Posted by Rob P-M on July 30, 2003 at 15:17:09:
In Reply to: WTB King sousaphone bell posted by Rob on July 30, 2003 at 09:37:01:
Are you looking for a 1270 bell (28") or a 1250B bell (26")? If you have a Giant (.750 bore), you're looking for a 28" bell if you want the original equipment, but if your horn has the smaller .687 King bore we all know and (?)love, but the larger collar, you have a 1250B -- a rather rare horn that took a 26" bell.
As you probably know, it was only in the 1930s that sousaphone bells standardized at 26" for the flagship horns (King 1250, Conn 38K and 28K), 28" for the big horns (Giant and Jumbo). Kings in the 20's often had 24" bells. Cleveland and American Standard sousaphones had 24" or 22" bells. The Conn 38K started off with a 22" bell, went to a 24" bell in the mid-20s and then to a 26" bell by the early 30's. The Conn Jumbos listed a 28" bell standard, with 30" bells available.