Tirasse

As a kid I did play a similar horn round 1960 (In Norway) I know it was czech.- I remember the valves were in a solid block of metal, and with a very short movement/strike.

Alan Dismukes

I think the odd-looking symbol is a poorly stamped "4".

Cool-looking horn!

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1974 Bach ML 37 Strad Trumpet
1928 Buescher Bb/A Cornet
1947 Conn 12A Coprion Cornet
1914 Holton New Proportion Cornet

Daniel10

Good questions!

I recorded a sample of the B&F trumpets range in mp3-format. First comes a dry recording, than the same recording with added reverb for a more natural listening experience. The micrphone (an AKG 535) and my preamp have coloured the sound, making it warmer and a bit duller, the live sound is better. Listen to the recording hear:

http://www.aurells.com/div/mysterytrumpet.mp3

(It so happens I'm a music producer). I'm by no means a pro trumpeter however which you will hear, so the full potential of the trumpet is better judged by your experienced ears, rather than by my performance alone. ;)

My experience in playing the horn is limited. I was 10 years old or so and played for a year (I'm 27 years old now), and have been playing a few hours in total the last three months just for short additions to my songs and the songs of others.

The horn sounds vibrant, brighter and more direct than the other trumpet I have. More "rapid" och a more "live" and interesting sound. The "reference" trumpet is a relatively new standard trumpet called "Jazzo". So please keep that in mind.

The mouth piece used is a Vincent Bach 7C.

Perhaps the sound of the trumpet in the audiofile can give hints of the trumpets current condition.

Daniel10

There's a mystery still. I cleaned the inside of the valves today, and found that all three of them also were marked with "955" (and with 1,2,3 respectively)! The marking "955" is present on the middle valve housing too (with an anchor under the number).

If I remember correctly, B&F was known _not_ to print serial numbers on their instruments. If that is the case, then what could "955" mean?

KRax!

Probably is a serial number, maybe they began to use them later or as it is very low maybe they only used serial numbers on this Paris model.

veery715

I agree it is a serial number. In those days pistons were machined to match individual instruments during manufacture and those numbers ensured that pistons weren't mixed up and put into the wrong horn. The coarse tolerances to which valve assemblies were made didn't allow for uniform enough pistons/cylinders that they could just make a whole slew of parts that would all be interchangeable. It is likely that the pistons were lapped in the cylinders so that the fit would be good, and once done they needed to be used in those same cylinders so they were stamped with the serial number at that point to keep them "connected" in the assembly line.
I am not saying all contemporary instruments were built to those coarse tolerances, but many were.

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