TubaForum.net

It's me again, Margaret!

Was hoping you fine folks wouldn't mind chiming in with your opinions of Pan American Eb Sousaphones. Baltimore brass has a couple, which I think they've had for a long time, that really aren't very much money at all. And I was thinking about maybe driving down there next weekend and poking around a bit. I'm really kind of thinking something like this might be fun for the occasional Dixieland gig, parade, or just farting around while learning to play Eb. Also, @bloke's for sale post last April got me to pondering a bit about a "fun horn".

Anyway, what do you all think of them?

@groovlow virtually makes a living with the three valve and four valve Conn versions, so he should probably chime in.

Those feature a bell that is the same as the 14K, and I’m thinking the bore is bigger than .630”, on those.

For what it’s worth, I did quite a bit of work on his four valve and – not bragging on the work but on the potential and the fact that it was realized – I am quite enamored with that instrument… But again I believe the Conn versions are not the same as the Pan-American versions.

I believe I have encountered a four valve instrument like the Pan-American that said “Blessing” on its bell, and I’m thinking that I measured the bore at .625” (5/8”), rather than .630“.

The more I type here, the more it seems as though this post was a bunch of crap…here goes anyway…

If the MTS of those Pan Americans are like my 1915 York helicon, before the valve cluster, Bloke could hook you up with a cool rotary valve dohickey thingy that flips the horn from Eb to C. I do most of my playing on the C side but every now and then when I want to take a walk on the wild side I'll flip the horn over to Eb.