Lovin' Me Some Helicon!!!! Need some horn dorn.

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bigtubby
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Re: Lovin' Me Some Helicon!!!! Need some horn dorn.

Post by bigtubby »

Before and after photos of my mid-1920's York BBb:
Image

Someday I'll get my old Pepper Eb soldered back together and polished ...
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Donn
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Re: Lovin' Me Some Helicon!!!! Need some horn dorn.

Post by Donn »

A few years ago I had 2 helicons, one in Eb and one in F. I was glad to get rid of them because I've given up on bass tuba, and a helicon takes up a lot of room. A sousaphone can be disassembled and stored and transported in a very compact form, but helicons are one big piece of awkward.
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bigtubby
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Re: Lovin' Me Some Helicon!!!! Need some horn dorn.

Post by bigtubby »

Donn wrote:A few years ago I had 2 helicons, one in Eb and one in F. I was glad to get rid of them because I've given up on bass tuba, and a helicon takes up a lot of room. A sousaphone can be disassembled and stored and transported in a very compact form, but helicons are one big piece of awkward.
The BBb York with 26" bell certainly meets your "one big piece of awkward" description. It amazes me that it has survived so well over 90 years.
American sailboats, airplanes, banjos, guitars and flutes ...
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German cameras and tubas ...
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sousaphone68
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Re: Lovin' Me Some Helicon!!!! Need some horn dorn.

Post by sousaphone68 »

This is my Eb helicon no makers mark lots of patches.
Cant carry a tune but I can carry a tuba.
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Re: Lovin' Me Some Helicon!!!! Need some horn dorn.

Post by Dan Schultz »

I just spent the 'Volksfest' weekend with this one. I used the helicon bell but I made a transition to be able to use a conventional sousaphone bell. The body is crafted of a 14K with the 4th valve donated by another 14K valve section. With the helicon bell this is a very well balanced horn for stand-up playing. The silver helicon bell was donated by a Conn Eb 'monster' tuba.

There is no need for the typical bell brace normally found on helicons and sousas. The bell screws match to holes in the receivers to make everything stay together nice and tight.

I even did a complete valve job on this horn early this year. This is one sweet horn!
Dan Schultz
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http://www.thevillagetinker.com" target="_blank
Current 'stable'... Rudolf Meinl 5/4, Marzan (by Willson) euph, King 2341, Alphorn, and other strange stuff.
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The Big Ben
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Re: Lovin' Me Some Helicon!!!! Need some horn dorn.

Post by The Big Ben »

Any dealer who can get Cerveny or Amati can get one of their helicons new. BBb, Eb and F. Or order direct from the source.

http://www.cerveny.biz" target="_blank
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Re: Lovin' Me Some Helicon!!!! Need some horn dorn.

Post by hubert »

Look at http://www.schneideruwe.de/tubashop. He regularly offers helicons for moderate prices. The MUSEUM section of his website may be interesting as well.
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Re: Lovin' Me Some Helicon!!!! Need some horn dorn.

Post by boobentuben »

Donn wrote:A few years ago I had 2 helicons, one in Eb and one in F. I was glad to get rid of them because I've given up on bass tuba, and a helicon takes up a lot of room. A sousaphone can be disassembled and stored and transported in a very compact form, but helicons are one big piece of awkward.
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Donn
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Re: Lovin' Me Some Helicon!!!! Need some horn dorn.

Post by Donn »

Just trying to help keep the used market prices from skyrocketing when a new customer appears. If someone has one for sale, you can bet the price is soft - once he's decided he doesn't need, he'll really want to get rid of that thing.
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armytuba
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Re: Lovin' Me Some Helicon!!!! Need some horn dorn.

Post by armytuba »

Amati BBb Helicon and Amati F Helicon:
Image
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Re: Lovin' Me Some Helicon!!!! Need some horn dorn.

Post by Heavy_Metal »

bigtubby wrote:Before and after photos of my mid-1920's York BBb:
Image
My early 1900s York looks much like this one, but you do a much better polishing job.

For anyone on the East Coast looking for helicons, Baltimore Brass has a good selection. On their homepage, http://www.baltimorebrass.net/" target="_blank , scroll down in the center "blog" portion and you'll find a pic with some of them in the background. I believe the top row are Eb and F helicons, with the BBb ones underneath. The empty hook on the bottom row is where my York was hanging.
Principal tuba, Bel Air Community Band
Old (early 1900s?) Alexander BBb proto-163
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~1904 York 3P BBb Helicon
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ken k
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Re: Lovin' Me Some Helicon!!!! Need some horn dorn.

Post by ken k »

Casca Grossa wrote:Being summer and lots of parades going on, I've noticed a trend of helicons outnumbering other tuba shaped objects and I must admit, I'm feeling a little envious. I went to a local parade on Saturday and I saw 5 helicons, 3 BBb tubas and 0 sousaphones. I'm not in the market now but down the line I might take the plunge. For now, could the proud helicon owners post a little horn dorn?
what parade that?
k
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ken k
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Re: Lovin' Me Some Helicon!!!! Need some horn dorn.

Post by ken k »

Image

k
Yamaha YEB-381
Mirafone 187 BBb
1919 Pan American BBb Helicon
1924 Buescher BBb tuba (Dr. Suessaphone)
Black plastic Coolwind BBb tuba
2001 Mazda Miata
2006 Suzuki Burgman 650
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ken k
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Re: Lovin' Me Some Helicon!!!! Need some horn dorn.

Post by ken k »

Image
Yamaha YEB-381
Mirafone 187 BBb
1919 Pan American BBb Helicon
1924 Buescher BBb tuba (Dr. Suessaphone)
Black plastic Coolwind BBb tuba
2001 Mazda Miata
2006 Suzuki Burgman 650
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T. J. Ricer
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Re: Lovin' Me Some Helicon!!!! Need some horn dorn.

Post by T. J. Ricer »

Here's one from my time with the Po' Boys Brass Band:
Image

Harv Hartman got it up and running for me: http://harvshappyhorns.blogspot.com/201 ... n.html?m=1
Thomas J. Ricer, DMA
Royal Hawaiian Band - University of Hawaii at Manoa - Yamaha Performing Artist

http://www.TJRicer.com

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dmmorris
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Re: Lovin' Me Some Helicon!!!! Need some horn dorn.

Post by dmmorris »

Image

Image
beta 14??..........OK!

Mid 70's B&S Tuba
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Art Hovey
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Re: Lovin' Me Some Helicon!!!! Need some horn dorn.

Post by Art Hovey »

Dave Gannett and I swapped Bueschers a few years ago for this photo:

Image

-And here's Tom Holtz with his Eb Buescher:

Image

One more from a parade gig:

Image

Bloke's Beauty:

Image

You can still get a new one like this:

Image
UDELBR
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Re: Lovin' Me Some Helicon!!!! Need some horn dorn.

Post by UDELBR »

Here's mine:

Image
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PaulTkachenko
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Re: Lovin' Me Some Helicon!!!! Need some horn dorn.

Post by PaulTkachenko »

Just take the bell off the helicon to make it more portable...
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opus37
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Re: Lovin' Me Some Helicon!!!! Need some horn dorn.

Post by opus37 »

Here is my 1892 Eb:
Brian
1892 Courtiere (J.W. Pepper Import) Helicon Eb
1980's Yamaha 321 euphonium
2007 Miraphone 383 Starlight
2010 Kanstul 66T
2016 Bubbie Mark 5
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