The only definite answer I can give is that you are correct; that is the usual arrangement of valve pitches for both piston and rotary horns.
For the rest, why don't you try it out and see if you like the sound? Then, you can decide how much you want to invest after paying the auction price.
I'm sure the horn needs some professional attention, by someone who doesn't have to ask basic questions. [No offense intended, but I'm guessing from the nature of your questions that you may not have tuba overhaul skills.]
This helicon looks really cool, so if it is a good player, it's probably worth some work. By the way, one thing you have to inquire about is the pitch of the instrument. How close to modern (A=440) pitch is it and/or what would it take to get it to modern pitch?
Best of luck,
Allen Walker
Rotary valve virgin
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Allen
- 3 valves
- Posts: 404
- Joined: Fri Mar 19, 2004 12:29 am
- Location: Boston MA area
Regarding the basic pitch of the instrument, it's likely BBb. When I wondered if it were at modern pitch, I was thinking about the high and low pitch standards that were common in the earlier part of the twentieth century and before. The highest pitches for a Bb instrument would put it very close to a modern B-natural!
Joe's suggestion about cutting the instrument to CC is most interesting. If it's already a high pitch horn, it may be the most practical thing to do. Mostly, it depends on what key tubas you are familiar with, and your attitude about CC versus BBb.
Joe: Aren't you afraid that having more CC helicons out there in the world might erode that $100,000 price tag on yours?
AW
Joe's suggestion about cutting the instrument to CC is most interesting. If it's already a high pitch horn, it may be the most practical thing to do. Mostly, it depends on what key tubas you are familiar with, and your attitude about CC versus BBb.
Joe: Aren't you afraid that having more CC helicons out there in the world might erode that $100,000 price tag on yours?
AW
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tubatooter1940
- 6 valves
- Posts: 2530
- Joined: Mon Mar 22, 2004 11:09 pm
- Location: alabama gulf coast
Some if's.I you get it to play in a usable key,and if the thing plays well and you get to really like it,then it is time to worry about the looks.It is a fine looking horn but an antique that old most often has a raw brass finish and looks good like that.
Good luck with it.Please let us know what you find.
Dennis Gray
Good luck with it.Please let us know what you find.
Dennis Gray
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corbasse
- 3 valves
- Posts: 474
- Joined: Fri May 28, 2004 2:52 pm
- Location: Bruges, Belgium
http://www.lidlmusic.cz/josef/ has a contact section. I believe they speak English (sort of...)
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humphrey
- bugler
- Posts: 79
- Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2004 7:43 pm
- Location: UK
Matt
I also purchased one of these horns a couple of years ago. I found that it played a little flat & had some valve problems similar to the ones you described. I took it to Gerry at unison music in Canterbury who got the valves working & cut the main tuning slide down enough to bring it nicely into pitch. He did a great job & I used it for quite a while until I got my aged Besson Eb that I use as my main axe currently. I didn't have it cut to CC as I'm much more familiar with BBb fingerings.
I was also interested as to the age of the instrument & got in touch with Lidl to see if they could tell me anything about this model of helicon. They replied very quickly but were unable to help as the original factory had been taken over after the Soviet Union "aquired" their country after the war & all records were destroyed. The current company was formed ( re-formed?) after the fall of the communist era & their records only go back that far.
If anyone on the board has any more info on this helicon I would also be interested.
Incidentally I found the ebay seller of this item to be REALLY helpful. The instrument, as stated by Matt, was extremely well packed for shipping & looked better "in the flesh" than it did in the (numerous) pictures posted during the sale. I have bookmarked his ebay shop site now as he seems to be able to get his hands on some wierd & wonderful stuff from the old Eastern Europe.
Hope that helps.
Russ
I also purchased one of these horns a couple of years ago. I found that it played a little flat & had some valve problems similar to the ones you described. I took it to Gerry at unison music in Canterbury who got the valves working & cut the main tuning slide down enough to bring it nicely into pitch. He did a great job & I used it for quite a while until I got my aged Besson Eb that I use as my main axe currently. I didn't have it cut to CC as I'm much more familiar with BBb fingerings.
I was also interested as to the age of the instrument & got in touch with Lidl to see if they could tell me anything about this model of helicon. They replied very quickly but were unable to help as the original factory had been taken over after the Soviet Union "aquired" their country after the war & all records were destroyed. The current company was formed ( re-formed?) after the fall of the communist era & their records only go back that far.
If anyone on the board has any more info on this helicon I would also be interested.
Incidentally I found the ebay seller of this item to be REALLY helpful. The instrument, as stated by Matt, was extremely well packed for shipping & looked better "in the flesh" than it did in the (numerous) pictures posted during the sale. I have bookmarked his ebay shop site now as he seems to be able to get his hands on some wierd & wonderful stuff from the old Eastern Europe.
Hope that helps.
Russ