Originally, I was going to use a large bore rotary valve set, but upon realizing that I need 15 ft of 3/4" tubing, I opted for a smaller valve set to reduce the weight.
Luckily, I found the Barcone sousaphone that was used for the Bass Horn. The valve set was a little on the small side - .545" - but I didn't have to make a main tuning slide or figure out some of the wrap.
I took the Getzen Baritone Bugle and mounted the rest of my King tubing (after bending them into large crooks) on to the valve section. The leadpipe came from the baritone jazzophone that I had scrapped a while ago for the valve section and modified the first slide into a top slide - it was very successful!
As for the tuba.... well, it's OK. It's about 24 inches tall and has a 10" bell. It plays OK in everything but the lower register - essentially anytime I have more than two valve down, it plays like a bucket, just super stuffy and narrow. It's a practice instrument: practice to see if something like this is possible, which it is, and practice as in something I can practice on if I'm traveling or in a car or bus or if I want to ride a bike somewhere and not lug around a 30+ pound tuba or sousaphone.
Old pictures without braces:
Hello, Ian. I have a blog, Portland Oregon Daily Photo. Last December you commented on my post about Tuba Christmas and told me the name of the red-beared young man playing a CG Conn Grand Jumbo 46K Sousaphone in last year's Tuba Christmas at Pioneer Courthouse Square. I need to contact him. Do you have any idea how I could get in touch with him, please? My e-mail address is olhanson@gmail.com. Thanks!
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