Small sousaphone?

[imperialbari]

The very narrow bore Barcone kids’ sousaphones hardly would be recommendable. Hard to come by anyway.

BBb-wise my own, a Conn 40K, is insanely heavy on ones shoulder, but the sound is worthwhile in breath and depth, still with enough of formants to keep clarity.

But shortly after I got my own back in 2000, a Swedish TubeNetter asked me to try out a small second hand Conn BBb that was for sale in a Copenhagen store.

It was much smaller and lighter than the 40K, 3 pistons only of course. One funny trait that I never saw in any other sousaphone was the number of bell screws, two only. Not because one was missing. Instead of the standard 120°, they simply sat 180° apart.

Wasn’t nothing for my own use, but had I still taught band then, it played well enough for me to buy it for a student, had a sousaphone been relevant (which it hardly had been - never saw a sousaphone in a Danish junior band).

I am not positive about the model #, but somehow Conn 10K rumbles in the back of my mind.

Of the modern Conn’s the fiberglass model 36K might be the most relevant one.

Klaus

[TheGoyWonder]

Rare and old, they're called Junior sousaphones and they seem to be of healthy 3/4 size, not tiny. There are King and Olds models, and a York Master under various names.

Seem to sell quick and high. Would be cool to have, especially if they weigh under 20 lb.

[bisontuba]

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[imperialbari]

Which bore?

[bisontuba]

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[Tubainsauga]

Ooo, my shoulder longs for a horn like that. Virtually every sousaphone gig I do is amplified so small is good.

[bisontuba]

Ooo, my shoulder longs for a horn like that. Virtually every sousaphone gig I do is amplified so small is good.

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[TheGoyWonder]

Very cool. What is the tenon size, to get an idea of overall size? Probably 5.5"?

[bisontuba]

Very cool. What is the tenon size, to get an idea of overall size? Probably 5.5"?

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[Tubainsauga]

Ooo, my shoulder longs for a horn like that. Virtually every sousaphone gig I do is amplified so small is good.

It can be yours

Very tempting...

[TheGoyWonder]

How much does it weigh?

[bisontuba]

How much does it weigh?

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[tofu]

How much does it weigh?

A tad more than my old CC 4v Mirafone 186..maybe +/- 18 lbs?

Hard to beat the balance and weight of a Conn 36K -only 16 lbs - the fiberglass version of a 14K - talk about ease of playing. I can't imagine these little brass sousaphones can even come close to the sound and volume of a 36K

[TheGoyWonder]

yea, it would appear fiberglass won the war over junior BBb and Eb. But it's too small and too gov't subsidized a market to be highly efficient, maybe something was lost.

Eb sousas the same size of a junior sound really good, within a certain volume cap. The Eb-ness means constant use of valve combination notes and bottoming out the register so a similar BBb is tempting. vs a real 36K, who knows.

[bisontuba]

How much does it weigh?

A tad more than my old CC 4v Mirafone 186..maybe +/- 18 lbs?

Hard to beat the balance and weight of a Conn 36K -only 16 lbs - the fiberglass version of a 14K - talk about ease of playing. I can't imagine these little brass sousaphones can even come close to the sound and volume of a 36K

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[bisontuba]

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[TheGoyWonder]

ever played an Olds O-99 or O-99-4, I'm guessing the sousa plays just like it? That would be the pattern established by Conn 20K/20J, King 2350/1240 ect, and Olds big sousa/recording bass.

[Rick Denney]

How much does it weigh?

A tad more than my old CC 4v Mirafone 186..maybe +/- 18 lbs?

Hard to beat the balance and weight of a Conn 36K -only 16 lbs - the fiberglass version of a 14K - talk about ease of playing. I can't imagine these little brass sousaphones can even come close to the sound and volume of a 36K

Yes. If the issue is weight rather than wideness of the branches, the 36K is lighter than the skinny brass sousaphones, and plays more like a 4/4 tuba. Plus, they are neither rare nor expensive.

Rick "who'd rather have the 36K than the King 1250 sousaphone that was sitting in that Wenger chair when he was in school" Denney

[pjv]

Way too many fiberglass sousaphones just don't cut it for me. I want to have the quick lively response of brass but end up with the dull dead fiberglass sound. I once played a Reynolds that might have helped change my bias but it wasn't really a fair trial run, being that I was playing it in a small living room.
At a music shop I tried one of these small Olds that played like a firecracker (in a good way). Real light and real fun. I've no idea how it would stand up in larger ensembles but in a small combo, brass quintet or anything of this size it would have worked real well.

[Rick Denney]

Way too many fiberglass sousaphones just don't cut it for me. I want to have the quick lively response of brass but end up with the dull dead fiberglass sound. I once played a Reynolds that might have helped change my bias but it wasn't really a fair trial run, being that I was playing it in a small living room.
At a music shop I tried one of these small Olds that played like a firecracker (in a good way). Real light and real fun. I've no idea how it would stand up in larger ensembles but in a small combo, brass quintet or anything of this size it would have worked real well.

I wonder if the bell from an old 14K would fit in the tenon receiver of a fiberglass 36K?

But even a 14K is not really that heavy. Those are also plentiful, but not as cheap.

Rick "who has two, as it happens, one of which is in good playing condition" Denney