Posts made by stumac

Spent about an hour on the beast today, washed the valves and swabbed the casings with solvent and removed the lapping compound, washed and brushed the inside.

Oiled the valves, greased the slides and reassembled, checked valve alignment, not bad, have seen much more costly horns worse. Valves quite smooth in operation, springs stronger than I like but ok.

Playing, with Blackburn leadpipes from behind not much different from my old Selmer, supplied Bb leadpipe ok, A pipe no. would suggest new leadpipes, perhaps this is a new project.

Supplied mouthpiece a strange double cup design, similar to old Selmer, does work but not my choice.

Was this an exercise in futility? I will see when I return it to its owner on Saturday.

Regards, Stuart.

A friend gave me his piccolo trumpet to see what I could do with it. (Oswal India, nuff sed)

Pulled stuck slides, easy enough, removed valves, casings numbered 1 2 3 4, Valves 2of numbered 1, other 2 no number,fun to sort out on reassembly, valves appear to have been greased, very sluggish.

2 leadpipes, assume Bb and A, both receivers just parallel tubing, Bb the mouthpiece goes into the start of the leadpipe and is firm, in A pipe does not reach leadpipe and wobbles.

This is as far as I have gone, the next step is to give it a good cleaning and then reassemble paying particular attention to valve alignment. I have Blackburn Bb and A pipes that will fit.

More to come.

Regards, Stuart.

My favorite cornet for noodling at home is a 1906/13 Boosey, 2 serial Nos, 06 valve block, 13 bell. Such a sweet sound but would be lost in a modern band.

If I ever had to play in a Brass Band (heaven forbid) I have a modern Besson Soverign, a much more powerful and brighter instrument.

Regards, Stuart.

Both daughters now married with children. Too late!

Regards, Stuart.

Such a shame he died at 28.

Regards, Stuart.

I have one that will, you cannot have it because I need it myself.

Regards, Stuart.

I will be 81 at the end of this month, I feel young compared to a flute player in our Orchestra who is 90 and a visitor to the Big Band a couple of weeks ago, a Clarinet and saxophone player still blowing at 98.

Regards, Stuart.