Bell Rims??

Dan Schultz · Post by **Dan Schultz** » Sun Oct 19, 2014 8:53 pm

I'm calling on you guys who have some direct knowledge of bell rim manufacturing. Here is an image of two King bell rims. The one on the left is a 19" upright King bell that is only engraved "King USA". The rim is .150"thick and .219 wide. The one on the right is a 22" recording bell that has no engraving. The rim is .216" thick and . 207" wide. The one on the left appears to be flattened. Neither rim contains a wire that is magnetic. How are King rims made? Is there a wire inside like most other bell rims I've seen?

Ken Crawford · Post by **Ken Crawford** » Sun Oct 19, 2014 10:13 pm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQIP53NEBIY" target="_blank

Go to about 2:30 and they show the rim being made. And this is a King tuba being made...

Dan Schultz · Post by **Dan Schultz** » Sun Oct 19, 2014 10:58 pm

kmorgancraw wrote:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQIP53NEBIY" target="_blank

Go to about 2:30 and they show the rim being made. And this is a King tuba being made...

Yup. I've seen that video MANY times. There are A LOT of small things that are not detailed. It doesn't address the reasoning that the bell rims have different profiles.

Dan Schultz · Post by **Dan Schultz** » Mon Oct 20, 2014 10:24 am

I think I'm rapidly answering my own questions!

Only one of the King bells I currently have in the shop has a steel wire inside and it's from the 30's. Apparently King hasn't used a bell wire for some time. One person I spoke with this morning suggested that the slightly flattened rim is more of a French style rim and does not have an internal wire.

C'mon you old 'King guys'. I know you are on The Board. Chime in here with some information about what went on at Cleveland/Eastlake regarding the bell rim designs.

Daniel C. Oberloh · Post by **Daniel C. Oberloh** » Wed Oct 22, 2014 2:47 pm

Brass wire.

iiipopes · Post by **iiipopes** » Wed Oct 22, 2014 5:51 pm

Daniel C. Oberloh wrote:Brass wire.

That would make sense - easier to work.

Dan Schultz · Post by **Dan Schultz** » Wed Oct 22, 2014 11:11 pm

Curmudgeon wrote:Current King and the former 5XJ Conn CC tuba bell rims contain no bell rim wire whatsoever.

That's what I thought. The flock of King bells I currently have in the shop do not have any stiffening elements in the rim... neither steel, brass, or otherwise.

MikeW · Post by **MikeW** » Thu Oct 23, 2014 1:33 pm

This website describes some of the rim types out there. Also, I have a faint recollection of Yamaha advertising instruments with Lead bell wires (can't remember what advantage they claimed)

http://orgs.usd.edu/nmm/UtleyPages/Utle ... ssfaq.html

Dan Schultz · Post by **Dan Schultz** » Thu Oct 23, 2014 9:54 pm

MikeW wrote:This website describes some of the rim types out there. Also, I have a faint recollection of Yamaha advertising instruments with Lead bell wires (can't remember what advantage they claimed)

http://orgs.usd.edu/nmm/UtleyPages/Utle ... ssfaq.html

There's some very good information on that page. Thanks for posting.

J.c. Sherman · Post by **J.c. Sherman** » Thu Oct 23, 2014 10:36 pm

King 1140s and the like have no rim. Since WWII, the bell wires of the 4/4 Kings have been made of brass, in my observation. There is considerable variation from bell to bell, era to era with each fabricator.

But damn, those 1140s sure need a wire!

J.c.S.

TubeNet

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