SOLD: bloke's wild sparkly 4-valve Conn sousaphone

[bloke]

$3500

This is a earlier-vintage (Elkhart) model 36K fiberglass body/bell, painted with a very expensive "chameleon" paint job (which wildly reflects light, and - the more light, the wilder).

Clamped on (the regular attaching method) is a PERFECT CONDITION / BETTER THAN NEW (new satin silver finish, completely rebuilt valves (yes: pistons AND casings) to professional standards - vented and synthetic guides, and with added upper #1 slide) four-piston .734" bore valve section from a vintage model 40K sousaphone. (Notice that the bottom caps feature m.o.p. inserts, and that all four finger buttons are original, and not "Allied" knockoffs.)

The valve section is painted over with worn/chipping translucent green and purple lacquer - lacquer which can be easily stripped away with paint stripper, if desired.
I value the valve section alone at $3000

The body is probably worth more than $500, but whatever.

I'm not breaking them up as a set, but a buyer certainly could.

ie. If desired, a buyer could strip the paint from the valve section, REMOVE a valve section from a 20K (satin silver) sousaphone, move this perfect-condition 4-valve valve section over to the 20K body (resulting in a defacto 40K sousaphone) and then mount the 20K sousaphone valve section (transferring over the male connector slip joint) to the sparkly body (yes: this is very do-able).

...or just use it as-is for what it is.

Anyway, the buyer is buying what they see, and the price is $3500.

I'm willing to weirdly/trapezoidally shape corrugated cardboard around it and ship it (at your expense), or you're welcome to pick it up here (and we are willing to put you up overnight and feed you).

It was last used in a Mardi Gras parade/party on the Saturday before Fat Tuesday (2022).

As always, I'm advertising it here FIRST.
(Most often, someone here at tubaforum is glad to buy my stuff, and I don't have to deal with messages/emails from a couple dozen potential buyers/tire-kickers.)

[Three Valves]

The bass boat sousaphone!!

[tofu]

.

[bloke]

A fourth valve mechanism - and the related tubing and braces - is usually the single set of factors that causes a tuba to weigh the most more, but I guess I could weigh it.
EDIT:
OK… It seems to weigh around 20 pounds.
The clearcoat layer of the trick paint job seems to be pretty thick, and might add a portion of a pound…??

[Three Valves]

Three bits??

[Tubajug]

Three bits??

That'll get you a shave and a haircut and a half!

[bloke]

two reasons:

- The instrument (this combination of body and valve section) is slightly sharp natured (will play at A=440 with two, but less pull with three).
- The factory-added #4 circuit affects the angle of the gooseneck (upper mouthpipe) and three works out better, in my view.

I'm including all three (as shown).

Three bits??

I've thought more about it, and might be willing to not only sell the valve section ONLY, but might also actually be willing to (if requested) strip the purple/green lacquer from the (new condition, under the lacquer) valve section's satin silver plated finish.

Heck...I have a 3-valve section in really good shape, and - were I to sell the 4-valve section - I could still end up with my crazy-o-phone.

[bloke]

If anyone might wish to show up with a satin silver/worn-valves 38K (wishing to convert it to a FOUR PERFECT VALVES 40K), I'd be willing to sell you this satin silver valveset (only) strip the paint from it, and (for a fee) transfer it to your 38K body.

[cjk]

Given that Anderson no longer rebuilds valves, I think I'd keep that valve section if I were you.

[bloke]

Given that Anderson no longer rebuilds valves, I think I'd keep that valve section if I were you.

OR…
sell it - without the body - for $3000

[bloke]

I’m still interested in selling this, but just not aggressively pushing it.
Again, underneath the green and purple translucent lacquer on the valve section is a brand new satin silver finish, and the valves have been rebuilt better than new. There’s also an upper #1 slide, which was added.
If you only want the valve section, it would be an amazing transplant over to a silver 20K to convert it to a 40K.
I could probably investigate having some furniture refinishing place or auto body shop strip the purple and green lacquer off the valve section, if someone wanted to just buy the valve section.
That having been said, it’s pretty amazing as a complete instrument, even though the purple and green lacquer over the satin silver valve section is getting sort of old looking.
The last time I used it was when I was just barely recovered enough from January surgery to march in a Mardi Gras parade, and play at a party after the parade at a private club. It needs nothing. I jammed a mouthpiece in it and took off for the gig.
I’m including three tuning bits, as these four-valve valve sections tend to tip the gooseneck away from the player, just a little bit.
I had it sold once - to someone up north, but had to cancel that trip, and part of that deal was a handoff.

[bloke]

I need to get more serious about getting this sold. I had it sold a year or so ago, but - for a combination of reasons - had to cancel the trip to hand it off to the person who wanted to buy it.

One of Mrs. bloke’s dogs just (this last week) got very sick and I would rather pay for the medical bills (OK… and perhaps the expenses involved in this trip I’m on, as well) from a portion of the sale of this instrument, rather than pulling money out of savings.

As I pointed out before, were (??) someone to take this valveset and put it on a 26 inch bell 3-worn-valves model 38K (one with pretty good looking satin silver and dents removed), this valveset would convert that 38K to an above-factory-specs 40K.

again:
The 4-valve .734” valveset, pistons, casings, and re-done satin-silver plating (under the worn translucent green and purple lacquer) are all in exquisite condition, the pistons are vented, and this valveset has been enhanced with an upper #1 slide that slides nicely.
The buttons are the originals (all four) from the 1920s, as are the caps – including the bottoms with mother of pearl (not Allied aftermarket).

I always offer stuff here first, and then later would go to Facebook…but - so far - I haven’t had to list stuff there.

Being that the body is fiberglass, I feel as though I could bubblewrap it, put it in an odd-shaped carton (that would be within FedExGround’s size allowances), and that it would arrive in fine condition.

As mentioned in the past, I might discuss only selling the valve section, but this would be for most of the price of the entire instrument.

[bloke]

on hold, and buyer in transit