Monette Club

Very sad. Thanks for posting this.

Yeah, I would reach out to one of a few people. Also consider Michael Del Quadro of Del Quadro Trumpets.

4 valved trumpets are NOT an afterthought. The 4th valve is generally a purpose built device. It can be permanently attached to the valve block or integrated into the tuning slide.

We have 4th valves for playing ¼ tones - found in middle east and experimental music.

There are ½ tone valves for easily switching a Bb trumpet to A. These are found mostly on vintage instruments built between 1900 and 1920.

There are also whole tone 4th valves to extend the range of a modern orchestral C trumpet to low E which allows playing the handful of very low Bb parts.

Then there are 4th valves that lower the pitch by a 4th to extend the chromatic range to pedal C. These can often be found on high pitched trumpets like in high G, high A and high Bb. In this case, they extend the range to allow playing the lowest notes for typical baroque music.

One further use of a 4th valve is to allow switching between 2 bells (Bobby Shew Shew horn).

My thoughts are if you are not playing specialty music, the 4th valve is useless and can actually make the instrument harder to play.

@mediocreplayer The analysis of a sticky valve is to first check cleanliness (dirt/damage/distortion - thank you Ivan) and proper lubrication, then comes the interface finger position to valve stroke. Proper lubrication means BONE DRY VALVES AND CASINGS, then oil to create isolation between them. Oil floats on water so drying first is a real part of oiling.
Sometimes we can hone the valves (with a loss of compression) until they work or push the player to change hand position and play with the tips of their fingers.

I have only had issues with used instruments broken in by someone else.

@Dale-Proctor said in The Sounds of Silence:

Speaking of yard work, my wife and I spent about 30 hours replacing rotting wooden landscape timbers at the rear of the house with stone borders, as well as moving some plants and providing shallow steps from the yard to one of the bird baths. We redid a smaller natural area in the front yard, too. The total was about 225 stones. Yeah, we’re retired too…lol

It looks very nice. Do you have a big crop of cicadas this year?

Trumpet requires such high internal pressures, I'm surprised more people don't have medical issues. Do you think that playing a lower brass instrument could be a valid solution?

For those that have an interest in the “Great Orchestras” I came across an interesting story. Many of you are aware that Esteban Batallán who had been the Principal Trumpet of the CSO since 2019, in September, 2024, shockingly left this position, that he strived for his entire Trumpet playing career, and assumed the Principal Chair at the Philadelphia Orchestra. He has now returned to the CSO.
The details of this story can be found in the link below. I also have included a link of CSO Principal Trumpet Esteban Batallán performing an excerpt from Michael Haydn's Trumpet Concerto in D Major — one of two concertos he will play in his highly-anticipated solo debut with the Orchestra led by Riccardo Muti June 12-14. Along with the M. Haydn, Batallán will present Telemann's brilliant Trumpet Concerto in D Major.

https://music.newcity.com/2025/06/05/reflective-return-after-philly-detour-esteban-batallan-is-back-at-his-cso-dream-job/

Youtube Video

@J-Jericho said in Holton 605 serial number:

A quick DuckDuckGo.com search provided:

https://brasshistory.net/Holton Brass List.pdf

You, sir, get a 20,000% raise!

@BigDub said in Artist on BOARD:

@administrator
How much do you love it?

Haha, I see where you're going! Someday I'll have to commission something.

@BigDub said in Artist on BOARD:

Saw this farm a couple of weeks ago. I have seen it probably a hundred times, but this time I saw it differently. Stopped on the side of the road and took several pics. And here’s what I came up with. Hopewell, NJ farm.

I love it!