Hello,
maybe someone is interested in my experience with my visit of Spada in Switzerland. So here is my report:
I was there for 4 hours and even as a mediocre amateur as I am, I wasn´t a second class costumer at all. Vincenz Spada was very kind, helpful an has very good ears.
First I tested a Large-Bore valve block. Not my cup of tea. The sound was a bit stuffy and dull. So I stayed with a ML-bore.
The first bell he gave to me was a 43 made of goldbrass (tuning bell of course). It had a wonderful rich and "gentle" sound. I played a couple of others (standart 43, 43 heavy, 37, 72...) but my choice was the 43 goldbrass bell.
For a leadpipe I choose a 2L. Which is an exact conical manufactured leadpipe out of nickel silver (very hard and consistent). For me it has the best balance between free blowing and resistance.
My choice for a tuning slide was a hand hammered fully rounded slide also made out of nickel silver and with one brace. On all Spada-Bach trumpets you can change the position of the braces and remove them.
You cannot image how the sound changes, when you change the position of the brace between the slide of the first valve and the bell. (I didin´t even know that I have such a brace at my old Bach) If you push it towards the valve block, the sound gets a little more brilliant and lighter. If you pull it back, your tone gets warmer and richer.
I decided not to get heavy valve caps. There was no change for the better. I only have a heavy ring in the bottom of my third valve. BTW Vincenz Spada told me, that a heavy cap on the second valve does more harm than do good for most of the players. And you should tighten the second valve cap the most, than the first one and the third one just a little, so that it is just closed.
What can I say? I have now a wonderful Bach-Spada here at home, that is better in every way than my old Bach and it even looks beautiful. It is half silver and half gold plated. I can test it for one week and can then decide if I keep it or not.
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If you are in Switzerland you have to visit Spada! They make a great job there and it is a lot of fun and an enrichment for every trumpet player. Also try their BJ trumpets. They are just amazing. What a sound!
For more information check their website
SPADA MUSIC AG or just contact them.
Next Tuesday I will visit Thein in Bremen to test their MH-One (The Matthias Höfs Model)
Greetings from Germany
Annapurna
PS: Sorry for my English
