?

Sousaphone 2 (neck points right).JPG

Both seem to work, and each approach shows up in lots of photos. But the photo of the very first bell-front horn suggests something closer to position number two:

Fig 7 - 1908 First Conn Wonderphone.jpg

[NCSUSousa]

I have always followed the logic that the neck and bits should adjust to get the mouthpiece where it belongs once the body of the instrument is in the right position. Focus on the location of the instrument body first.

The top should be on the shoulder, without contacting the neck or spine/upper back. The bottom should be at the right hip. Once these two points are right, you can breath (and move) correctly. This also puts your right hand is in a relaxed position while playing. Everything after that is personal preference.

My personal preference is that the bell should point almost straight ahead, not too high and not too far left. This orientation works for street parade and open field playing, not just stadiums.

Of the 3 pictures, the first is the best example of what I'm describing. That player has a good open breathing posture and the bell isn't pointing too high because the instrument body is in the right place. (I agree with bloke's assessments above too).

[Lee Stofer]

The neck and bits on a Conn sousaphone should make a simple curve from the lower mouthpipe towards the body, curving to where the mouthpiece is very nearly in front-to-back alignment with the instrument body. This makes the instrument less of a target when doing close field maneuvers, and is ultimately more comfortable for the player in several ways.

The two Conn 14K's that will soon be delivered to Pennsylvania will be thoroughly checked-over for alignment as they go back together this week.

My experience with Jupiter, Olds, and some other brands indicates that they were just simply set-up a bit different than Conn and King sousaphones, and one must figure out how to make them work comfortably. Some good advice I was given long ago was, "Don't go to the sousaphone (craning neck to meet mouthpiece), but make the instrument come to you." In other words, experiment with a sousaphone until you can play it in comfort with good posture. If that doesn't work, consult your repairman.

[toobagrowl]

I see the gentleman with the shiny King sousaphone (from the late night TV talk show) as correct....
The fact that the television sousaphonist *can* reach his left arm around his King sousaphone that easily (and with his suit coat's sleeve hardly pulled down at all) demonstrates that his instrument's position *is* more front-to-back (i.e. "correct").

The first pic is a modern-version Conn 20K sousa; not a King sousa.

As for neck & bits; I find that it varies between different sousas. I just adjust the neck & bits for playing comfort and don't worry so much about doing it the "correct" way or not since the sousas/necks/bits are all different between the various manufacturers.

[iiipopes]

PLEASE NOTE:

It took me a L-O-N-G time to figure this out...
I R-E-A-L-L-Y f-ed up my neck vertebrae by holding (Conn fiberglass, which were actually quite lightweight) sousaphones "backwards" for YEARS...

Most here are too young to remember these, but...
Music stores and manufacturers - in the past - gave away little cardboard "folders" (two adjacent sides closed) that held "march-size" music.
In the latter part of the 1960's, Conn distributed one with a clear picture of their 14K fiberglass sousaphone...with (again) the neck and bits artfully following around the shape of the instrument, and approaching the (would-be) player's mouth from the player's left.

In the LATE 70's, I happened to revisit one of those pictures, and a light bulb went off in my (otherwise: DIM) head, which made me realize how many years (hi-ya school and kolij) I had messed up my neck, and that (WOW...!!) putting the sousaphone together LIKE THE PICTURE actually WORKS !



...and most website/factory sousaphone pictures are deceptive, because the most complimentary angle to photograph the instrument is from left-to-right, and with the bell turned way around to the right of normal playing position...
...That classic "photograph position" is really only "correct" when a sousaphone is mounted on one of those tripod "butterfly"-shaped stands, and the player is sitting to (their) left of the instrument with (only) their right arm going through the "hole" in the sousaphone (to reach the pistons).

Word.