Posted by Well... on June 10, 2003 at 09:35:09:
In Reply to: Info about two tubas posted by Brad on June 09, 2003 at 14:01:36:
my high school band had to walk to school every day 15 miles through the snow ....
no, but all the school owned for basses (as we called them in the dark ages) were two Conn 20K sousaphones, four King 1250 (2350 predecessor) sousaphones, and a Besson BBb upright that apparently dated to before the beginning of the 20th century. There was also a 1920's Conn 26J (3 valve top action upright bell - quite a good horn, actually) someone in town owned and would lend to the band, when needed. A fellow who graduated before me and I had Alex BBbs, of which the director was in awe and which we brought to school only for dress rehearsals, challenges, and performances.
Moral: try to find at least a reasonble playing horn for yourself, even if its an old American top action piston 3 banger you paid $300 for.