TubeNet

What are separable trumpet valve casings?

How can you tell if a trumpet has them?

What exactly are you talking about? I've never heard of what you're describing. Do you have any more details?

b.williams wrote:What are separable trumpet valve casings?

How can you tell if a trumpet has them?

Any chance you have seen the term of two-piece valve casings?

My understanding is that many top sprung trumpets have these: a lower part closely sleeving the piston movement and a wider barrel enclosing the stem and spring.

These parts have to stay soldered together for accurate piston action, so they are not really separable for rutine maintenance.

Klaus

The wider top piece is called a baluster.

I was asked by a potential buyer of one of my Bach Strad trumpets if it had separable valve casings. I had never heard the term. Thanks to Klaus, I now know that it does have two-piece or separable valve casings.

Here is a link to a discussion of the issue of one vs two piece valve casings at Trumpet Herald:
http://www.trumpetherald.com/forum/view ... 3393674c45
Among other things I learned there is that Bach went from two to one piece casings in the early nineties, which may be why the fellow wanted to know which type your Bach Strad had. The explanation given was that there were troubles with "acid bleed" at the casing joint causing finish problems, but the person who related this thought it was an excuse to go to a more modern and efficient (and cheaper) manufacturing method and eliminate a nickel part, going to all brass.

I looked at the trumpets and cornets and flugels lying around the house, about ten of them and all the pro horns do have two piece casings. I have a Roth intermediate cornet that's been turned into an Eb cornet and a Couesnon stencil (Elkhart) flugel that have one piece casings and they both play fine. Both types can be rebuilt about as easily, so that is not an issue. While two piece casings might indicate a pro level horn, I would pay more attention to how the horn played than the valve casing construction.

I noticed that my Conn 20J has one piece casings and I wonder if that is true of most piston tubas . . .

Thank you all for the info.

royjohn wrote:Among other things I learned there is that Bach went from two to one piece casings in the early nineties

Early nineties?? No, I am pretty sure it was 1977. Although the way the post on the trumpet forum is worded, I can see why you think they were saying that.

I noticed that my Conn 20J has one piece casings and I wonder if that is true of most piston tubas . . .

Any bottom-sprung valves would almost need to be. I suppose it'd be possible to make bottom sprung valves with two-piece casings, but it'd be difficult and there wouldn't be any good reason to do so.