Mardi Gras, tonght (facebook vid's/comments/pic now linked...)
Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2023 2:59 pm
I completely forgot that (since last year) I SOLD my 4-valve sparklephone (forgetting, I suppose, that I occasionally play stand-up gigs and parades), did NOT get that satin-silver Conn Pan American (14K) fixed up in time to use on this gig (illness/work/gigs/etc.), so I borrowed a King fiberglass from a private school out here in blokesville.
The sousaphone is "new-style" with the "old-style" neck (just noticed - and I really didn't want to spend two hours cranking my neck...) so I went out in the shop, scrounged parts, hurry-hurry just now made a "new-style" neck, and bent a nice long (old eyes) lyre - JUST IN CASE I need my cheat sheets (two sides of two index cards.)
After reviewing this tune list (texted to me) I'm pretty sure I won't be needing those cards, but whatever...
and here's the stuck-together "new-style" neck and lyre:
...I couldn't find any King braces, so I messed with a (albeit flimsy) Jupiter brace (found ONE) and made it fit.
I also had to round up a bell screw, and whoop up on the tuning bits until they no longer leaked.
JUST remembered...It needs a new main slide spit cork...so (ok...) right after this last edit...
It pays less than $300 - and is a 1:45 minute drive (x 2) - as bloke CHOSE to move out to the wilderness, but the parade route and the following party are short, I only see this particular group of guys occasionally, and it should be fun.
...and yeah...It's supposed to be on TUESDAY (before Ash Wednesday), but peeps says: "we gotta woik".
The sousaphone is "new-style" with the "old-style" neck (just noticed - and I really didn't want to spend two hours cranking my neck...) so I went out in the shop, scrounged parts, hurry-hurry just now made a "new-style" neck, and bent a nice long (old eyes) lyre - JUST IN CASE I need my cheat sheets (two sides of two index cards.)
After reviewing this tune list (texted to me) I'm pretty sure I won't be needing those cards, but whatever...
and here's the stuck-together "new-style" neck and lyre:
...I couldn't find any King braces, so I messed with a (albeit flimsy) Jupiter brace (found ONE) and made it fit.
I also had to round up a bell screw, and whoop up on the tuning bits until they no longer leaked.
JUST remembered...It needs a new main slide spit cork...so (ok...) right after this last edit...
It pays less than $300 - and is a 1:45 minute drive (x 2) - as bloke CHOSE to move out to the wilderness, but the parade route and the following party are short, I only see this particular group of guys occasionally, and it should be fun.
...and yeah...It's supposed to be on TUESDAY (before Ash Wednesday), but peeps says: "we gotta woik".