| That's cool! I actually own the instrument in your picture. The Bach Mercury trumpets are hard to get a handle on because Bach sometimes used parts that didn't come out perfectly that were originally intended for his Stradvarius instruments and sometimes used foreign made parts with his bells and leadpipes to produce a student model horn. Many Mercury models have a small bore (.448) with a 31 bell and a 6 leadpipe although you can find all sorts of different combinations. I'd have to see a picture of your actually instrument to tell you more about it. Many Mercury models are similar to small bore Strads and some have german made (Franke) valves with Bach bells and leadpipes. If you're lucky you have a Bach valve section and a slightly defective Bach bell. That would play like a small bore Strad. The serial number may or may not be in the same set as the normal Bach trumpets so dating it, sight unseen is difficult. I'd need to see a picture.
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Bill S.- NY Bach 6, 38 Mt. Vernon 43 Bach "C" cornet, NY Bach trombone 6vii Monette mouthpieces |