a question for the technicians

[Dutchtown Sousa]

I have an old trumpet that has a rotary valve that is completely frozen up. Probably corroded. It has been sitting for 30 or so years. I was able to free up the main valves and all of the slides but not this. I do need to take it into a repair shop but can't afford it right now but I do want to be able to at least to test it out before I sink money into it. Now if there is no safe way to unstick it at home I will wait until I have the money and have the repair shop (Rich Ita is the guy I have been told to go to). It can be seen here: http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/ee4 ... 1_1449.jpg" target="_blank and more pics of the trumpet can be seen here: http://s1230.photobucket.com/albums/ee498/oldskoolfan2/" target="_blank
As you can see it has its problems but its in decent shape for being almost 90 years old. The valves seem good and its 100% complete except for I don't have the original handle for the case because it fell apart (was made of some cardboard I think) and I don't have the key for the case. Supposedly it was a professional model back in its day and was designed for jazz playing, which is what the owner of it (my grandmother's sister's husband) used it for, so I am guessing it is probably still pretty good compared to a student trumpet of today.

[Dutchtown Sousa]

I'll look for a handle there but I need to order like $50 of stuff from them anyway so I'll just add that to my order. Honestly Bloke, how much would you charge to chemically clean the trumpet, free up that valve, solder in 2 spots, patch that slide with the hole, realign everything then give it a good polish? I was quoted $250 and was wanting to know if that is fair. I had another guy quote me $150 but he was really far away.

[imperialbari]

If the change valve is stuck in either the Bb or in the A position (and not somewhere in between), it should be possible to get an idea about the trumpet’s playing qualities. If in A the 3 valve slides will need a pull.

Klaus

[Dan Schultz]

Joe is correct in saying that it's virtually impossible to quote prices to do anything. There is ALWAYS more wrong that what initially meets the eye. Every time I give someone a 'quote' to work on one of these older instruments... I end up working for less than $10 and hour!

I have several of these old horns and I can tell you that the horns that were produced with the idea of being multifunctional (Bb/A, C/Bb, hi/lo pitch, etc.) ever really measured up. They were 'sort of' functional but not to the caliber of being great horns.

Don't spend a lot of money thinking that you'll be able to use the instrument in a professional environment.

[The Big Ben]

I have several of these old horns and I can tell you that the horns that were produced with the idea of being multifunctional (Bb/A, C/Bb, hi/lo pitch, etc.) ever really measured up. They were 'sort of' functional but not to the caliber of being great horns.

+1 to this. I played in a community orchestra (Bb trumpet) and we played a Joplin rag that was scored in A. The other guy playing had one of these Bb/A horns and thought he was hot stuff because he did not have to transpose. The conductor almost wanted someone to steal the guy's horn it sounded so bad... Transposing was a little much for me to do well so the conductor rewrote the part in Bb. The other guy sounded OK in Bb so all was good.

That horn is worth getting fixed up. The damages I see in the pictures look like an easy job for someone who knows how.

[Paul Scott]

You can also buy the same replacement handles directly from this website:

http://www.hardwareelf.com/elf/index.jsp" target="_blank

The Ohio Travel Bag folks sent me the link.

[J.c. Sherman]

Always the contrarian, I have played a few quick change instruments that were fabulous... but they are few and far between; I have an old King in my shop now (serial 147XXX) which is quite glorious.

Thos older cornets... some are fabulous, but you can't really approach them in quite the same manner as a modern - especially large-bore - instrument. Playing Arban, for instance, and a Conn New York Wonder from 1902 was one of the easiest things I've ever experienced... but you had to understand it (and use it's mouthpiece) first.

My $0.02. Largely, though, Tinker and Bloke are correct. If the $150 guy's good - go forth! Your only complication is if the release mecanism or something else on the rotor's stuck; then things could get really interesting.

Is that a Couturier? Those play weird, but sometimes well... but the trumpets are kinda cornet-sounding.

J.c.S. (who faced a recent Mellophone change rotor which took hours to free!)