Adams E3 Changes

[John Morgan]

Just got my Adams E3 back from the Adams factory in The Netherlands. Miel and his crew did a few things to include changes to the trigger / main tuning slide and a new leadpipe. Here are some before and after pictures:

Original trigger paddle (I think nickel-silver, not totally sure):



New trigger paddle (Wooden, sort of like some of the trigger paddles on high end trombones with F attachments):



Original main tuning slide:



New main tuning slide:



Original yellow brass leadpipe:



New sterling silver leadpipe:



The switch on the main tuning slide (reversing the legs on the side closest to the outer bow and 4th valve) does several things (in my opinion). One, the slide is designed looser than the others to begin with to allow for easy trigger operation, but the original has the potential to drip / ooze a drop every so often because of this "looseness". Having the legs reversed, eliminates that possibility. Two, the main tuning slide "seems" to operate easier and freer. Perhaps because of the opposite types of legs and receivers on each end of the main tuning slide. And three, there may be potentially a little less resistance with the tube coming out of the 4th valve going "in" to the main tuning slide leg, instead of the other way around as with the original design, however the difference is no doubt very small.

I got a fresh refinish of the horn on the house because of the work done on these things, so when my horn arrived, this was like getting a brand-new horn. Christmas in January!! I continue to be very impressed with Miel and the entire Adams Musical Instrument operation. I love my Adams, not doubt about it! What a spectacular horn.

[RickF]

Congrats on your *new* horn again! Looks great. Just to be sure I understand, the tuning slide is female on both ends or is one leg female, and the other leg male like the M5050?

Oops, never mind. I see now from zooming in to the pics that leg that is closest to bell is male.

It looks really nice!!

[MichaelSchott]

Good to know Adams is so responsive to your requests John. What is the advantage of the SS lead pipe? Can you tell a difference?

[John Morgan]

Good to know Adams is so responsive to your requests John. What is the advantage of the SS lead pipe? Can you tell a difference?

Hi Michael,

This according to Miel regarding the leadpipes (I took the liberty to edit a bit of Miel's almost real good English):

Yellow brass: clear sound, good articulation and also a good projection

Gold brass: a bit warmer sound than yellow brass, but still good articulation and maybe a tiny less projection

Red brass: warm and darker sounding leadpipe than the other lead pipes, but you will lose a bit on articulation and projection

Sterling silver: for some musicians this is a harder metal to handle, but if you have this lead pipe under control, you have a very wide range of colors you can produce as a musician, this leadpipe projects fantastic and articulates good

Nickel silver: a lead pipe that has fewer high overtones so it will miss a bit of the sparkling sound, for most ears it is darker in sound, but I personally miss the brightness in this lead pipe, it plays and articulates well

So, having a sterling silver bell, with the same sort of comments from Miel as to its capabilities and sound, I opted for the sterling silver. I have been a little under the weather lately, and when the Adams arrived back home yesterday, I played it some. Today, I also played it some, but I am still a little foggy and my ears aren't totally clear, so I don't have a complete idea yet on how I like it. I just don't have it dialed in yet. I have been playing my Wessex Dolce for over a month, so I also just need a few days to get back on the Adams. I am kind of hoping on "a very wide range of colors" and good projection. I will write more after a little while with it.

[John Morgan]

Congrats on your *new* horn again! Looks great. Just to be sure I understand, the tuning slide is female on both ends or is one leg female, and the other leg male like the M5050?

Oops, never mind. I see now from zooming in to the pics that leg is closest to bell is male.

It looks really nice!!

Thanks, Rick. I have had the Adams almost 6 years now! My how time flies! Yep, you got it, one female leg, one male leg on the slide. I think I am going to like it. The main tuning slide works easier now, of course that could be that Adams put some good stuff on the slide, but I actually think it is easier. But it sure is nice to have it back home!

[daruby]

John,

That horn is absolutely stunning. I am so pleased for you that you got this work done. I am hoping to get to Europe this summer for the IBBSS and then make a trip to drop off my Adams with Miel for a Sterling Silver and tuning trigger upgrade. I would then like to go to Switzerland (Lake Geneva area) to meet up with my watchmaker (my new hobby).

