Posted by Lee Stofer on September 26, 2003 at 19:42:08:
In Reply to: Sousaphone Rotary Valves posted by SHS Tubamaster on September 22, 2003 at 10:05:31:
The valve section is the bulk of the weight of any brass instrument, and the weight of a 4th valve and tubing just is generally not worth marching with. With a strong player and a large mouthpiece, most any sousaphone can be played with a big sound, and pretty much in tune. Besides, no matter how many or how few valves, your instrument does not play in tune - you do. A rotor added to a Conn 20K would only make it heavier, not a better-playing instrument - they are fine as they are.
And, concerning your Jupiter sousaphones, they have the potential to play rather well. I recently did a play-condition restoration on a beat-up Jupiter sousa for one of the Atlanta schools. It is a King copy, and it went back together with King braces. I chucked the plastic valve guides, machined the stems, then drilled and tapped the pistons and fitted old-fashioned metal valve guides. After de-denting, chemical-cleaning and reassembly, it plays like a King sousa, not bad at all.
Lee Stofer