My Modified LB Bach Strad

trickg · 04-19-2004, 10:53 PM

I thought that I would drop a note in here about a couple of modifications that I had done to my Large Bore Bach Strad.

When I bought this trumpet almost 7 years ago, it was hand picked out of a lineup of roughly 20 some different Bachs of all different bores and configurations, at Chuck Levin's Washington Music center, so even though the horn is a good horn, it was bought with the idea that I was going to break into the area's legit/wedding scene to make some extra cash. What I actually ended up playing was a lot of Latin Band, Big Band, and Rock band, and it my opinion it functions much better as a legit horn than a rock band horn....

Until now.

I recently had a friend of mine make a couple of small modifications that has had an interesting impact on how this horn plays and handles. For starters, I had the forward brace between the leadpipe and the bell moved back toward the valve casing about an inch or so. I also had the rear tuning slide brace removed entirely. I left the Bach heavy valve caps on it.

These modifications have livened this horn up quite a bit, and the result so far is that it doesn't seem like I have to work quite as hard to get through a rock band gig, and it also seems to be a little more loose in the slotting, although it maintains it's focused sound. Does that sound strange? It also seems to be a little brighter.

I still have all of my parts and so far, I haven't paid a cent for the modifications. Todd, the guy who did them, wants me to be sure that this is what I want before we make it permanent by buffing and cleaning some things, and spot plating where needed. I'll continue to give it a workout and see how it goes, but I think that these changes are going to stay.

Has anyone else ever done anything like this to their Strads? If so, please share your experiences.

Tootsall · 04-19-2004, 11:47 PM

Hmmm.....

sounds like you've converted it into a sorta Schilke S32!

trickg · 04-20-2004, 10:37 AM

One day, I plan to own a Schilke to use for this kind of playing but at the moment I have plans to:

Finish my basement
Build the rest of the deck

Right now the basement is framed and the electrical rough-in is complete, but I want to hire a dry-waller so that when it's finished, it will actually look decent! That takes bucks and it's what Mamma wants and if Mamma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy!

In any case, modifying my existing horn to change the sound and feel was a much cheaper alternative, (and one that was much easier to get past my wife!) than trying to buy a new horn altogether.

I was also thinking about looking into putting either a Blackburn or Pilczuk leadpipe on it, but that will have to wait a bit too.

Tootsall · 04-20-2004, 10:53 AM

On the drywall thing... I hear ya loud and clear. Besides, drywallers (and plasterers) don't charge a terrible lot for what they do... and frequently you can't GET someone to tape the joints and plaster UNLESS the board has been put up professionally (to minimize the Plasterer's work). I've done the job myself (and a filthy, dusty job it is) and I've hired. I'll continue to hire when I run into that kind of work.

Wiring, of course, is no big deal. Depending upon your local regulations, as long as it meets the "code" and can pass an inspector's test you'll be OK. Just be sure to put in lots of receptacles and don't use that crappy aluminum wire (if they still sell it in your locale). Don't want Momma's hair to stand on end when she plugs in the iron! That seems to upset her more than not having the job done at all. ;)

trumpetpimp · 04-20-2004, 11:34 AM

I did some mods to my Bb and C and have a few more in the works. The first thing I did was put amado water keys on them. They made a subtle but positive different in the way the horns play. Nothing drastic or even very specific, they just blew a little easier. I'm also planning a new leadpipe for my Bb and perhaps my C if the first one goes well. I'll let everyone know when I go through with it. I'm waiting on GR's leadpipe so I'm working on his schedule and not mine.

Heavy caps are also a possibility.

trickg · 04-20-2004, 01:25 PM

GR is going to make a leadpipe!? Gads! That should be VERY good.

Another mod that I have been looking at but just haven't gotten yet is the GR NY Bach long style receiver. I have heard that it will make a world of difference too.

dbacon · 04-20-2004, 02:32 PM

Anything you do to a bach makes it play better. Take off a brace, add amado keys, add a brace, move the ring, change the lead pipe, drop it...bachs are endlessly changeable!

wiseone2 · 04-22-2004, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dbacon

Anything you do to a bach makes it play better. Take off a brace, add amado keys, add a brace, move the ring, change the lead pipe, drop it...bachs are endlessly changeable!

