Posted by Mark Heter on August 05, 2003 at 08:31:26:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Jupiter 4-valve sousaphone posted by Thomas on July 28, 2003 at 16:12:27:
That's disappointing to hear. If successful, the Jupiter would have been the first four-valve production sousaphone since before WWII.
The weight issues set aside, a lot of kids still start on the sousaphone, due to budget constraints. I have found that kids can start right off with the four valves with no problem, just as trombonists can start right off with F attachments, from the begining.
I made my living for a time on the sousaphone (King, of course)(as a lot Disney guys did), and that involved much slide pulling with a three-valve horn, playing things in the low register to accomodate vocalists and banjo and accordion choices of keys for the tunes. It should be possible to play a sousaphone in tune, and Jupiter ought to be commended for at least attempting to go in that direction.
Their big (586?) tuba is a real attempt at something original; I understand their distribution is excellent, and the price point is good. I hope they get their quality up. It would be an alternative to the Big Y. Not everybody is a confirmed Royalist (Kings) like me, or can afford a York copy CC.