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Greetings,
I am a trombone player who doubles on sousaphone in a New Orleans style brass band. I am having an incredibly difficult time getting the water out of the horn. It is a fiberglass King with two water keys. In addition to using the water keys blowing through the horn open and pushing the valves down in different in different combinations, I pull all of the tuning slides. Last night the 3rd valve casing was full of water! I've actually though about using my shop vac to blow it out.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciatedy

You probably have some kind of blockage. Snake everything, or use a hose and flush it out.

I understand. I marched with a 'glass King souzy in high school. The valve block of a King souzy is similar to the tuba version. Does it have a double loop on the top of the third valve slide? If so, you may need to work on a version of the "King Spin," by which all of us who have played a King tuba or souzy had to learn in order to release the water trapped in that double loop slide.

I did the extreme on my souzy: I had a water key installed on all slides pointing down, and all upper slides converted from solid to removable slides for access. I do agree that if you do not own this souzy, and with the double upper 3rd valve slide loop, this solution may be problematic

While wearing it, pivot the bell down almost all the way to the ground. Shift your hips to the left and lean over to your right. While in that position, pull the bell back up to playing position. Straighten up and drain the 3rd valve. Then do it all once more. Should be good.

Welcome to sousaphone land.

Kirley wrote: Thu Sep 04, 2025 1:43 pm While wearing it, pivot the bell down almost all the way to the ground. Shift your hips to the left and lean over to your right. While in that position, pull the bell back up to playing position. Straighten up and drain the 3rd valve. Then do it all once more. Should be good.

Welcome to sousaphone land.

Ah, yes: the souzy version of the "King Spin."

Nearly all BBb sousas have that issue with the upper 3rd valve loop with condensation. Some sousas have movable upper 3rd slides, which makes dumping water easier; some don't. You have to twist or spin the sousa so the water drains to the bottom 3rd slide, then you can empty/dump it out. Also, I've found that condensation collects past the main tuning slide into the lower-inner branch on sousas after a lot of playing. I then rotate/spin the sousa counterclockwise so that water will spill back into the main tuning slide so I can then dump it and blow it out the water key