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I have a 1970 silver Conn 20k. A big BBb sousaphone. It’s been around the house for a very long time, I mostly ignore it, and I haven’t used it for any gigs in 10 years. So it’s on my list of things I should get rid of but haven’t quite got around to it.

When bloke ditched his C tubas to go all in with the giant BBb Miraphone, he wrote about having to get used to the longer bugle, and needing to be a little more careful to feed it the right buzz to get good stable sounds. I’ve felt the same way with my pretty nice rotary BBb, compared to a similar C tuba.

So I spent a little time with the sousaphone — to be sure it’s okay before I maybe find it a new home — and why is it so darned easy to play? Seemingly no need for special attention to anything. It makes nice sounds, it’s easy to play in tune (even with 3 valves), the valves are fast, it’s pretty nimble. Basically no fuss.

I should be pleased, but I’m confused instead.

Valves, as you mention, would be my guess.

In my experience, a tuba with fast and smooth valves always seems to “play better” than other tubas, even of the same make and model.

On my 2165, it had MAW valves with Yamaha euphonium springs that made the valves feel like heaven. That part of the human-machine interface was so seamless that it made that big tuba feel nimble.

My Conn/King 4/4 also has great valves. It helps, a lot.

Those 20Ks also have that super short stroke and the sousaphone usually puts those buttons in a nice easy position to play. So that part is all ironed out and possibly easier than your other horns.

That’s on top of the 20K being a pretty easy horn to resonate and the bell is right off your ear so feedback is immediate.

I had the use of the predecessor, the 38K - magnificient.
I had the use of the baby brother, the Pan-Am (with a .687 bore).
I have played a beat-up 20K as a field marching rehearsal horn.
I have played a 14K.
I now have a "real" (pre-Macmillan) Conn 36K, rebuilt by Lee Stofer.

And those are only the Conns I have played. I have played, street marched, field marched, played outdoor concerts, etc., on almost every other brand of souzy, both brass and 'glass, out there.

I can't tell you why a pre-Macmillan Conn souzy plays better than others. I just know that they do. So when the stars of opportunity and finances aligned, keeping my shoulder in mind, a real 36K rebuilt by Lee Stofer was the obvious choice. Personally, I prefer the conventional valves to the 20K short-throw valves, but that is only personal preference. Playing a 20K all those years ago is what gave me the idea of making the upper loop of the 1st valve circuit into a moveable slide, slightly shortened on the bottom end, so I could "ride throttle": pull for 1st valve about the same amount as the tubing diameter; push for the flat 2nd space C; and pull for 1+2, 1+3, and 1+2+3 combinations. And we haven't even gotten to the subject of privilege tones so that a 4th valve is not needed or wanted!

It has to be that the short action valves are lined up nicely, which is sort of rare, and they aren't leaky.

When I got my 36k I was surprised how good it sounded.

I even played etudes on it.

That’s what happens when you play something like a tuba and not an Electro-Whocardial-Schnutz!

I’ve got my eye on one now…

I've always found a well-aligned 20K to be pretty weirdly nimble for the size.

bloke wrote: ↑Sun Jun 16, 2024 1:21 pm A good valves vintage King is easier, and a JP is almost as easy as a good valves vintage King. I just sold my King, which was a combination of a very late 40s body and a 1960 bell...a full 30 lbs. I'd give that sold sousaphone's valves a B as far as fitment, and played like a dream. I believe I would really like to have a 1990s fiberglass King.

My friend has a beautifully restored 1950s vintage King and I agree, that thing is one of the nicest-playing tubas (regardless of whether tuba-shaped or sousaphone-shaped) that I have played.

The 1920s conn sousaphone that I bought and sold last summer was exactly the same. Fantastic sound, outrageously easy to play. The e-flat sousaphone that I have and I'm selling right now, is the same way. Ridiculously easy to play.

The bad part, is that I have no need or use for a sousaphone. In my experience, if you show up anywhere other than a parade with a sousaphone, you will be asked to leave. Same at the bell forward tuba. Not a joke.

bort2.0 wrote: ↑Sun Jun 16, 2024 5:31 pm The 1920s conn sousaphone that I bought and sold last summer was exactly the same. Fantastic sound, outrageously easy to play. The e-flat sousaphone that I have and I'm selling right now, is the same way. Ridiculously easy to play.

The bad part, is that I have no need or use for a sousaphone. In my experience, if you show up anywhere other than a parade with a sousaphone, you will be asked to leave. Same at the bell forward tuba. Not a joke.

I usually ask most people to leave unless they're bringing some really good food.

bort2.0 wrote: ↑Sun Jun 16, 2024 5:31 pm The bad part, is that I have no need or use for a sousaphone. In my experience, if you show up anywhere other than a parade with a sousaphone, you will be asked to leave. Same at the bell forward tuba. Not a joke.

I play in street bands and Dixieland so the BBb and Eb Sousas Sousas and 20J get used for almost every gig. I would live to find a good 4 valve bell front Eb for cheap to round it the mix.

Before I found my MW20, on those rare events when I played fancy non drinking music, I had to borrow my son's 186.

We had the 80's fiberglass King sousa that we've been dragging around for decades without a case overhauled last year. Took out a bunch of dents in the upper bows that get pushed in by laying the hown down "bell first", and replaced a valve that had a very loose stem...and damn if the thing doesn't play wonderfuly after getting it back. As much as I've always kinda wanted a brass sousa, I know that I'm not getting any younger and for the occasional use that it gets, I appreciate just how light the fiberglass horn is. Bought a nice used hard case for it last year when we did our bus trip to NYC.

When we finish paying off a bunch of this plannedemic debt from the shutdown, I believe I'd like to find myself a 1990s vintage King fiberglass sousaphone in good shape, or one that can be put in good shape without throwing everything away and replacing everything. I seem to be doing fewer and fewer outdoor gigs, though. LOL. Maybe people look at me and think I'm too old to do that stuff anymore, or maybe they're just aren't as many gigs. Truth be told, the number of live music gigs has continually diminished during my lifetime, and I suspect sort of for everyone other than superstars who tour.
The days of private school band directors offering me fiberglass sousaphones from their top shells which they considered junk and clutter is over, I fear. There are still a few of those on top shelfs in middle school instrument rooms, but most of those few tend to be Conn. Conn 36k fiberglass sousaphones aren't terrible - and I used to prefer them (being accustomed to them from high school, as that's all we played indoors or outdoors) but I've been in the King camp - now - for a while.