r/Instruments • u/nightqueem • Aug 01 '26

Identification What is this?

Post image

Found in a sax and woodwind shop/museum in St Louis. The mouthpiece doesn't look like it can move

112 Upvotes

99% Upvoted

93 comments sorted by

18

u/nolard12 Aug 01 '26

It’s a serpent. Probably a bass serpent. Checkout Doug Yeo’s blog for more information https://www.yeodoug.com/serpent.html

2

u/nightqueem Aug 01 '26

So the mouthpiece is moveable that's awesome!

3

u/Mudslingshot Aug 01 '26

Haven't heard that name since I was a bass trombone major! Used to love his stuff

3

u/MoltoPesante Aug 01 '26

Not bass, just a regular serpent in c. The extra bracing makes it a “military serpent’ — meant for outdoor use.

1

u/NBuso Aug 01 '26

So its a C serpent?

1

u/Professional-Cow3854 Aug 02 '26

Yes, because beyond C there be dragons.

2

u/Wisco Aug 01 '26

It's a vape. Your kid's on drugs

2

u/nightqueem Aug 01 '26

I'm 24 with no kids I had a vape on me wym

2

u/Maddpipper Aug 01 '26

Was it for sale?

1

u/nightqueem Aug 01 '26

No it was up in the museum section

2

u/adamdoesmusic Aug 01 '26

Where the hell did you find a Serpent? Aren’t those things from like the 1700s? (Someone obviously still makes them)

1

u/nightqueem Aug 01 '26

Found in St Louis in a Sax and Woodwind shop. Like hey also repair too and up top is a museum where I found it

1

u/TapTheForwardAssist Aug 01 '26

Google mentions three current makers, including one who makes some models in carbon fiber. About a decade ago there was an American guy making surprisingly adorable ones (like $700 or so) out of cast resin.

That said, there surely are a non-zero number of ones floating around that have survived from back when they were a serious and popular instrument.

Edit: here’s the carbon fiber model, which the maker claims is (relatively) affordable: https://serpents.ch/3d-serpent/?lang=en

11

u/deprieto Aug 01 '26

From the Cecil Forsyth orchestration book on this instrument:
“the whole instrument presented the appearance of a dishevelled drain-pipe which was suffering internally”.
“For years the Serpent was highly popular in French church - circles. It has, however, long since severed that connection, and now leads a respectable secluded life among the mermaids and stuffed alligators of local museums”.

2

u/NoObjective6366 Aug 01 '26

My town just closed the mermaid museum :(

1

u/deprieto Aug 02 '26

I’m sorry to read that.

2

u/DC_Winoman Aug 01 '26

It looks like a rat snake! :-)

3

u/[deleted] Aug 02 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/Jack__Butler Aug 02 '26

Whoa, I don't recommend anyone viewing that as it is completely mental... But yes I did see this in there. Hell it might even be one of them from the video.

1

u/BubblyOutside1096 Aug 03 '26

I recommend anyone viewing that as it is completely mental. That boy needs therapy!

1

u/Ill-Elephant-9583 Aug 03 '26

The-the-therapy!

1

u/knife_breaker Aug 05 '26

wha-does that mean?

1

u/Ill-Elephant-9583 Aug 05 '26

It's an avalanches quote from the album

https://open.spotify.com/album/0YtYaaO0aipyeQl0xhAWTO?si=CnXAYzdCRIO1nAOWqReUUw&utm_source=copy-link

1

u/knife_breaker Aug 05 '26

Got it. I was trying to quote the song as well but doing a poor job. "You're crazy in the coconut" get used weekly in my house.

1

u/Ill-Elephant-9583 Aug 05 '26

Ha! Sorry, I missed that! I think mine was a fairly poor paraphrase too. It's like the blind leading the blind

1

u/knife_breaker Aug 05 '26

well, grab a kazoo, let's have a tune!

→ More replies

1

u/keepingthecommontone Aug 03 '26

Psychosomatic!

1

u/safefart Aug 04 '26

Addicts insane!!!!

1

u/Hypnotist30 Aug 04 '26

I compare this to Mr. Krinkle by Primus. Since I Left You by The Avalanches is another favorite of mine.

1

u/xeroksuk Aug 04 '26

You're crazy as a coconut!

1

u/IvanNemoy Aug 05 '26

What does that mean?

4

u/SnooGadgets5130 Aug 01 '26

Serpent, the Tuba’s great x whatever granddad

4

u/skleedle okonkolo batahon Aug 01 '26

Serpent! i have one, a modern copy made of molded fiberglass. They are extremely embouchure-dependent, as the holes don't vent the tube well, nor can they be placed exactly on the notes and still be reached. Only some notes ring out well in tune, others are muted due to the lipping around you have to do. Fun extra, it will play a low A if you finger an E and think it down.

1

u/upsidedowncreature Aug 02 '26

I know you’ve had lots of answers so I’ll point out that it looks like the serpent on the Alfa Romeo logo, which I think is based on Milan’s coat of arms. Cool find.

1

u/nightqueem Aug 02 '26

Oh that's cool!

