tom turner

Great! It sounds like it isn't as bad as I thought.

Still, have Ron do a compression test on the valves to make sure they have good compression. Valves can be super-fast . . . but be worn to the point that they have low compression.

Loss of compression will mainly affect the horn as a player decends lower below the G in the staff, getting increasingly harder to play the notes well as the notes go lower. A player will really notice worn valves playing technical stuff with lots of fast skips up and down where one jumps below the staff.

Luckily, some vintage horns don't need a valve rebuild to restore compression . . . though many would benefit from it.

I have two really nice, 1911 Boston 3-Star cornets, that were restored for me by Rich Ita. They needed very little done to them and have nearly perfect original silverplate. One is at least 99% original silverplate and they were never refinished or abused. Plus, they within about 150 serial numbers of each other.

One has original valves and plays well, and although it has some leakage Rich thought I'd like it about as well as my other one (which has valves rebuilt by Andersons that Rich also restored for me.

If I only had the one with the "decent" original valves I'd be impressed. It is a fine-playing Boston! HOWEVER . . . the one with rebuilt valves is in an entirely different league. It is amazing!

It's nice to have two identical-year vintage cornets in this nice of original shape and be able to experience the benefit of "new" valves.

Good luck tomorrow! Keep us informed about how your horn progresses too! The H.N. White Co. (King) made some really fine horns indeed!

Sincerely,

Tom Turner