For all the historians out there...recording bells?

[Dave Detwiler]

Here's an interesting and highly relevant fact for this thread . . .

When C. G. Conn designed and patented the forward-facing bell for his low brass instruments in 1908, there was nothing said in the reports about them relating to how it would help with recording. Many benefits were mentioned, but not that one. And they were not called "recording bells" until sometime later.

For the details, here's my blog post on that: https://tubapastor.blogspot.com/2021/07 ... -1908.html

According to my research, Conn first called such a tuba a "Phonograph" model in 1921, and eventually a "Recording Bass" in 1928. Here are the specific models:

48-J (1921) New Wonder Phonograph CC
52-J (1926) Phonograph BBb
34/36-J (1928) De Luxe Recording Bass, BBb

[York-aholic]

Interesting how similar the bugle (ignore the valve set) on that Holton that Conrad is playing looks compared to a York 700 series.

Then again, the Monster Eb tubas look quite similar between the two companies, as do their squat 4/4 BBb horns.

I’m not implying anything, I just don’t think I’d noticed a picture of a Holton ‘tall bell” 4/4 before.

Anyone have one that they could post a picture of or ever seen one in the flesh?

[bloke]

York/Holton… The more pictures and instruments show up and the more measuring that is done, the more suspect a tuba relationship between the two companies becomes.

Maybe, stay away from Holton, unless you want to soon end up dead.

[bloke]

I appreciate the picture of the recording session, and it is instructive.
It also indicates that only a few members of the band could probably crowd around those dozen or so machines – rather than the full band, and that – if 1000 black cylinders were sold for any given recorded song for instrumental piece – it would still need to be performed quite a few times, to meet demand.

[bloke]

I appreciate the picture of the recording session, and it is instructive.
It also indicates that only a few members of a large band - such as the Sousa band - could probably crowd around those dozen or so machines – rather than the full band, and that – if a-thousand-or-thousands of wax cylinders were sold for any given recorded song or instrumental piece – it would still need to be performed quite a few times (again: if there was no copying technology), to meet demand.

[Yorkboy]

Interesting how similar the bugle (ignore the valve set) on that Holton that Conrad is playing looks compared to a York 700 series.

Then again, the Monster Eb tubas look quite similar between the two companies, as do their squat 4/4 BBb horns.

As documented in a previous post, a recent silver-plated Holton monster E flat I disassembled had the number “51” stamped on the branch where it is inside the ferrule….”51” is the model number for the York equivalent instrument.

I can’t think of any evidence that would be more convincing than that.

[Yorkboy]

BD62D31B-69C6-4A76-ADC5-F8662AA97991.jpeg (54.56 KiB) Viewed 483 times

This picture is from a book I own, published by Victor called “What We Hear in Music” - my copy has a date of 1921, which is the 4th edition, and a year after Conrad’s death.

Appropriately, Conrad appears to be playing a Conn New Wonder Phonograph, key uncertain.

https://simonettitubacollection.com/ins ... 4-pistons/

[York-aholic]

Interesting how similar the bugle (ignore the valve set) on that Holton that Conrad is playing looks compared to a York 700 series.

Then again, the Monster Eb tubas look quite similar between the two companies, as do their squat 4/4 BBb horns.

As documented in a previous post, a recent silver-plated Holton monster E flat I disassembled had the number “51” stamped on the branch where it is inside the ferrule….”51” is the model number for the York equivalent instrument.

I can’t think of any evidence that would be more convincing than that.

Yep, I'm not denying that in any way, shape, or form. I was just trying to steer clear and look specifically at the 'tall bell' versions.

[Snake Charmer]

Wasn't there a "Pit Tuba" made by King in the 1930s? It was a slender but tall rotary horn with a normal sized adjustable front bell for the the use in orchestra pits to prevent blowing against the ceiling.The bell was high enough to blow over the heads of the orchestra.

[York-aholic]