Comparing Horn Configurations

[G-horns]

My first year of drum corps (that would be 94) with Les Chevaliers I played on a tiny beaten up contra valve rotor. I wish I could remember what kind it was tho... It was very shiny silver and it totally sucked to play with it. I know all our baritone line was very old beaten up/taped up ultratone 2 valves. Yes all those were still around junior Div 3 corps in 1994. Our mellos and lead sopranos had brand new kanstul 3 valves, of course, the money always goes to the same place right? haha! trying to tune that hornline was a ##### too.

That contra was probably a Getzen. Intonation nightmare #1. The thing was originally designed in 1962.

[JimF-LowBari]

Westshoremen also used the "baby" P/R contras in 1974 and a few different ones with black paste board cases showed up in 1984/1985. No idea of the manufacturer and the few pics I have do not show the "babies" too well. :(

Forgot to mention that I think the "babies" only came up to about my waist when sitting on their bells. And I'm only 5' 6". :P

Quite a difference when we went to the Olds Duratones in 1975. Those suckers appeared to be skinny but long.

[Brigscontrachik05]

If it was tiny and valve and rotor, it was most probably chrome plated. Later two valves came silver or chrome or lacquer.

Not a lot of manufacturers in the valve rotor days. If it was a single size contra from the 1970's it was most likely an Olds.

Seemed like almost everyone played on Olds in those days.

Took a peek at your blog. You're funny.

Took a look at the Brig. pictures too. Good looking corps. Like the uniforms. Looks like you don't skimp on fun and that's great.

Well, thanks :)

And I think I have a picture of that baby contra valve rotor, I'll try to find it and post it here...

[JimF-LowBari]

* Sigh* Have four things now to catch up on so let's start with the oldest.

Actually played five different types of Baris with a corps. Here's the rundown and I'll add as my failing memory kicks in or someone brings up a flashback.

Started Nov '73 on a two valved Bari and the valves were mounted horizontal and played with the thumbs. Smaller sized Bari as I remember but had never seen a DC or a bugle before so what did I know at the time. Horn was a bugger to snap up and down as the thumbs were about 1-2 inches apart and horn might have been unbalanced in weight. Have only seen a pic of this type of horn in Jeff Mitchells website and wish I had taken pics of this thing as didn't realized it was rare. Supposedly two valves were illegal for DCA at the time and one of the reasons given for the corps folding was the illegal horns. Later learned Buccs had 2 horizontal sops warlier and had to plug up the second valve to make 'em "street legal" for DCA. (credit Don Sollinger(?) for Buccs info). Saw one of the sops on eBay last year going for a few hundred.

Went to Westshoremen after Kavies folded and haned a piston/slide POS that was huge compared to the 2 horizontal valve horn. #### might have been biggest bugle I have ever played. Horn was a leftover from when the corps last competed and must have been in a garage or swamp for the previous ??? years. (Don't breathe thru the horn boy ). Slide had pits and needed serious lubrication but didn't really know how to take care of the horn anyway. All I remember is almost all weight was on the right (valve) hand and my chops took a shot everytime I pulled that slide back. Real Manly Man horn for a 16 year old who had yet to see his first corps show. Still remember (30+ years later) Larry Hershmen practically begging us not to get discouraged and quit because "the new horns ARE on the way".

OK, early 1975 got an Olds Duratone (frosted finish) piston/rotor Bari and used it for six seasons of corps and LOOOOOVED it!!! Easy to go out of tune if overplaying which added to the challenge of taming this beast. Have seen enought other posts on P/R horns and only have one thing to add for Bari players. We had half of the Baris play the rotor with the left forefinger and half (including moi) with the thumb. Had a horn instructor bet his bottom dollar that the "finger players" could play better than guys who had play "thumb style" for years. Bottom dollar lost that day.... :)

Played 2 valved Euph for a few parades and can't remember squat about it......

19 years of not playing later got the itch and bought a 2 valved King off of eBay and got a 2 valved DEG from my Alumni corps. King looked and felt like a kiddie horn next to that DEG. *Shheeesh* What did DEG use for their horns... scrap iron?

Finally got a 3 valver two years ago and still having problems training my third finger. Especially going between 1-2 and 2-3 fingerings. Can't teach old fingers new tricks? :P

OK lunch over, will come back later with ideas on the three different single valve Baris I bought. :sshh:

Edited October 17, 2006 by JimF-xWSMBari

[JimF-LowBari]

And for those of you wanting to cure your insomia ^0^

Three single valve Baris I bought over the last few years.

1) late 1930s/early 1940s Conn tenor bari with a valve lock. to Jeff Mitchell for dating this puppy and :( for the person selling it who thought it was a 1950s horn. Valve lock was not mentioned in the for sale ad and this is what I looked like when I saw the lock . Seriously this little sucker takes a lot of air to get a good (OK, halfway presentable) tone out of it. Bell is 5 1/2" across and has a nice(?) nasal sound compared to todays horns. (Hey if your bell was that small you'd sound blatty too. ^0^ ).

Still looking for any type of recording with horns this old. #### the only reason I bought it was to hear the sound and know what it feels like to play this bit 'o history.

2) 1950s WFL (William F Ludwig - yeah drummers THAT Ludwig) Tenor Bari. Takes less air and has a 6 1/2" bell. Less nasal sound and at least I have DC recordings with horns of this era.

3) 1950s (1960s?) Slingerland Bass bari. OK it's called a Bass bari to avoid confusion with the Tenor baris but the "Bass" because the Baris we use today. Very easy to play and sounds amazingly (i that's a word) like the horn I played in the 70s.