Bloke-mod. - MW2155 repair and new lead pipe
Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2011 1:35 pm
I purchased this MW2155 back in July via the TubeNet community. With an abundance of caution and full insurance, we shipped the horn to St. Louis by FedEx. Yeah, that was not the best decision it turns out ...
(Please save all of the FedEx flames or shipping nightmare stories ... this was a bad decision on my part to use FedEx, but this post is about the fix, not the shipping)
I drove the horn to Mid-South Music (Bloke's place near Memphis, TN) and Joe worked magic to return the bell to normal by hand and without damaging the existing lacquer! He also checked all of the valve alignment, vented the first valve, added a water key on the 4th valve bend, took out a couple of small dents, and generally made sure the horn was in great working condition. The result is a very solid (and good looking
) horn ...
But wait, there's more! As referenced in this post viewtopic.php?f=2&t=46934, Joe also recommended replacing the original lead pipe with one normally designed for a MW 45SL-P. This narrower lead pipe is a subtle change structurally, but the difference in tone and response is not subtle at all. I hear the sound now as being more focused and colorful, yet very full and foundational. I'm hoping to get other perspectives on it as well, but limited use so far.
The modification he made in the lead pipe is reversible ... he made the attachments removable so that I can switch back to the original lead pipe at any time by affixing them with screw-in parts. My tendency is to leave the new lead pipe in nearly all of the time, but you never know. If you're interested in this "Bloke-mod." for MW horns, and in the St. Louis (World Series Champion Cardinals) area, I'd be happy to have you try it out for yourself. Here are a few pics ...
Attachment at 1st Valve
Attachment at bell
Original lead pipe
Thanks Joe for the great work! I'm really pleased with the results.
Finally, a question for the board: Looking at the rear view of this horn, the wrap seems somewhat similar to a MW2000. Did the wrap for this horn, the MW2155, ever change over the years? If so, did the 2000 design perhaps influence the new wrap of the 2155 ... ?? Just wondering.
Chris
(Please save all of the FedEx flames or shipping nightmare stories ... this was a bad decision on my part to use FedEx, but this post is about the fix, not the shipping)
I drove the horn to Mid-South Music (Bloke's place near Memphis, TN) and Joe worked magic to return the bell to normal by hand and without damaging the existing lacquer! He also checked all of the valve alignment, vented the first valve, added a water key on the 4th valve bend, took out a couple of small dents, and generally made sure the horn was in great working condition. The result is a very solid (and good looking
) horn ...But wait, there's more! As referenced in this post viewtopic.php?f=2&t=46934, Joe also recommended replacing the original lead pipe with one normally designed for a MW 45SL-P. This narrower lead pipe is a subtle change structurally, but the difference in tone and response is not subtle at all. I hear the sound now as being more focused and colorful, yet very full and foundational. I'm hoping to get other perspectives on it as well, but limited use so far.
The modification he made in the lead pipe is reversible ... he made the attachments removable so that I can switch back to the original lead pipe at any time by affixing them with screw-in parts. My tendency is to leave the new lead pipe in nearly all of the time, but you never know. If you're interested in this "Bloke-mod." for MW horns, and in the St. Louis (World Series Champion Cardinals) area, I'd be happy to have you try it out for yourself. Here are a few pics ...
Attachment at 1st Valve
Attachment at bell
Original lead pipe
Thanks Joe for the great work! I'm really pleased with the results.
Finally, a question for the board: Looking at the rear view of this horn, the wrap seems somewhat similar to a MW2000. Did the wrap for this horn, the MW2155, ever change over the years? If so, did the 2000 design perhaps influence the new wrap of the 2155 ... ?? Just wondering.
Chris