Sousa bits


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Posted by Threaddeconfusionist on August 18, 2001 at 12:43:20:

Sean, like others, has had problems with sousa bits coming loose.

Even in my situation of seated, and sometimes even Wenger chaired, sousaplaying I have been driven nuts by the bits coming loose. Using a large and heavy, but not heavyweight, mouthpiece with a mouthpiece weight ring my experience says that the "coming loose" happens, when I have been called to the phone or have been taking other unplanned breaks. Meaning a near drop on some tubing, that can only be undented after a thorough unsoldering of a few too many ferrules. Fiercely woodpecking: Nothing such has happened yet.

When it happens during playing, then of course always just before the important entry.

My bits are all laquered Conn bits, which of course might differ from silver plated Yamaha bits. Still this:

I took an edgy, but not sharp, tool and scraped off the laquer of the taper of the bit. In movements along the length axis. Carefully avoiding to get a smooth surface. The peaks and lows shall not diverge so much that the result will be leaky.

With a good grip and a slight twist it now is possible to make the bits and the mouthpiece sit quite reliably. In fact so reliably, that it takes an often even better grip to get the parts apart. My Bobcat puller might have been employed once or twice. (Bobcat in this context is a brand name for a brass repairer’s device, not of some mini-caterpillar).

If I had been using silver plated bits, I would have taken a rough file, and with a very light touch have established these grooves along the length axis of the taper.

Sorry if this actually is redundant to a centurylong US tradition of handling such problems. But, honestly, I acted out of my own previously cited "poor man’s solutions" ideology.

Klaus


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