Ed. Kruspe, Erfurt baritone. looking for info.

[jeopardymaster]

Sorry, Dan, I don't know much about my little horn. I'm attaching some links to pictures.

I bought it on eBay. I remembered my old buddy Bob Bryant had had one back in the '70's
and he sounded terrific on his. But he'd sound terrific on a garden hose.

The photos don't show it - I couldn't get enough resolution and will try using my new camera
once I figure it out - but the engraving says "E. Kruspe - Erfurt - Germany"

With the stovepipe bell and since it isn't "East Germany" I infer it is pre-WWII.
Since the engraving is not "Deutschland" likely its first destination was here - or Great Britain
(or Canada?). I couldn't find a serial number. I'm emailing the shop for their thoughts
and will share anything interesting.

Dan knocked out some dents for me, and gouged out the receiver so that a standard shank
mouthpiece would fit. Previously it had been sized midway between a tenor and bass
trombone shank. So adjusted, it has some moderate to serious intonation issues but
response is nice, other than a woofy low C. It's my "learner's permit" F.

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u168 ... peF010.jpg" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank
http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u168 ... peF008.jpg" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank
http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u168 ... peF007.jpg" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank
http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u168 ... peF006.jpg" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank

[sugawi]

Here are some better pictures. Your comments welcome

[sugawi]

Any advise on how to clean and polish this horn without using abrasive polishes? I would like to play in the band again and will need to make this horn function and look nice

[Dan Schultz]

Any advise on how to clean and polish this horn without using abrasive polishes? I would like to play in the band again and will need to make this horn function and look nice

It already looks as good as my 'players'. If you want it to shine... I like to use Simichrome. A little goes a long way. Usually available at motorcycle shops. Harley guys love it.

[sugawi]

I read that Simichrome is abrasive viewtopic.php?f=2&t=13176&p=106044&hili ... ve#p106044

[imperialbari]

Shining the body isn’t the main problem at all. Rather you should have some competent person mount the bottom bearing plates of the rotors correctly.

Klaus

[Dan Schultz]

I read that Simichrome is abrasive viewtopic.php?f=2&t=13176&p=106044&hili ... ve#p106044

Anything you rub the horn with is going to be abrasive to some degree. Simichrome is one of the least abrasive alternatives. Even a dry cotton cloth is abrasive is you want to split hairs.

One of the older gentlemen in my Dixieland ensemble used to swear by ketchup. He would slather it on... wait 30 minutes or so... and then hose it off. It shined the brass wonderfully. However... it's the mild acid in ketchup that does to work. Any way you cut it, you are going to removed a small dab of brass every time you polish. Doesn't matter if it's chemical or mechanical. It's still material removal when you polish brass.

[sugawi]

Shining the body isn’t the main problem at all. Rather you should have some competent person mount the bottom bearing plates of the rotors correctly.

Klaus

Is it possible to do it myself? Or it's to risky?

Doesn't matter if it's chemical or mechanical. It's still material removal when you polish brass.

That's a great explanation on polishing brass! I used search button a lot but this post summarizes everything.
P.S.
Is it citric acid in ketchup or vinegar? I also read somewhere to use one part vinegar and 3 parts Dawn dish washing liquid.

[Dan Schultz]

...... is it citric acid in ketchup or vinegar? I also read somewhere to use one part vinegar and 3 parts Dawn dish washing liquid.

Dunno whether it's the citric acid in tomatoes of the acetic acid in vinegar that does the work.... maybe both. Most acids leave behind traces of red on brass. The redness is actually a very thin film of copper where a tiny bit of zinc in yellow brass has been leached out on the surface. For some reason, the ketchup trick leaves behind a very bright brass finish. BTW.... I don't recommend this treatment. It's just an example of what some of the 'old timers' may have done. This old guy played a tiny Couesnon Eb upright tuba that always reminded me of cheeseburgers for some reason!