The popularity of the sousaphone

[Donn]

For me the big downside is the intonation; high 2d partial E (& sometimes the F), high 3rd p. C&B, low 4th p. F&E, and with many low 6th p. C&B (sometimes D&Db).

Is it too early in the morning, or is this off by one on some of the partial numbers?

The flat F is just below the bass clef, with no valves, am I right? Which I have been calling 3rd partial.

I consider it a sort if miracle if there isn't a flat 5th partial (B through D in the middle of the bass clef), so I wouldn't really hold that against the 20K. The rest of your list seems to me to be lower range notes that are as much up to the player as the tuba. So for me, it would look pretty good, if it weren't for that F.

[pjv]

SORRY; too early for ME.
A-hum, it should've read;
high 2d partial E (& sometimes the F), high 3rd p. C&B, low 3rd p. F&E, and with many low 5th p. C&B (sometimes D&Db). With my 14K I use the modified 1st slide to lowering the 3rd p. B and raising the 5th p. C&B.

I've taken my 40K to two different repairmen and both claimed that because of the age of the horn (the "charts" log it in at 1923) that they couldn't make a movable slide on the top loop of the first valve plumbing. It was long ago so I really don't remember the reason.

Yeah, that F, and the E, and the C and B below it. And the low E. Intonation IS up to the player, and this player says I don't except playing gigs on tubas that need this much work. Really, I've heard some real fine sousaphone players at real fine gigs all thinking they're playing in tune; but they're not. Give the 20K a usable main tuning slide tuner or the "right" dent and maybe it'll be fun to listen to. If I had iron chops I wouldn't be whining, but I don't so I seek my refuge with a more forgiving sousaphone.

[Donn]

I've sure heard that flat F, coming from someone else's 20K. I'm pretty sure I don't have that problem with my 40K, though, despite very ordinary playing ability, and I recall hearing the same from other 38K and 40K owners. It would be interesting to know the early history of the 20K vs 38K - did school band directors etc. choose the 20K on their own, or did Conn more or less make that choice for them?

Sharp 3rd partial C and B is kind of a new one on me. I mean, of course you're guaranteed to have this problem if you tune each of the three valves exactly to their interval -- so 3rd valve is an in-tune minor 3rd for example -- but that problem is common to all brass instruments with multiple valves. It's funny that of all tubas, these valve notes would be sharp on this one, where the open horn is commonly flat on the same partial.

[iiipopes]

I've taken my 40K to two different repairmen and both claimed that because of the age of the horn (the "charts" log it in at 1923) that they couldn't make a movable slide on the top loop of the first valve plumbing. It was long ago so I really don't remember the reason.

It's because it was made before Conn started using smooth brass for outer as well as inner slides; the outer tubing in the circuit does not have a smooth bore to accept an inner slide.