Re: Conn sousaphone wrap?


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Posted by Lee Stofer on January 25, 2004 at 16:22:19:

In Reply to: Conn sousaphone wrap? posted by K on January 23, 2004 at 09:57:44:

This instrument is a King, not a Conn, as several have said. Someone had suggested that it might be a Conn-King hybrid from the UMI days. UMI did sell, from 1986 until recently, a "Conn 14K" sousaphone that was just a re-branded King 2350.

The bracing makes me think that it is quite a bit older than that, though. The bell is not a standard size, and manufacturers have basically not offered bell diameter choices since before WWII, so it may be quite old.

At any rate, I wouldn't pay much for it, just because of all of the unknowns involved. Do the 1st and 3rd valve top caps really fit, were they jammed on there, or were they soldered in place (yes, I've seen a horn that was really done that way!). The upper mouthpipe setup looks really rigged - in what sort of condition is the lower mouthpipe? Do the valves leak, or do they really leak? Is that the original bell, or is it rigged?

Lee Stofer


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