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Besson 5-Valve Euph
Posted: Thu Feb 15, 2007 4:51 pm
by MikeS
http://cgi.ebay.com/RARE-Antique-BESSON ... dZViewItem
Looks like valves one through four are pretty standard and the fifth is, maybe, a flat whole step. Does anyone know for sure?
Posted: Thu Feb 15, 2007 5:38 pm
by Chuck(G)
Most probably, you're right--French saxhorns are set up that way or with the 5th descendng a fifth--and that's clearly not what this one has. I wonder if this beast might be better characterized as a saxhorn.
http://www.courtois-paris.com/panneaubrasssax.html
Posted: Thu Feb 15, 2007 6:04 pm
by windshieldbug
Looks a lot more like a 1/2 step to me...
Maybe just a "poor-man's" compensator.
Besson had both the Blaikley system and their own by the time this was built.
Posted: Thu Feb 15, 2007 6:55 pm
by Chuck(G)
Yeah, looking at the plumbing again, I believe you're right.
Well, we always wondered where the heck the Indians got the idea for the weird 4th valve on their euphoniums...
Shoot, I can't even find one on eBay now.
