Old Sousaphones

Tubas, euphoniums, mouthpieces, and anything music-related.
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Mithosphere
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Old Sousaphones

Post by Mithosphere »

Dave has done one hell of a job finding out about the old Sousaphones and other odd aspects of Pre-WWI music world. I'm thinking his next adventure should be over to Cedar Falls, IA (if he hasn't been there already) to play their ancient Conn Sousaphone at the Cedar Falls Municipal Band hall.

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1897-1898 Conn Sousaphone

Who else has some old Sousaphones or know where to find them?


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Dave Detwiler
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Re: Old Sousaphones

Post by Dave Detwiler »

Thanks, Ian! I posted about that Cedar Falls Sousaphone here: http://tubapastor.blogspot.com/2012/10/ ... hones.html; and then here: http://tubapastor.blogspot.com/2012/10/ ... ay_27.html; and finally here: https://tubapastor.blogspot.com/2019/01 ... phone.html.

Someday, I hope to see it in person!

But one thing to tweak about your post - the horn was built in 1899, being one of the first 10 Sousaphones that Conn built. The first, of course, was the one used in Sousa's Band, starting in early 1898. And the second, built in early 1899, which I have yet to see a photo of, is this one - does anyone know of its whereabouts?

1899-01-04 Portsmouth (OH) Daily Times.JPG
1899-01-04 Portsmouth (OH) Daily Times.JPG (76.52 KiB) Viewed 190 times
Played an F. E. Olds 4-valve BBb in high school (late '70s)
Led the USC Trojan Marching Band tuba section (early '80s)
Now playing an F. Schmidt (=VMI) 3301 and goofing around
on a 1925 Pan American Sousaphone and an 1899 Conn tuba!
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