A.N.A. Mendez

I'm looking for the name for a trumpet set up with the tune slide tube coming back to the valve body down low but on the LEFT HAND side of the horn? With the 3rd slide then positioned on the right hand side... The only horn I know of built this way from the factory is the Olds super star, I'm sure there must be others.... Anyone know what this setup is called and what the theory behind it is? On the Olds brochures it is referred to as flow through or straight through design....Anyone??

Thanks!

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(Above) Alexanders ragtime band-circa 1960

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Solar Bell

I believe that many Conn trumpets had the tuning slide going to the left hand side of the 3rd valve casing.

The Conn Vocal Bell had this configuration.

Why?

I do not know.

-cw-

The horn that Max Tooney played in "The Legend Of 1900" was a Conn of that style. (but not a vocal bell)

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Chuck Willard
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Dale Proctor

A lot of the old Conn pea-shooter trumpets were built this way. I used to own one, but sold it to Jerry Callet. The only advantage I can see is that this design eliminates a couple of turns in the mouthpipe path (one turn into the valve and one within the valve). The turns are added to the 3rd valve slide instead, resulting in a slightly more free blow on most notes. Whether that's good or bad on a given trumpet is open to debate.

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Olde Towne Brass
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Brass Band of Huntsville
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melkor24601

Courtois has a recent design in this style ... the Grand Siecle trumpet with "Air Direct Column" - the valves are also set up so that on open notes, there are no 'bends' at any point (as opposed to, say, my Bach, which curves entering the 3rd valve, and also inside each valve).

I wrote all this with the intent of also providing a picture, but although the Courtois website still lists the horn on its Bb page, for some reason the picture is gone. Oh, and apparently Buffet just bought Courtois . . .

Whether the Direct-Air configuration affects play much, I couldn't say. It'd be interesting to see whether using the 3rd valve (and thereby introducing a couple bends) would have a noticeably different feel than an open note. Maybe there's a Courtois buff who can answer us all?

Here's the Courtois Bb page -
http://www.courtois-paris.com/panneautrpBb.html