Posts made by Dale Proctor

Yes, looks like a Conn 22B (or a different bore Conn variant) to me too. This is the 1929 Conn 22B I used to own.

@Richard-III said in Goodbye adjustable finger ring:

So if I buy a horn with a fixed ring and the ring is in the wrong position for my hand, I have to get it moved. Then over time I change my mind and have to get it moved again. And on and on it goes. I vote for adjustable rings. Or even better, give me a trigger. I've never liked rings anyway. Changing from gripping to extending seems wrong. Gripping and gripping a little harder seems more intuitive. I'm going to go play my York Eminence cornet now with a main tuning slide trigger and enjoy the obviously better design.

I see what you’re saying, but the older Bach Mercedes model was built mainly from Stradivarius parts, and I also have a Stradivarius that I’ve played for about 40 years. I had the shop install the fixed ring in exactly the same spot as it is on my Strad, so I think I’ll be happy with it. Here’s the Mercedes…

@ROWUK said in Goodbye adjustable finger ring:

The adjustable ring is yet another reason why student instruments do not respond as well as more "professional" ones. Play a series of octave slurs at medium loudness (especially second line G to top of stave) and you will notice a HUGE difference with and without the adjustable ring.
I have NEVER had a student that needed a ring in a different position. In the beginning the pinky goes in the ring and during puberty (when the third slide becomes more important) the ring finger. If the third slide is well maintained, both fingers work well enough!
While we are at it, we teachers have to insure that the valves are not held with a "grip of death", rather just squeezing enough for stability. This also improves response dramatically!

YES! Since the adjustable ring was awkward to use because of its height and slight looseness in the holder, I took it out of the bracket and put it aside (plus, I could use the 1st valve slide saddle for the typical valve combinations that are a bit sharp). I immediately noticed that the old Bach played better, which I wasn’t expecting. That led to the decision to get rid of that entire heavy assembly and have a fixed rind installed.

I recently bought a 1976 Bach Mercedes trumpet, and love everything about it except for the awkward 3rd slide ring. To keep the all brass (no nickel) vibe of the horn, I started searching for an all-brass fixed ring, and found out that was a real project. I finally found an old slide from a Sears Silvertone with a brass ring on it and bought it. A trip to Southeastern Musical Services and about a week later I had the horn back, the fixed ring is in the same spot as my Stradivarius, and my finger is happy again…lol.

@BigDub
Beautiful!

I’m sorry to see this and I hope the water recedes quickly and you can get back to normal life. Sounds like you’re pretty well prepared. We live on a small mountain about 1000’ above the city below, so no flood worries here, but…tornadoes are fairly numerous in this part of the country (Alabama, USA). It seems like just about anywhere people live, they are subject to some sort of natural disasters.

Here’s a photo I took today. It’s random and pretty creepy, too…

@J-Jericho said in How about a "Random Meaningless Image...let's see them string"?:

A month ago this was a Walmart Superstore, but involuntary inventory reduction prompted the decision to close this store and another one in the area. I wouldn't be surprised if those responsible for the inventory reduction aim their activities at Target to a greater degree than they had been doing previously.

They still arrest and prosecute people around here who are afflicted with sticky fingers…

@Dr-GO said in 1970 Bach 43 elusive high G#:

@ROWUK said in 1970 Bach 43 elusive high G#:

@Trumpetb I will heartily disagree with the mouthpiece having anything to do with a G#.

Do not loose the focus with this response. There is just something about the G# that just bedazzles the note itself from my experience. Doesn't matter which horn I am playing, which mouthpiece I use with any horn, you have to think (and hear) that G# to slot squarely on it.

You just have to think “Ab” instead of G#, and you’ll hit it dead-on…lol

@JWM
If you’re referring to the G# on top of the staff, I used to have trouble with it too. I had no trouble with the Ab, though, so in my case, it was a mental problem. It may sound silly, but try thinking Ab and see if that helps.

@J-Jericho
Sometimes, it seems like I can barely play one at once…lol

Top to bottom:
1977 Strad, ML (.459) bore, 43 bell, 25 leadpipe
1976 Mercedes, M+ (.456) bore, 38 bell, 7 leadpipe
1982 Strad, ML (.459) bore, 239 bell, 25C leadpipe
1993 Strad, L (.462) bore, 184G bell, 184 leadpipe

Here’s an overlay of scans of the “no dot” (in red) and the more modern (in green) Bach 7C. There is quite a difference…

I recently acquired a Bach 7C mouthpiece that came with an old Bach Mercedes trumpet I bought. I was cleaning the mouthpiece up to possibly give it away to a student who’s taking private lessons from a friend when I noticed there was no period after the CORP lettering on the cup. I have never played a 7C that I liked, and have gifted numerous ones I’ve found in cases of trumpets I’ve bought. After researching the odd stamping, it seems that these were made shortly after Bach was sold to Selmer, and are basically the same as Mt. Vernon mouthpieces.

Well, I tried it out today and it is definitely different from the typical Bach 7C mouthpieces I’ve given away. The rim is comfortable and the cup seems to have a slightly different shape and doesn’t feel as deep. It plays really well, is easy to get around on, and has a nice sound. I think I’ll keep it a while, since I hadn’t mentioned it to my friend yet. Time (and playing it with a few groups) will tell if it’s really a keeper…