Elkhart Bach 37

tjveloce

I was recently gifted this, ahem, “patinated” Bach 37. I’ve never played Bach horns for more than a few minutes, and since I play almost nothing but jazz, have never associated them with a sound I dig. But I’m also largely ignorant about them. I know they’re the standard in symphonies, but also used in jazz as well. I’ve also never really dug the sound….I get what they’re supposed to deliver, it’s just not really MY concept of sound.

That said, I kinda like this one. It needs to be cleaned and tuned up. I can’t even remove the valves, but they work pretty well despite only getting oil from the holes in the bottom caps. The first valve tuning slide is seized and it’s a little tweaked. Maybe it’s sentimental; the previous owner was a dear friend and transitioned recently. Maybe it’s my fascination with vintage horns….but I’m going to keep it.

Would anyone like to offer some thoughts? I believe it was made in the late 60s/early 70s, but I’ve never seen one from this era with the first valve ring.

-tj in the Cruz Mtns

barliman2001

@tjveloce The thumb ring obviously is a later add-on, as you can see by the incomplete rhomb of the base and the colour that is different from the colour of the 3rd valve ring. Bottom valve caps are newer. The pinkie hook has been bent out of original shape, possibly to better fit the owner's hand.
Solder marks in the middle of every valve. Possibly a Frankenhorn. Have you checked the serial number?

tjveloce

@barliman2001

Seemed like it to me…also because of its size. I think the pinky hook is just bent from abuse. I haven’t checked the serial number other than to find that it’s apparently from the early Elkhart production. What other resources are there?

-tj

barliman2001

@tjveloce bach loyalist, horn-u-copia...

tjveloce

@barliman2001

Thanks!

-tj

Dale Proctor

The bottom valve caps are Bach “heavy” caps, and the tuning slide is an accessory rounded one. The stock tuning slides are more of a “D” shape. Here’s my mid-1970s model for comparison.

J. Jericho

Just a quick couple of additional observations: The 3rd slide threaded rod has been shortened, and the tuning slide appears to be a silver-plated round slide, rather than the usual D-shaped piece.

Dale Proctor

@j-jericho said in Elkhart Bach 37:

Just a quick couple of additional observations: The 3rd slide threaded rod has been shortened, and the tuning slide appears to be a silver-plated round slide, rather than the usual D-shaped piece.

The 3rd valve slide is extended, so I think the rod is the normal length. I beat you to the draw with the rounded tuning slide comment…lol

J. Jericho

@dale-proctor Not my best moment. Mea culpa.

tjveloce

@dale-proctor Thank you Dale…I have the other “D shaped” tuning slide as well. The finger ring on the first valve tuning slide is odd, no?

-tj

tjveloce

@dale-proctor I’ve never heard of “extending” the third valve tuning slide. Was that something that Bach did or did it happen after it left the factory?

-tj

Dale Proctor

@tjveloce
Yes, that finger ring on the 1st valve slide is something a previous owner installed. Since the slide tubing is arranged for a saddle, It probably had a saddle on it originally. The really old Strads generally had no intonation aid on the 1st valve slide.

An “extended” 3rd valve slide is actually just a longer stop rod to allow the slide to be extended farther to play the low F that’s found in a few pieces of music. There’s a set screw in the bottom of the post that holds the rod, so it’s easy to switch a stock one with a longer one. Yours looks to be the stock length, though.

tjveloce

@dale-proctor Got it….thank you again. Based on a few of the usual sites this one appears to have been built sometime between 71 and 74. It plays much better than its appearance or mechanical condition would suggest.

-tj

tjveloce

@tjveloce

By way of follow up, am I correct in believing that my Strad is a 18037? And that there would not have been a first valve slide saddle on it when it left Elkhart?

-tj

Dale Proctor

Somewhere along the way, Bach started putting a saddle on the 1st valve slide. Before they did that, the 1st valve slide was symmetrical - both legs on the slide were inner legs and the outer slide tubes were both attached to the 1st valve case. Yours are set up for a saddle, so I’d guess someone switched the saddle for a ring. Or, someone went to the trouble of fitting all the 1st valve slide parts (except the saddle) from a later horn to it.

tjveloce

@dale-proctor Thank you for the information. I’ll look for a period correct saddle and have my horn tech install one.

-tj