Doug

[John Morgan]

John,

That horn is absolutely stunning. I am so pleased for you that you got this work done. I am hoping to get to Europe this summer for the IBBSS and then make a trip to drop off my Adams with Miel for a Sterling Silver and tuning trigger upgrade. I would then like to go to Switzerland (Lake Geneva area) to meet up with my watchmaker (my new hobby).

Doug

Thanks, Doug. That sounds like a fun and great trip. I would love to go to Adams someday, but it is nice also just getting to meet and visit with Miel at each of the big ITEC conventions every 3 years or so.

[franz]

Hi John, congratulations on the upgrade of your magnificent horn. The inversion of the tubes on the main tune slide is nothing new as it has already been present for some time on some models of trumpets and trombones. On the euphonium I had seen it a decade ago when I happened to give it a try on the Miraphone 5050 Ambassador: it's a smart idea to avoid the almost inevitable dripping of condensation for those slides that have a sliding mechanism to adjust the intonation. I say almost because on my Besson Prestige I solved the problem by expanding the terminal part of the slide tube (to be understood as the swelling present in the final part of the trombone tubes that fit into the drawstring) to the extent that allowed me both free sliding and resistance to water loss. I think that this solution is not normally applied due to the fact that the fixing crosspiece of the valve part to the bell must be applied immediately under the fourth piston and not further down, at the end of the outlet pipe, which makes the assembly more solid. and which also prevents, as on the Besson prestige, from fixing the polycarbonate protection plate.

[tonewheeler]

Beautiful! I like how you engraved your name on it. Nice!

[John Morgan]

Hi John, congratulations on the upgrade of your magnificent horn. The inversion of the tubes on the main tune slide is nothing new as it has already been present for some time on some models of trumpets and trombones. On the euphonium I had seen it a decade ago when I happened to give it a try on the Miraphone 5050 Ambassador: it's a smart idea to avoid the almost inevitable dripping of condensation for those slides that have a sliding mechanism to adjust the intonation. I say almost because on my Besson Prestige I solved the problem by expanding the terminal part of the slide tube (to be understood as the swelling present in the final part of the trombone tubes that fit into the drawstring) to the extent that allowed me both free sliding and resistance to water loss. I think that this solution is not normally applied due to the fact that the fixing crosspiece of the valve part to the bell must be applied immediately under the fourth piston and not further down, at the end of the outlet pipe, which makes the assembly more solid. and which also prevents, as on the Besson prestige, from fixing the polycarbonate protection plate.

Franz,

Good point on the brace between the 4th valve slide and the outer bow. It is indeed moved up from where it was about mid-way down between the 4th valve and the bottom of the main tuning slide. My guard (Besson's protection plate) is very small and on the other side of the main tuning slide, so I don't have a connection problem. I gave a little tug and push on the bottom of the main tuning slide by the water key, and it seems pretty solid, so I am not worried about it at this moment. Furthermore, the angle of my lead pipe is such that when I hold the horn, the side with the slide guard (nearest the sterling silver bell) is close or touching my front side, but the other side is angled out away from my body, probably at a 30 to 45 degree angle. So, I don't press that area into me.

[John Morgan]

Beautiful! I like how you engraved your name on it. Nice!

Thanks, tonewheeler!! Well, the story behind the engraving of my name: I am not really a narcissist with a need to have my name engraved on my horns. I am, however, a frequent buyer of horns, some a bit expensive. Soooo, my wife Linda, who is the absolute coolest and best wife in the world, is always okay with whatever horn I may buy, but with the Adams and its cost, she "suggested" to me, "Honey, why don't you have your name engraved on it, and that way, you might keep it for a while". How could I say no to that, so I asked Miel to make it so, and they did!!

[spkissane]

Horn looks great, John. I do believe the SS leadpipe was a major factor in my choosing my E1 over every other Adams in the room at the last ITEC. It really has a special feel to it, and it SINGS! I'm not sure how many they've made with the SS leadpipe, but until today I've only ever seen mine. For customization options, it seems that Adams is still truly king.

[John Morgan]

Horn looks great, John. I do believe the SS leadpipe was a major factor in my choosing my E1 over every other Adams in the room at the last ITEC. It really has a special feel to it, and it SINGS! I'm not sure how many they've made with the SS leadpipe, but until today I've only ever seen mine. For customization options, it seems that Adams is still truly king.