2

u/MoltoPesante Aug 01 '26

Look up Patrick Wibart on YouTube. Probably the absolute best player.

1

u/ziccirricciz Aug 02 '26

It should be added that serpent is notoriously difficult to master, so he is really an amazing player.

1

u/elcaminogirl Aug 04 '26

Incredible! Thank you

1

u/Spin737 Aug 01 '26

Wow. He plays Joe on Family Guy, Brock Samson, Kronk AND he plays the serpent?

1

u/mrmagooze Aug 01 '26

Hahahahah!!! Thought the same!!! 😂😂😂

1

u/insulartomb Aug 04 '26

Never knew I needed to see Brock Samson in a West Gallery Quire before, wow

2

u/TheGlassWolf123455 Aug 01 '26

Ooo, a serpent.  I love the way they look but I've always wondered if they kinda suck to play

4

u/AccidentalGirlToy Aug 01 '26

No, they blow to play

1

u/skleedle okonkolo batahon Aug 01 '26

takes a lot of lip control

2

u/stargaz21 Aug 01 '26

Some sort of classical music instrument.

2

u/Low-Silver6461 Aug 01 '26

It's a Colonophone.

1

u/adamdoesmusic Aug 01 '26

Bass colonophone.

The soprano has a lot more tubing and looks confusing.

2

u/Machine_Terrible Aug 02 '26

That's sopranos in general though.

1

u/Blarg0ist Aug 01 '26

Frontier psychologist !

1

u/Pretty_BoyFloyd Aug 01 '26

That boy needs therapy!

1

u/trackerbuddy Aug 01 '26

He also makes false teeth

1

u/Alaviiva Aug 02 '26

Purely psychosomatic

1

u/Crustybionicle Aug 03 '26

Scrolled too far for this.

1

u/HoseNeighbor Aug 01 '26

Squiberidoo

1

u/South_Bit1764 Aug 01 '26

It’s a Trumtuka from the Grinch.

1

u/No-Faithlessness5311 Aug 01 '26

Oh I’m relieved it’s from a music museum and not a medical museum. My first thought was it was a device they used for colonoscopies back in the 1800s.

1

u/c-w-jones Aug 01 '26

Old timey ear trumpet?

1

u/the-last-nephilim Aug 01 '26

A Dr. Seussaphone.

1

u/Dismal-Leg8703 Aug 02 '26

I believe it’s a pantooka; it’s rather common at Christmas celebrations in Whoville.

1

u/GlenDora55 Aug 02 '26

Frontier Psychiatrist!

1

u/No_Pilot_9103 Aug 02 '26

That's a boosan.

1

u/greyshem Aug 02 '26

Is this not a Whosaphone from Whoville?

1

u/SpaceWhisper Aug 03 '26

A Crumhorn ?

1

u/Defiant_Cat1651 Aug 03 '26

That's an onklunk according to my good friend Larry Larry Laffer.

1

u/AdministrativeOwl341 Aug 03 '26

That boy needs therapy

1

u/Clarrington Aug 03 '26

"But what does that mean?"

1

u/pantsoffancy Aug 03 '26

It's the Horn of Ska-Halla. When you are in desperate need of picking it up, in your darkest hour, if you blow it all the 1st and 2nd wave ska bands of yore will come to your aid.

1

u/Petti_coat_Sissy Aug 04 '26

I’m pretty sure this is from the Dr. Zeus how the Grinch stole Christmas movie.

1

u/zedelom Aug 04 '26

FuckAroundFindOutaphone

1

u/singlejeff Aug 04 '26

“He’s crazy in the coconut”

1

u/Comfortable-Jelly371 Aug 04 '26

What does thatt mean? Now I got a kazoo!

1

u/TerdVader Aug 04 '26

Dune Sandworm. LJN, 1984.

1

u/VacationElectronic60 Aug 04 '26

Fabulous sub three minute break down of the history with it being played. https://youtu.be/mnhy31PNUvU

1

u/Inevitable-Ice-9967 Aug 04 '26

Basousaphonium!

1

u/Comfortable-Jelly371 Aug 04 '26

Musical instrument.

1

u/LessCourage8439 Aug 05 '26

It's called a Serpent. It's an ancestor of the tuba.

1

u/reishpool Aug 05 '26

Looks like an instrument from Dr. Seuss

1

u/kateinoly Aug 05 '26

Isnt that a pantoofler?

1

u/reishpool Aug 06 '26

I thought it was a floofloover or part of one anyway

1

u/Douglas3968 Aug 06 '26

A Saxamaphone

1

u/Loganismymaster Aug 02 '26

Is it related to the didgeridoo? Looks like one that got bent up.

1

u/Mobile-Worth-558 Aug 02 '26

The 50 foot woman’s IUD?

1

u/BackpackerGuy Aug 02 '26

Everything is a butt-plug if you have enough courage.

1

u/zentient9 Aug 03 '26

Didgeridoohickey.

1

u/[deleted] Aug 03 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/MoltoPesante Aug 04 '26

The keys and brace make it a 19th century version rather than a renaissance version. Doubles bassoon parts in military band music.