Posted by Conn student on October 02, 2001 at 22:19:57:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: What price for my tubas posted by Lew on October 02, 2001 at 18:48:23:
Don't have a model number, but it sounds like a BBb Monster Bass as described in a 20's catalog, NOT the Orchestra Grand Bass described in the same catalog, because of the 21" fixed bell. The catalog lists the bell for the BBb Monster Bass at 22", but I've seen them closer to 21" (in 3valve).
The Orchestra Grand definitely had a 23" bell and there would not be any question it was a 6/4, as Conn described it as a "Jumbo" the largest bass they made, huge bore, maybe .770 rather than the .734 on the sousaphone grands and .750 on other large horns such as the 20J series. The comparison for the 36J Orchestra Grand would be the 48K Jumbo Sousapone, not the 20K/38K Sousaphone Grand.
There is another noticeable difference, the Orchestra Grand has a straight into the valve cluster leadpipe, while the BBb Monster Bass has a tuning slide in the leadpipe.