WTB: Used conn 14k valves? mabey?

Read forum rules before posting.
Forum rules
When making a listing for large or expensive items, please include your budget and location. That will help you match with a seller that might have the item you are looking for
Post Reply
User avatar
EmptyCase
Posts: 151
Joined: Sat Aug 22, 2020 9:13 pm
Has thanked: 5 times
Been thanked: 8 times

WTB: Used conn 14k valves? mabey?

Post by EmptyCase »

I had an old pan american sousaphone (already without the original valves) that I sold to a friend. long story short, the valves that are in it leak like crazy. He knew about it before he bough it but I'm trying to help him out. Would anyone have a set, or even just one valve from an old 14k they would sell me. Anything is probably better than the valves currently in it.

When i said the valves are bad; you can move them side to side(I'm not talking about rotating them indicating a bad valve guide). About 50% of the plating on the valves them selves are gone.

Anything helps. Thanks!


HI :smilie7:
User avatar
iiipopes
Posts: 1055
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2020 4:26 pm
Has thanked: 138 times
Been thanked: 187 times

Re: WTB: Used conn 14k valves? mabey?

Post by iiipopes »

Caveat: measure the bore at the 2nd valve slide. I also play a @98-year-old Pan Am souzy with a @1936 Cavalier bell, which has the same issue with leaky valves. The bore is .687, not the "standard" .734. So you have to measure the bore to see if it will fit. If it is the smaller bore, then the 14K valve block looks like it will fit, but it won't match the tubing. Now, if you get a block complete with the leadpipe and receiver, the neck and bits will fit, but you will have a different tubing going out of the back of the block.

In the meantime, I suggest something like Hetman's Classic (if it is still available), or take an empty standard 2-ounce valve oil bottle, fill it half-full of preferred valve oil, then add a few drops of pharmaceutical grade mineral oil to raise the viscosity so it will at least play.
Last edited by iiipopes on Mon May 20, 2024 7:11 am, edited 1 time in total.
Jupiter JTU1110 - K&G 3F
"Real" Conn 36K - JK 4B Classic
User avatar
bloke
Mid South Music
Posts: 19307
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2020 8:55 am
Location: western Tennessee - near Memphis
Has thanked: 3846 times
Been thanked: 4099 times

Re: WTB: Used conn 14k valves? mabey?

Post by bloke »

Most people who have these typically hoard them.

Allied Supply (Getzen-owned, and next door to Getzen...and I wouldn't be surprised at all if these are locally subcontracted, and not even made by Getzen) ofters aftermarket pistons to fit these instruments.

My guess (...?? - and this represents a modest mark-up) is that you could coax a repair shop to sell you the three for $600 (plus a little bit more for stems/guides/springs/buttons, felts/top caps - assuming any or all of that is needed).

These would be new, and not funky/worn/rattling-in-casings, and the total cost (assuming your casings are good) would be way cheaper than buying three cruddy ones for (??) $250 or so, and they paying to have the valves rebuilt so as the sousaphone plays nicely.

Conn sousaphone pistons.png
Conn sousaphone pistons.png (27.71 KiB) Viewed 554 times
These users thanked the author bloke for the post:
York-aholic (Sun May 19, 2024 8:42 pm)
Post Reply