Posted by Rob Perelli-Minetti on June 29, 2000 at 07:54:12:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Selmer sousa on eBay posted by Klaus on June 28, 2000 at 20:49:24:
Klaus: Although it's really impossible to convey the sort of difference you would say "of course" about if you heard it, I'll try. And remember, generalizing over all instruments of a given maker only speaks to tendencies, individual horns will vary widely.
Conn sousaphones (and the 2XJ tubas) tend to have a darker, more fundamental (overtones?), "ballsy" sound, less focused, sometimes becoming 'woofy' as Joe S. describes. I would say that Conns typically have more power than Kings. They typically have very good low registers (below the Bb below the staff on down through the false tones to the pedal BBb). Middle registers are always good, some horns have remarkably good upper registers (above the top line A), though for me that is the one thing I have found really inconsistent on Conn sousaphones.
King sousaphones tend to have a sound that is described as "sweet" or mellow, brighter (but not 'brassy') and more focused. The lower register on the 3 valve horns tends to be stuffier than the Conns, middle and upper registers are good.
Marching bands in the 30's to 60's would likely have all Conns or all Kings. Before WWII, probably a mix of regular BBb, one or two jumbo BBb, and some Ebs, after WWII and through the 50's, the jumbos and the Ebs tended to disappear. My impression is that Kings would be better in a situation with a very large bass section than a smaller section. Conns would give you more power if you had fewer basses.