Indiana Band Inst. sousaphone / ebay

[catgrowlB]

Interesting old sousaphone in the same size class (5/4 size sousas -- equivalent to 6/4 tubas) as the Conn 20k, Yamaha 411, King 'Giant', York 'Monster' etc. sousas...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/306508584381

[Kevbach33]

Looks kinda like a smaller version of a 4-valve Martin jumbo Sousaphone that was at a local music store to me a couple years back. So essentially a Martin mammoth, I reckon. Elkhart, IN also checks out.

Too bad it has a Conn neck; Martin Sousaphones are nearly unplayable (discomfort) with them.

[catgrowlB]

^ Going off the top of my head, yeah I think Indiana Band Inst. was a subsidiary/stencil of Martin, if I recall correctly. Like Cleveland was for HN White (King) or Pan American was for Conn.

Not to be confused with Elkhart Band Inst., which was a company created jointly by the heads of Conn and Beuscher. I have an Elkhart Band Inst. tuba that is clearly a contemporary to the ancient Pan-American BBb, and predecessor to the Conn 10j because it is roughly a century old, and nearly identical. It heavily leans more 'Conn', but other Elkhart Band Inst. tubas lean more 'Beuscher'.

[arpthark]

I have an Elkhart mellophone that is very Bueschery.

[humBell]

Those do look like proper Martin bell screws.

Conn neck and bits, (which always seems to me a uniquitous/default replacement if they fit)

Thanks for pointing this out!

[hrender]

Yeah, those are Martin bell screws.

Horn-u-copia mentions the Martin/Indiana connection here: https://www.horn-u-copia.net/Reference/ ... hisrec=460