I had the Callet third slide conversion done to my horn.
My LB Bach is a 72* bell with a regular weight body.
It played great before, this is the horn I used on WSS, it is now lighter by one brace. It feels like the pre-war Besson I traded away many moons ago. It even looks like the Besson, the third valve slide is reversed.
I am very happy with this setup.
Wilmer

dbacon · 04-22-2004, 05:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wiseone2

Quote:

Originally Posted by dbacon

Anything you do to a bach makes it play better. Take off a brace, add amado keys, add a brace, move the ring, change the lead pipe, drop it...bachs are endlessly changeable!

I had the Callet third slide conversion done to my horn.
My LB Bach is a 72* bell with a regular weight body.
It played great before, this is the horn I used on WSS, it is now lighter by one brace. It feels like the pre-war Besson I traded away many moons ago. It even looks like the Besson, the third valve slide is reversed.
I am very happy with this setup.
Wilmer

I have a similar Bach, LB/72* with the LT body I got at Giardinelli's in the early 70's. Had the brace removed along the lead pipe towards the tuning slide (one brace on the tuning slide is still there for support), it looks more like the Besson Meha. Plays very well. Bought Mel Broiles Benge recently from Steve Dillon and it plays a lot like an old Meha (which I think Mel played for years), but brighter than the Bach. Both horns play like they are related.

Can't believe the fat sound you play with on West Side Story. When the show would come through town I'd always listen to that record and try to copy as much as possible. You set the standard pretty high.

trickg · 02-19-2005, 02:01 PM

This is an old thread I know, but I'm going to resurect it. (mainly because it's MY thread!

)

Two words: Blackburn Leadpipe

What experiences have people had with their Bb trumpets using Blackburn pipes. Are they worth it or are they hype?

As for the other stuff from the earlier part of the thread - the deck is done and I had carpet laid in the basement on Monday.

I have a few cabinets to put into one section of the basement for storage, but I am very close to being able to slam the door on that project.

So, I'm back to the modification thing and I'm thinking about ordering a new leadpipe to have installed because it's a darn sight cheaper than ordering a Schilke!

04-19-2004, 10:53 PM	#1 (permalink)
trickg Forte User Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Glen Burnie, Maryland Posts: 2,054	My Modified LB Bach Strad I thought that I would drop a note in here about a couple of modifications that I had done to my Large Bore Bach Strad. When I bought this trumpet almost 7 years ago, it was hand picked out of a lineup of roughly 20 some different Bachs of all different bores and configurations, at Chuck Levin's Washington Music center, so even though the horn is a good horn, it was bought with the idea that I was going to break into the area's legit/wedding scene to make some extra cash. What I actually ended up playing was a lot of Latin Band, Big Band, and Rock band, and it my opinion it functions much better as a legit horn than a rock band horn.... Until now. I recently had a friend of mine make a couple of small modifications that has had an interesting impact on how this horn plays and handles. For starters, I had the forward brace between the leadpipe and the bell moved back toward the valve casing about an inch or so. I also had the rear tuning slide brace removed entirely. I left the Bach heavy valve caps on it. These modifications have livened this horn up quite a bit, and the result so far is that it doesn't seem like I have to work quite as hard to get through a rock band gig, and it also seems to be a little more loose in the slotting, although it maintains it's focused sound. Does that sound strange? It also seems to be a little brighter. I still have all of my parts and so far, I haven't paid a cent for the modifications. Todd, the guy who did them, wants me to be sure that this is what I want before we make it permanent by buffing and cleaning some things, and spot plating where needed. I'll continue to give it a workout and see how it goes, but I think that these changes are going to stay. Has anyone else ever done anything like this to their Strads? If so, please share your experiences. __________________ Patrick Gleason email me at: trickg1@hotmail.com "What we do in life echoes in eternity" "At my signal, unleash hell." - Maximus Decimus Meridius

