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Any solution for this? Kinda annoying when dealing with short notes.

Vinyl tubing around the bell rim?

See if it does the same thing when mounted on someone else's sousaphone.
If it doesn't, swap bells!

Fiberglass

I found the ringing interfered with my pitch perception. One or two of these https://www.harborfreight.com/hand-too ... 66055.html helps.

bloke wrote: Sat Feb 15, 2025 2:58 pmFiberglass

windshieldbug wrote: Sat Feb 15, 2025 11:53 am See if it does the same thing when mounted on someone else's sousaphone.
If it doesn't, swap bells!

What would my options be for an old Holton 122?

I used to have a 4-valve Reynolds bell front horn - the bell rang so long after a cutoff that it sounded like too much reverb.

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I can't remember playing a brass sousaphone which didn't ring. 24" bells ring less.
When playing with others I almost never notice it enough to be distracted. It comes with the gig, as it were.
When practicing I put two padded plastic spring clamps on the bell.
I never thought about using lead tape. I'll have to try this, but I think I'll try duct tape first.

On both tuba and souzy bells, I go to the hardware store and buy a length of clear plastic tubing of the inside diameter that will fit over the bell bead. I then take a razor blade, like an exacto knife, and slit it long ways. Then I fit it over the bell. This damps the resonance without affecting the tone. It also provides a decent insurance against dings on the bell.

Refinished bells - in experience - do this more often.

Even thin Conn/King bells (never refinished) seem to do this less often than crap-buffed-out-of-them bells.

...not a "rule"...just a noticeable percentage.