Posted by Rob P-M on November 12, 2001 at 12:49:02:
In Reply to: Re: Conn 32K? posted by Lew on November 10, 2001 at 10:05:27:
My 1931/32 "New Wonderphone Basses and Sousaphones" Brochure has the same information as you posted.
Looking at the pictures on e-bay, and the one in the brochure, I think there is more difference from the 20K. I think that the largest branches are also smaller and the bell reciever would be smaller than the 7-1/4" of the 20K and its exact predecessor the 38K. In fact, I'd almost bet that the bell receiver is a lot closer to the 6-1/2" of the standard King 1250 sousaphone (now 2350). The 24" bell was standard on the Eb 26K, as was the smaller reciever size. My bet is that the 32K combines the 38K tubing through the next to the last branch and the 26K final branch or 2. Using a smaller diameter final branch would surely reduce weight, as would the 24" bell.
That the Conn could be built this way, i.e. the .734 bore through the valves and the same main branches up to the last and next to last, is clear from the older "monster" BBb helicon, which ends up with a 22" bell. Also, King built the 1250 sousaphone for a time in two models 1250A and 1250B, one of them the normal King that survives today as the 2350 and another with larger final branches with a 7+ bell receiver.