Posted by js on September 27, 2001 at 22:11:54:
I just fixed up a "3/4" size ("real" Olds - California-made) Olds sousaphone for a friend (a young jazz tuba player). That is a NICE little instrument! I noticed one like it on e**y before, and didn't realize how well they play. Tangent observation: The bell was severely creased. I noticed that it didn't have that typical annoying sousaphone bell ringing noise. As you might have guessed, when I straighted out the bell (per his request), the bell ringing noise began occuring ("again" - I would add as an assumption). I wonder if annealing it would stop this?/make it worse?/do nothing? (Matt W., have you ever tried this?)...I don't suppose anyone has done very many "acoustical" experiments on sousaphone bells... ;^)
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Shameless advertisement: I have an old King-made ("Gladiator") satin silver 3/4 BBb sousa that is just about the same exact size as my friend's Olds. I used to enjoy playing it a lot in jazz bands until I started messing around with EEb tubas and helicons. The King Gladiator BBb 3/4 sousa is in just about pristeen condition with a beautiful gold plated bell interior and its original (small) hard case in very good condition. I gladly paid $975 for it because of the way it played, and its amazing condition. The case was a big "plus", too. I'd be glad to sell it for around the same price, if anyone thought they might like to have it. I'm not using it at this time. I was reminded of it, however (sort of forgot that I had it), when I played that great little beat-up Olds 3/4 BBb sousa that my young friend brought to me.
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Your choice:
-ignore this post
-comment about bell-ringing remedies
-comment about 3/4 or "baby" sousaphones in general
-flame this post for twisting it around into trying to sell a horn
-change the subject
-?