Posted by rumor on August 29, 2003 at 10:35:37:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Kings new BBb Contra posted by mike on August 29, 2003 at 09:07:21:
If eronomics - combined with sound - were the real concern with corps and marchin' bands (and not the "looks" of shoulder-mounted tubas) there is no shoulder-mounted tuba that is ergonomically superior nor sound-superior to a good fiberglass sousaphone (Yes, side-action [sousaphone-like] valves are better, and so is keeping one's elbows well below one's head.)
blind test: Set up a screen, some critical listeners, a very fine player with no axe to grind, the "top" brands of larger shoulder-mount tubas/contras, and an old Conn 36K fiberglass sousa' and a King fiberglass sousa'. The two fiberglass sousas (though noticably different from each other in bell/bore size) will both end up in the top of the picks.
Weril, Dynasty-Willson, Kanstul, Yamaha, and others will sell plenty of their convertable models, and band directors will continue to look down their noses at fiberglass sousaphones - 100% because of perception and 0% because of reality...
...but who cares? Its LABOR DAY...YEAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!