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Bell Rims??
Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2014 8:53 pm
by Dan Schultz
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?
Re: Bell Rims??
Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2014 10:13 pm
by Ken Crawford
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...
Re: Bell Rims??
Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2014 10:58 pm
by Dan Schultz
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.
Re: Bell Rims??
Posted: Mon Oct 20, 2014 10:24 am
by Dan Schultz
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.
Re: Bell Rims??
Posted: Wed Oct 22, 2014 2:47 pm
by Daniel C. Oberloh
Brass wire.
Re: Bell Rims??
Posted: Wed Oct 22, 2014 5:51 pm
by iiipopes
Daniel C. Oberloh wrote:Brass wire.
That would make sense - easier to work.
Re: Bell Rims??
Posted: Wed Oct 22, 2014 11:11 pm
by Dan Schultz
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.
Re: Bell Rims??
Posted: Thu Oct 23, 2014 1:33 pm
by MikeW
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
Re: Bell Rims??
Posted: Thu Oct 23, 2014 9:54 pm
by Dan Schultz
There's some very good information on that page. Thanks for posting.
Re: Bell Rims??
Posted: Thu Oct 23, 2014 10:36 pm
by J.c. Sherman
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.