04-20-2004, 10:37 AM	#3 (permalink)
trickg Forte User Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Glen Burnie, Maryland Posts: 2,054	One day, I plan to own a Schilke to use for this kind of playing but at the moment I have plans to: Finish my basement Build the rest of the deck Right now the basement is framed and the electrical rough-in is complete, but I want to hire a dry-waller so that when it's finished, it will actually look decent! That takes bucks and it's what Mamma wants and if Mamma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy! In any case, modifying my existing horn to change the sound and feel was a much cheaper alternative, (and one that was much easier to get past my wife!) than trying to buy a new horn altogether. I was also thinking about looking into putting either a Blackburn or Pilczuk leadpipe on it, but that will have to wait a bit too. __________________ Patrick Gleason email me at: trickg1@hotmail.com "What we do in life echoes in eternity" "At my signal, unleash hell." - Maximus Decimus Meridius

04-20-2004, 11:34 AM	#5 (permalink)
trumpetpimp Piano User Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Toronto Posts: 268	I did some mods to my Bb and C and have a few more in the works. The first thing I did was put amado water keys on them. They made a subtle but positive different in the way the horns play. Nothing drastic or even very specific, they just blew a little easier. I'm also planning a new leadpipe for my Bb and perhaps my C if the first one goes well. I'll let everyone know when I go through with it. I'm waiting on GR's leadpipe so I'm working on his schedule and not mine. Heavy caps are also a possibility. __________________ For sale: Courtois 154 flugel http://www.trumpetherald.com/marketp...detail&id=5375 Kanstul 1500 Bb copper bell http://www.trumpetherald.com/marketp...detail&id=7504

04-20-2004, 01:25 PM	#6 (permalink)
trickg Forte User Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Glen Burnie, Maryland Posts: 2,054	GR is going to make a leadpipe!? Gads! That should be VERY good. Another mod that I have been looking at but just haven't gotten yet is the GR NY Bach long style receiver. I have heard that it will make a world of difference too. __________________ Patrick Gleason email me at: trickg1@hotmail.com "What we do in life echoes in eternity" "At my signal, unleash hell." - Maximus Decimus Meridius

04-20-2004, 02:32 PM	#7 (permalink)
dbacon Mezzo Piano User Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Scottsdale, AZ. Posts: 579	Anything you do to a bach makes it play better. Take off a brace, add amado keys, add a brace, move the ring, change the lead pipe, drop it...bachs are endlessly changeable! __________________ Dave Bacon

04-19-2004, 11:47 PM	#2 (permalink)
Tootsall Fortissimo User Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Yee HAW! Posts: 4,641	Hmmm..... sounds like you've converted it into a sorta Schilke S32!

04-20-2004, 10:53 AM	#4 (permalink)
Tootsall Fortissimo User Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Yee HAW! Posts: 4,641	On the drywall thing... I hear ya loud and clear. Besides, drywallers (and plasterers) don't charge a terrible lot for what they do... and frequently you can't GET someone to tape the joints and plaster UNLESS the board has been put up professionally (to minimize the Plasterer's work). I've done the job myself (and a filthy, dusty job it is) and I've hired. I'll continue to hire when I run into that kind of work. Wiring, of course, is no big deal. Depending upon your local regulations, as long as it meets the "code" and can pass an inspector's test you'll be OK. Just be sure to put in lots of receptacles and don't use that crappy aluminum wire (if they still sell it in your locale). Don't want Momma's hair to stand on end when she plugs in the iron! That seems to upset her more than not having the job done at all. ;)

02-19-2005, 02:01 PM	#10 (permalink)
trickg Forte User Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Glen Burnie, Maryland Posts: 2,054	This is an old thread I know, but I'm going to resurect it. (mainly because it's MY thread! ) Two words: Blackburn Leadpipe What experiences have people had with their Bb trumpets using Blackburn pipes. Are they worth it or are they hype? As for the other stuff from the earlier part of the thread - the deck is done and I had carpet laid in the basement on Monday. I have a few cabinets to put into one section of the basement for storage, but I am very close to being able to slam the door on that project. So, I'm back to the modification thing and I'm thinking about ordering a new leadpipe to have installed because it's a darn sight cheaper than ordering a Schilke! __________________ Patrick Gleason email me at: trickg1@hotmail.com "What we do in life echoes in eternity" "At my signal, unleash hell." - Maximus Decimus Meridius

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