Front action vs top action vavles.

Chuck(G) · Post by **Chuck(G)** » Thu Jun 17, 2004 3:30 pm

bbtubaman wrote: Cases are also an issue since no one is hardly makeing cases for top action valves any more and same goes with gig bags. Since they are not as popular, they are accessorized as mucn.

Again, it depends. If you're talking about 3-piston student horns, the top-action dominates. I've also seen where a middle-school band kid chose a top action over a front-action model, because the top-action looked like the instrument shown in his band book.

Leland · Post by **Leland** » Thu Jun 17, 2004 6:31 pm

Chuck(G) wrote:...--trying to play a front-action Martin monster is like hugging a water heater.

Hehehehehe...

CJ Krause · Post by **CJ Krause** » Thu Jun 17, 2004 10:34 pm

Doug@GT · Post by **Doug@GT** » Thu Jun 17, 2004 11:39 pm

Seems like Howard Johnson and John Fletcher made good on top-action horns....

(but I voted for front action)

AndyL · Post by **AndyL** » Fri Jun 18, 2004 8:15 am

When I've played top action horns, my right elbow and forearm ache after awhile. Never have had that problem with a front action horn. I find the finger position on front action more comfortable also.
AndyL

AndyCat · Post by **AndyCat** » Fri Jun 18, 2004 12:16 pm

Play 3+1 Top action, and in my Brass Band playing where there is lots of low register stuff, I can't indepently control my little finger on my right hand fast enough for the music. I have owned a front action, but found it impossible to use in pieces such as Montage (Peter Graham), Odin (Arthur Butterworth) etc.

No choice over sound, comfort, intonation etc tho, just preference over the valve positions!

MartyNeilan · Post by **MartyNeilan** » Sat Jun 19, 2004 10:44 am

MikeMason wrote:with a top action, the left hand is useless for slide pulling.

Earlier this year I got the giant old Martin bellfront that Baltimore Brass was selling. I vented the first and second valves on it, and move those slides regularly. They are very comfortable to reach on those old top action Martins, I grab the bottom crook of the first or the ring on the second. The third slides are even accessable but would be harder to pull regularly; but it really isn't that necessary with the 1st and 2nd pullable. For that matter, the pitch on the horn is bendable enough that slide pulling is almost optional. For what I use the horn for, I don't miss the fourth valve.

Dan Schultz · Post by **Dan Schultz** » Sun Jun 20, 2004 11:51 pm

I generally play either front-action or rotary horns.... mainly because I just like the way they feel. I never really understood why until I spent four days a couple of weeks ago on a borrowed top-action Besson while in England. I 'bout went blind in my right eye! I voted for top-action because I just find them more comfortable.

ThomasDodd · Post by **ThomasDodd** » Tue Jun 22, 2004 1:45 pm

I really dislike top action, be it tuba or baritone. Having recently toyed with a trumpet for my son, I found myself tilting the horn so that the valves were not moving verticaly.

With tuba in particular, I like the feel of 2 hands on the horn and looking over the horn. Top action just feels wrong. The horn is all to my right, and I cannot get a comfortable, firm grasp on the horn.

Then again the first tuba and baritone I ever played were front action, so maybe it what I'm acustomed to? Still I do see a lot of trumpet player tilting their horns, so true vertical movement is not common there. I see the same with many "marching" horns too.

TubeNet

Front action vs top action vavles.

Which valve configuration do you prefer?

Ergonomics Again.....

Re: front