Re: Sousa buying


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Posted by js on October 08, 2002 at 23:09:14:

In Reply to: Sousa buying posted by Chester on October 08, 2002 at 22:53:19:

I am currently finishing up restoring some 20K's for a school in Maryland. That particular school sort of has a "standing order" with me...As soon as the band director can beg, borrow, or appropriate more money, I send him another 20K. I've sent him 5 or 6 so far. I think he wants a dozen (all satin silver) eventually.

I don't have any more instruments (currently on hand) that will fit quite into that same $2500 price category, but when I find old 20K's with 95% or better intact satin silver and good valves, I restore them to undented and shiny condition WITHOUT replating them and sell them for $2500 (with an old but OK case with good hinges, latches, and handle).

Other 20K's that I have in stock are either silver instruments that WILL require replating (will cost more to buy, but will have ALL NEW SILVER when completed) or brass ones. The brass ones will require complete high-gloss polishing, so we won't be able to sell those "restored" for only $2500 either.

Regardless, used 20K's that have been properly restored (damaged parts REPLACED instead of patched / pistons and valve casings REBUILT, if called for) are BETTER THAN NEW instruments, in my opinion, and certainly can always beat the price of brand new ones by well over $1000.

Personally, I like the old (discontinued) "standard" (full size, but not oversize) Conn sousaphones (14K) better than the 20K size instruments, but most everyone else likes the 20K-type of Conn sousaphones better.
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As to Yamaha, I don't think much of them, though they're certainly better than Jupiter. Yamaha sousaphones' construction is based on some odd ideas including GLUE and SCREWS on some of the branch joints, rather than simple solder. (If a kid wrecks a Yamaha sousaphone, I GUARANTEE that they will wreck it right on that GLUE-and-SCREW joint - where the fit of parts is critical. If it were a simple solder joint, it could simply be pulled apart, repaired, re-rounded, refit, resoldered, polished, and touch-up lacquered/resilvered. A wrecked glue-and-screw branch connection on a Yamaha is a nightmare.) Yamaha sousaphones are probably OK for adult use, but not for kids.


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