Thomann SHF-400 MKII Bb-Sousaphone

A great value hooter

I bought this as a stopgap while my vintage Conn was being repaired. For the price I cannot fault it. It comes with a decent wheeled hard case and, despite losing a small amount of "feel" through the fibreglass, it blows really well. Far from being a spare instrument it has become a regular first choice as it is lighter than a full brass instrument (the 4th valve tubing does add weight) and covers the full range with a good tone and intonation. The only downside (hence 4 stars for quality) is that the fixing stays work loose over time which means the whole body of the instrument flexes. I carry a small tool kit but some of the bolts are tricky to tighten but that said it is a superb instrument for the price and anyone buying one will not be disappointed.