Posted by Tom Mason on September 22, 2003 at 16:30:44:
In Reply to: What the........? posted by Matt G on September 22, 2003 at 00:00:57:
Since I am the seller, I will feel free to weigh in on this:
The front bell was a sousaphone bell, and not the original bell front that may or may not have come with the horn. It does not match the engraving that comes from the time period of the body section. As there are hundreds of sousaphone bells out there, but not a lot of upright bells that fit this body, I felt free to deal with it as I liked.
The horn plays as well or better with the upright bell than it did as a sousaphone bell attached to the horn. As I am sure you know, but others might not; a bell front usually angles at a 45 degree from the body. The sousaphone bell has a 90 degree angle.
By the way, the seller (me) is supporting his neice's stay in a hospital while the doctors observe the possible onset of leukemia. I say this not to drum up bids, but to assure potential buyers that the horn does play and function correctly. It plays well enough that I would not be interested in selling otherwise.
BTW, I like the spin that branched off under this. Good humor is good medicine sometimes.
Tom Mason