sparklephone to be picked up and re-homed, tomorrow
Posted: Tue Aug 16, 2022 7:22 am
I started thinking back about how long ago this "creation" was put together...It's been a while. 
I started looking around at the instruments that remain (those that are "mine" - vs. the ones out in the barn that are "to be slicked out and sold").
Things (personally-owned things, NOT referring to "Mid-South Music, Inc." things) have come-and-gone from here, but - when they were here - they received a lot of use (gigs)...until they didn't, and then they disappeared.
There's currently only one C thing and one E-flat thing.
There are two things in F, and (though one of them may or may not stay, as it's only a partially-completed-yet-playable project) THREE things in B-flat - again: TWO of which are in "very good standing".
There are TWO euphoniums. Both are fine instruments that were offered to me at prices I couldn't refuse. One plays high really well - and low OK, and the other one plays low really well - and high OK. Being a euphonium "doubler" (though not the worst one may have ever heard), having these two instruments (for different music) helps me sound less like - well - a doubler. So far: only existing as a box of parts, is a (another 9-feet B-flat thing) bass trombone-like valved contraption (but also with an alternate playing slide). I'm planning on using it on a Dvorak Symphony (no tuba: #7) later in the year, so I'll probably need to get on with that project. There's also a flugabone and valve trombone. Typically, I use those when (though unusual) someone else ends up being hired to play tuba or bass on some dixie gig, and I end up playing tailgate. Otherwise, I use them as doubling instruments on polka band gigs (where the horn player plays sax/flute/clarinet/trumpet/bass trumpet). There are only four of us, so we double a lot - to offer "sonic variety". I also have a ($50, I'm thinking) pocket trumpet that I also bring to polka gigs.
I guess (looking around) this current personal "B-flat fad" is reaching critical mass.
The C instrument WILL NOT be sold (as it plays stupid-easy and smooth-as-butter), but - candidly - it's mostly been sitting.
I was only called for one NOLA brass band gig (albeit a big one) during this last year - an out-of-town Mardi Gras parade-and-party (when I was just barely recovered enough from surgery to play any sort of gig). If I find that I need another sousaphone (after turning loose of the sparklephone), there is an old Conn 14K brass body (I'm thinking with flaking-off blue rattle-can paint on it - probably an old school color) and a Secrist-rebuilt (completely 14K compatible) 36K valveset that can be made into a nice (and lightweight) instrument. There are other brass sousaphone projects out there, but (potentially, when fixed up) they're too valuable (band-director-popular) to be fixed up and kept for myself.
The "guitar family" instruments owned are not listed here, but (probably) the considered-by-some-to-be-desirable stuff should (probably) be sold. No one calls me to play bass, anymore. LOL...I consider myself to be a (albeit out-of-practice) really good bass player, but [1] no one knows it, and [2] so are a bunch of other people.
' sorry about the "stream of consciousness" post...but - looking around at what's here and labeled as "my personal instruments", I started remembering all the stuff that was FORMERLY here (and classified as such). I honestly don't miss any of those instruments, but it's interesting to stop - for just a moment - and remember them.
I started looking around at the instruments that remain (those that are "mine" - vs. the ones out in the barn that are "to be slicked out and sold").
Things (personally-owned things, NOT referring to "Mid-South Music, Inc." things) have come-and-gone from here, but - when they were here - they received a lot of use (gigs)...until they didn't, and then they disappeared.
There's currently only one C thing and one E-flat thing.
There are two things in F, and (though one of them may or may not stay, as it's only a partially-completed-yet-playable project) THREE things in B-flat - again: TWO of which are in "very good standing".
There are TWO euphoniums. Both are fine instruments that were offered to me at prices I couldn't refuse. One plays high really well - and low OK, and the other one plays low really well - and high OK. Being a euphonium "doubler" (though not the worst one may have ever heard), having these two instruments (for different music) helps me sound less like - well - a doubler. So far: only existing as a box of parts, is a (another 9-feet B-flat thing) bass trombone-like valved contraption (but also with an alternate playing slide). I'm planning on using it on a Dvorak Symphony (no tuba: #7) later in the year, so I'll probably need to get on with that project. There's also a flugabone and valve trombone. Typically, I use those when (though unusual) someone else ends up being hired to play tuba or bass on some dixie gig, and I end up playing tailgate. Otherwise, I use them as doubling instruments on polka band gigs (where the horn player plays sax/flute/clarinet/trumpet/bass trumpet). There are only four of us, so we double a lot - to offer "sonic variety". I also have a ($50, I'm thinking) pocket trumpet that I also bring to polka gigs.
I guess (looking around) this current personal "B-flat fad" is reaching critical mass.
The C instrument WILL NOT be sold (as it plays stupid-easy and smooth-as-butter), but - candidly - it's mostly been sitting.
I was only called for one NOLA brass band gig (albeit a big one) during this last year - an out-of-town Mardi Gras parade-and-party (when I was just barely recovered enough from surgery to play any sort of gig). If I find that I need another sousaphone (after turning loose of the sparklephone), there is an old Conn 14K brass body (I'm thinking with flaking-off blue rattle-can paint on it - probably an old school color) and a Secrist-rebuilt (completely 14K compatible) 36K valveset that can be made into a nice (and lightweight) instrument. There are other brass sousaphone projects out there, but (potentially, when fixed up) they're too valuable (band-director-popular) to be fixed up and kept for myself.
The "guitar family" instruments owned are not listed here, but (probably) the considered-by-some-to-be-desirable stuff should (probably) be sold. No one calls me to play bass, anymore. LOL...I consider myself to be a (albeit out-of-practice) really good bass player, but [1] no one knows it, and [2] so are a bunch of other people.
' sorry about the "stream of consciousness" post...but - looking around at what's here and labeled as "my personal instruments", I started remembering all the stuff that was FORMERLY here (and classified as such). I honestly don't miss any of those instruments, but it's interesting to stop - for just a moment - and remember them.
