eisprl

Hey,

is there a way to see if my valves need aligning in the first and third valves? I can see that I need it in the 2nd one.

eric

__________________
Eric Sproul
Practice is like filling a leaky bucket

Bb: Yamaha Xeno 8335
C: Bach Stadivarious 239L and 25A leadpipe (Owned by Eric Sholtz)
Flugel: Yamaha Bobby Shew 6310Z
Mouthpieces: GR tech
www.stadband.ca

W Scott

There is a way to see but it involves some fairly expensive equipment. A better way to tell is by how the horn plays. Are you having trouble hitting notes? Do you sometimes hit notes that you have no idea what the note was? If so, you may need an alignment and maybe even a valve replating.

How old is the horn and how much has it been played?


Bill

__________________
Gabriel is NOT a woodwind player!

dizforprez

most horns can be helped by it, check out this website if you havent already.

http://www.thebrassbow.com/PVA.htm

eisprl

Hey,

I was just wondering because my second one is quite out of alignment when you look into the slide. Also, my tuning is not what it once was. (I bought the horn last summer used froma friend). It's a relativley new horn the serial number is bigger than the ones on the bach dating site.

eric

__________________
Eric Sproul
Practice is like filling a leaky bucket

Bb: Yamaha Xeno 8335
C: Bach Stadivarious 239L and 25A leadpipe (Owned by Eric Sholtz)
Flugel: Yamaha Bobby Shew 6310Z
Mouthpieces: GR tech
www.stadband.ca

W Scott

Well, the folks at the Brass Bow can tell you what needs to be done. Call them and tell them you want to set up an appointment for a PVA. The PVA costs between $110 to $140---depending on the horn and how much work has to be done. They will measure the valves first and see if a rebuild is needed. My guess is that you are a victim of the infamous Bach quality (or lack thereof) issue. 8)

Bill

__________________
Gabriel is NOT a woodwind player!

JackD

Is it me or is all this consists of replacing the felt / rubber at the top of the valve casing?

W Scott

No, it's not just replacing the felt at the top. It's getting the right thickness of felt at the top; replacing (if the valve has it) the cork under the valve cap; and adding spacers to the valve stems; adding different springs if needed----plus the labor for pulling the valves out and in, checking and rechecking the measurements. It's labor intensive and there's not too many folks who know how to do this right.

__________________
Gabriel is NOT a woodwind player!

Tootsall

And that's just for vertical alignment. There is also radial alignment in which they may have to unsolder the spring cage, rotate it a bit, and then resolder it back onto the piston itself! They will also ensure that the anti-rotation tab on the guide is in the proper orientation. A "total alignment" requires both the vertical and radial to be checked and adjusted if necessary. Very labor intensive and specialized.

If you want to see if an alignment "might" improve things, see if the ports line up with the piston with the valve down and the valve up. (a small, focussing flashlight is a help here and you might need a dentist's or mechanic's mirror to be able to see "up" the 3rd slide tubing). If one or all are out by a significant amount you might be able to get a local shop to put some new pads/shims in "for cheap". If that makes a big difference then you might be happy at that. If "nothing but the best" will do, then it's off to Brass Bow, Brass Spa, or one of those specialized places for the "whole enchilada".

MPM

What kind of horn? How old?

__________________
"~iii<O"
Michael Manthey
Scodwell USA Trumpets
Bob Reeves Mpc's
www.ultrapureoils.com
Maynard Ferguson BBN Band

eisprl

Strad 37 and I'm not entirely sure how old it is. It has a Stirling silver bell with brass slides and valves.

Eric

__________________
Eric Sproul
Practice is like filling a leaky bucket

Bb: Yamaha Xeno 8335
C: Bach Stadivarious 239L and 25A leadpipe (Owned by Eric Sholtz)
Flugel: Yamaha Bobby Shew 6310Z
Mouthpieces: GR tech
www.stadband.ca