Posted by Mike I on May 19, 2003 at 23:46:38:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Mouthpiece Recommendations- Old Helicons posted by js on May 19, 2003 at 22:39:32:
I have a 1918 Conn Helicon which I believe was toward the end of Conn's production of Helicons as I don't think they made them too many years after that. Mine was bought by a fellow just before he left for WWI. He didn't make it back and his widow left it in the upstairs closet until she died at age 95. Thats when I got the horn which was literally like new except for 8 decades of black tarnish.
As far as your question my leadpipe required a shank much larger than modern mouthpieces so I had the BrassBow put a sleeve in it so that I could use modern mouthpieces. I use the horn for jazz gigs and primarily use a Schilke 67. This horn really has a big fat sound and seems to respond well to large mouthpieces. I think Joe might be right about it being the same as a 14k as my horn looks very similar from below the neck down. Now I know Helicons date to before Sousaphones, but I don't know if Conn changed the horn before mine was made. Otherwise I would guess the 14k was derived from the Helicon.
I do know my Conn Helicon plays way better than any of the 14ks I've played in my life. In fact the only damage my horn had was the second valve tuning slide was smashed in when it was jamed in the widows closet. I was amazed when Wayne Tannabe at the Brassbow pulled out the Conn catolog and anounced they were still making this exact slide for their new horns. I also have a Buescher Eb that the Brassbow is working on as we speak. It unfortunately was stored in a barn and while in excellent shape on the outside was full of deceased and decaying rats. It was full of maggots and they found all this out when they went to do a chemical cleaning. You don't want to hear (or smell) the rest of the story:-(
Realize that these old horns have some intonation quirks, but they are a lot of fun. I'm using mine this Sunday for a concert of WWI music in a park in town for the just completed restoration of a statue of a WWI doughboy.
Good Luck with your horn.
Mike I