DL TPT

About 12 years ago my wife bought me a Bach C trumpet as a surprise gift for me. I do not like how the horn plays. There is way to much resistance and the sound is to bright. The horn is lacquer with a 239 bell, standard leadpipe, and I play a Monette C2 mpc.

Because my wife purchased it for me I do not want to sell it and buy another horn. I primarily use the horn for solos in church. I know there are a number of option out there to open the horn up and also create a darker sound. Does anyone experience in doing this to their horn? If so, who did the work and what did they do?

Thanks for any advice that you can give.

DL

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Bb: Bach 37 Raw Brass
C: Bach 239 Lacquer
Eb/D: Yamaha 9610 Silver
Flugelhorn: Yamaha YFH 731 Silver

Brekelefuw

You could try a heavy valve cap and stem set. Curry makes them, and so does Harrelson. There are some pretty nice looking ones. Those will add weight to your horn and could darken the sound a bit.

trumpetnick

DL,

There is great number of brass repair shops that can customise your horn (bigger or heavier bell, a different leadpipe, change the tunning slide etc). The most famous in europe are Spada in Burgdorf (Switzerland) and Will Spencer in Surrey (UK). I am sure tha Eclipse trumpets can do a very nice job too. I cannot advise you about US repairmen but there is a lot of US trumpeters on TM who can. Surely, someone will come up with a suggestion.

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Spada Bach B flat 72, leadpipe 2L/DWMM1.5C
Spada Bach C 256, leadpipe 2LQ/DWMM1.5C
1956 Olds Ambassador Cornet
Spada Custom Piccolo

If you don't know where you are going, you 'll end up someplace else

cornetguy

you could also try a different leadpipe, i have a 25h and it is so much more open then the straight 25 or 25a.

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Per aspera ad astra

Vulgano Brother

I like the idea of the CCAPS from Curry. Word on the street has it that the laquered heavy caps by Bach are nickel, the silver ones brass, if you want to stay with Bach stuff. A rounded tuning slide might help you out too -- again, Bach makes those, although other guys do too. So far, none of these things will affect how nice your horn looks. Other modifications would include some cutting and soldering, and your wife might not understand why you rip apart her present.

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www.letsbuildhope.org

Lawler Bb

I hate to tell you this, but it's a C trumpet. It naturally has a brighter sound. The 239 bell is generally a warmer sounding bell than the 229 for most people. I think one of the most cost effective ways of achieving a richer, rounder sound its to find a Monette C2D or C2FL. You can easily sell your C2 and be over halfway to the price of a new one. Heavy valve caps might work too, though they will change the slotting and response of the horn to some degree or another.

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Eric Sperry

gzent

More accurately, its a Bach C trumpet and sounds and plays liek a Bach C trumpet.

If you're not in a serious orchestra then I'd clean it up nice and sell it.

Then contact Felix at NYTC and get yourself a C trumpet that plays and sounds the way you want it to.

Once your wife sees how much more musically you play, she won't mind you selling the Bach.

my 2c,

GZ

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wiseone2

Do you play the horn everyday? Try using the horn for everything........I know that sounds radical, but lots of times a player just does not know the quirks of a higher horn. Get to really know that C trumpet, then make a decision about change.
Wilmer

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Pedal C

You can try out the effect of heavy valve caps by putting a dime (or two) inside the normal cap. At least then you can find out if you like it without spending more than 60 cents!

You might also consider a Reeves valve allignment. I had a Bach Bb and C and was not really happy with either, but decided to give the Reeves thing a try before going through all the hassle of buying a new one (and I'd already tried different leadpipes, tuning slides, reciever gap distance, etc). Anyway, they both came back great and went from horns I wanted to unload to horns that I won't consider selling. And if you don't like it, they'll put it back the way it was.

Another easy thing to try are Monette-style rubber o-rings on the bottom of the valve casing. Then you can also fiddle with the tension on each bottom cap. Didn't work for me, but easy to try.

Those are the easiest and least invasive ways to change a horn, especially one with senimental value. The Reeves thing really did it for my horns.

Good luck!

Jason.

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Eclipsehornplayer

I guess it depends on your wife....

If my wife were to buy me a horn and I sold it anytime before she died; I'd pay for it for the rest of my life!

Use caution when selling presents that were bought for you by your wife! You've been warned!

As for the horn I can't offer anything that hasn't already been stated. I have a 229/25A and I wouldn't part with it for anything!

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Eclipse MHY Bb Trumpet with interchangable leadpipes
Bach 229 25A C Trumpet
Getzen Capri Bb Cornet
GR & Monette mouthpieces