Posted by Kenneth Sloan on October 24, 2002 at 12:49:15:
An update on the "Symphony" helicon. It arrived today in relatively good shape (UPS added a small wrinkle to the bell, but that yielded to gentle massage).
It is, indeed, engraved "Symphony U.S. Pat. Reg", but I haven't found any other identifying marks. Oh...there is a serial number on a valve casing.
It has clearly been "restored", mending the results of a long and useful musical life and plays about as well as one might expect (I have a new respect for the intonation on more modern intruments...) The restoration included the fitting of a modern King sousaphone neck, and the seller included one bit.
According to my trusty tuner, it plays a bit flat with this setup (and with the mouthpieces I have at hand - all of which are intended for a BBb tuba). In addition, my initial impression is that I prefer the playing position WITHOUT the bit. Alas, the neck doesn't *quite* accept a mouthpiece perfectly - all of mine appear to bottom out before fully seating and there's just a bit of "play". My main problem with the bit (other than the tendency to play flat) is that it necessarily curves the path of the 'leadpipe' so that the bell is either too close or too far away from my head.
so...questions: what type of mouthpiece should I look for? is it feasible to modify the King neck (or construct something custom) to not require the bit? is it feasible to complete the "restoration" by replacing the sousaphone neck with a fixed leadpipe (braced to the bell?), do there exist straight 'bits' that would help provide a better playing position with the sousaphone neck? When I acquire a mouthpiece better suited to this instrument, would it make sense to shorten its shank so that it seated properly without bottoming out - or is it just a bad idea to insert a mouthpiece directly into a sousaphone neck sans bit?
My short-term goal is to have Eb fingerings under enough control to bring this toy to the Huntsville, AL TubaChristmas on 7 December. After that..who knows. (Actually, I have this sneaking suspiscion that my son the trombonist may claim it for TubaChristmas duty, but we'll see about that..) With that in mind...does your mouthpiece recommendation differ for me (BBb kind of guy) and him (trombonist, currently playing a 5GS)
In the long term...this is shaping up as a "project" horn. I'll play it a bit (it doesn't deserve to be a wall hanging) - but it's not a truly serious player, and I don't have any performing opportunities where it would be the instrument of choice. To be really interesting, I'd like it to be as 'original' in appearance as possible - and I wouldn't mind putting a few dollars into it.
What's Lee Stofer's address in Atlanta, again...?