Conn 36J Conversion

[bigboymusic]

Ok, after getting slammed with PM's and emails... I want to open this up to the tuba gurus....
Purchased a 36J with a gigantic recording bell. Provided the horn is what I'm hoping it is, I'm ditching the bell front

Pros/Cons



Finding a 2XJ upright bell and making it work

vs

Kanstul Replacement Bell

vs

replacing the entire stack with a new Kanstul bell or other (like Tony K's 36)

[bububassboner]

Replace the entire bell. It'll be easier to get a full bell then to find something to use as an upright bell. Price should be only slightly higher for a full bell. Plus then you don't have the added weight of that bell collar.

Just my opinion.

[bort]

My vote? If it's in the budget... sell this and buy Tony's tuba. If that's what you want, then it already exists.

Otherwise, my first choice would be that you do the same thing Tony did, which would be more expensive than the detachable upright bell replacements.

Personally, I think recording bells and detachable bells are silly, and I would only want to replace with a one-piece bell.

[iiipopes]

Don't "ditch" it - keep it in case you want to sell it and then you can sell it with both bells. There are those folks out there who play different gigs where each bell may be the better choice for a particular venue.

[ken k]

I too recently bought at 36J, complete with the original recording bell and a Kanstul upright bell.

As I play it I prefer the sound and response of the original recording bell. I used it on a Reading Pops concert in December. I used the recording bell but turned it 90% to the right. Admittedly it looks a bit odd, but basically it is the same bell angle as an upright valved horn would be.

ken k

[bigboymusic]

I should emphasize that I was not planning on getting rid of the recording bell, but would probably never use it. I had a great Martin that you could turn the 22 inch bell sideways and point it upright. Looked weird, but sounded great!!!! This bell is HUGE...... Silly maybe not, but not needed in my stable!

I went this way because Tony's horn is in 'time out' and it looks as if he is planning on keeping it. I will need the horn workable by July, so I'm moving quickly.

[Donn]

You're going to play it some, before committing to any of these courses of action, right? Keep us posted on how that works out.

[bort]

I went this way because Tony's horn is in 'time out' and it looks as if he is planning on keeping it. I will need the horn workable by July, so I'm moving quickly.

I didn't know that... your potential plans make sense, though!

I still think recording bells are silly, though.

[roweenie]

About 20 years ago, I owned a 36J with an original one piece upright bell with a 22" (maybe even 23"?) bell. The horn had an almost unusably flat F 3rd partial.

After replacing the original bell with a Meinl Weston bell with a 20" flare (to make it easier to fit in the trunk of my car ), IIRC, it made the F a little more useable.

[bigboymusic]

Yes, I definitely plan on playing it for a good week before I make any final decisions. The first 36 I ever played was owned by the Naperville municipal band. It was and probably still is a complete dog. However, I have played two in the past couple years that I really enjoyed. Having heard a recording of this tuba, it appears to play pretty well in tune with itself .

[bigboymusic]

Also, one of the obvious pieces... I can put a really nice full bell on this horn (if it warrants it) and still only spend about 4K on the whole thing based on the quotes I'm getting on Bells. I like the thought of the Siegfried Bell, but Kanstul could probably have one in about 8-10 weeks, the wait from Germany looks to be any where from three months to a year.... That said, if there was an old Holton Bell out there, that has been thrown at me as an option.

But, putting the horse back before the cart, I'll know as soon as i get some time on this horn whether I want to go down this path. I'm just very lucky to play with orchestras here in the KC area where the conductors really enjoy a 6/4 'presence' from the back row. 4K-4500 is well worth the investment if it can get me a quality 6/4 BBb that will probably last well past me!

[TheHatTuba]

As I play it I prefer the sound and response of the original recording bell.

This has been my experience with almost every detachable recording bell horn I have played. Maybe it has something to do with the extra weight of the collar, but something always seems "missing" when using the upright bell.

[Donn]

Both bells the same diameter, in these comparisons?

[ken k]

Both bells the same diameter, in these comparisons?

in my case, no. the upright bell is not as big as the recording bell.

not sure of the dimensions off hand, i never measured them I am guessing the upright is around 18 - 20" and the forward bell around 24". My recording bell is not as big as some of the others I have seen on this site.

I also do not think the upright Kanstul bell is as heavy as the recording bell, which also has the additional joint after the bend, where the two pieces are joined together. That probably adds weight as well. Not sure about the gauge of the brass, but it seems thinner?

k

[Walter Webb]

Ken K, would you please post a big picture of your Seussaphone?

[ken k]

Both bells the same diameter, in these comparisons?

in my case, no. the upright bell is not as big as the recording bell.

not sure of the dimensions off hand, i never measured them I am guessing the upright is around 18 - 20" and the forward bell around 24". My recording bell is not as big as some of the others I have seen on this site.

I also do not think the upright Kanstul bell is as heavy as the recording bell, which also has the additional joint after the bend, where the two pieces are joined together. That probably adds weight as well. Not sure about the gauge of the brass, but it seems thinner?

k

just measured them, the Kanstul upright bell is 20" and the Conn recording bell is 24"

[ken k]

Ken K, would you please post a big picture of your Seussaphone?

here is a link to an old thread on Frankentubas which includes multiple pix of the Dr. Suessaphone....

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=54316&hilit=frankentuba&start=36" target="_blank

kk

[Ken Crawford]

Lee Stofer recently installed a full Kanstul 6/4 bell section on the Boston symphony's nirshl 6/4. That is the bell you'd want for this conversion if you can get Kanstul to make one for you. Go to Kanstul's Facebook page to see it.

[Donn]

just measured them, the Kanstul upright bell is 20" and the Conn recording bell is 24"

I can believe they'd sound different, apart from which way they're pointed.

[bigboymusic]

I'm also interested in what was wrong with the old bell, or if they were just looking to improve the sound.