Hey Sean,

Thanks! Well, now there are at least two of us loose in the country with SS leadpipes! I have been playing it quite a bit the last couple or three days, and I really like it. It seems to have an added "sparkle" to it and perhaps plays a wee bit brighter. I am with you on the singing part, too. I was playing the solo in the 2nd Holst Suite in my room yesterday, and Linda comes in and said she really likes the sound. Me too, so far. I am still getting used to it.

That is a nice looking E1 you have, Sean!!

[JakeGuilbo]

I posted last summer about how my local technician, with help from Miel, retrofitted my SS E3 to this reverse slide in an attempt to reduce secondary vibrations I was getting with the trigger assembly and to fix factory out-of-alignment. This worked and from June-November 2021 I was using this setup and it was "ok." One thing you completely lose with a trigger on an Adams horn, at least in my experience, is the shear amount of resonance the horn provides. I could NOT get comfortable playing the horn. The sound sounded ok in recordings but always felt dead to my ears live and to my hands. Like a giant brick. Simply removing the twisty rod that connects the main tuning slide to the trigger assembly was enough to return the resonance. So I had my tech remove the trigger completely. The horn SINGS now - it's every bit as alive as any other Adams horn I've had and I don't really miss the trigger. If you ever find your horn feeling "off" or "dead" try playing with the trigger disconnected and see if you notice a difference.

[John Morgan]

I posted last summer about how my local technician, with help from Miel, retrofitted my SS E3 to this reverse slide in an attempt to reduce secondary vibrations I was getting with the trigger assembly and to fix factory out-of-alignment. This worked and from June-November 2021 I was using this setup and it was "ok." One thing you completely lose with a trigger on an Adams horn, at least in my experience, is the shear amount of resonance the horn provides. I could NOT get comfortable playing the horn. The sound sounded ok in recordings but always felt dead to my ears live and to my hands. Like a giant brick. Simply removing the twisty rod that connects the main tuning slide to the trigger assembly was enough to return the resonance. So I had my tech remove the trigger completely. The horn SINGS now - it's every bit as alive as any other Adams horn I've had and I don't really miss the trigger. If you ever find your horn feeling "off" or "dead" try playing with the trigger disconnected and see if you notice a difference.

Hey Jake,

I read with interest your comments on the trigger and the resonance of the Adams E3 with and without the trigger assembly. I can only speak from the perspective of having a trigger since the birth of my Adams E3. The way that my horn looked when I initially received it was so overwhelming, that it would have been hard for me to find any fault, unless it was just utterly obvious. I had no problems with resonance for the nearly 6 years I have had the Adams. Now, perhaps if I played more Adams horns (I have only just briefly played on several Adams samples at the two ITECs of 2016 and 2019), I might notice a difference in the resonance of Adams horns without trigger assemblies. But I think I sort of know what you refer to as a dead horn or a horn that feels like playing a brick. I may have played on several horns over the years that gave me that impression.

The change I just now received with the reversed main slide leg has not seemed to take away any resonance, or none that I can tell. The SS leadpipe feels a bit different to me, and I have been adjusting to it for the past few days. But when I am nicely warmed up and feeling settled on the horn, it sounds great to me behind the horn, and according to my somewhat biased wife, sounds good to her, too.

When you removed the trigger completely, did you go back to just a regular main tuning slide, or are you using the one that was made for having a trigger (a bit looser fitting)? If you are still using the looser one, there is always the possibility that there is too much "looseness" in the slide such that you are get air escaping (that could have been true after you got the retrofit itself). Kind of like having a spit valve partially open. That can lead to a less desirable sound and feel.

I like having the trigger, if only for 2 or 3 notes on the horn. I actually prefer to play the G (bass clef in the staff) 12 rather than 3, but 12 is sharp on my horn. So, I often use 3 when I am on the G for any length. With the different slide setup I now have, it seems much easier to work the trigger, so I am using it for the G which I play 12. Something is just a tiny bit different in the timbre of that note played 3 (at least for me). And F and G above the staff can usually use a dose of trigger. Using the trigger is much nicer to me than bending a note into shape. And if you know the tendencies on your horn really well, then you can set the trigger where it needs to be prior to even hitting the note. That is how I try to use it. And it is just cool. And for added fun, at my age and with my faculties probably heading mostly south rather than north, I enjoy using the trigger and trying not to get it mixed up with the 4th valve, or vice-versa. And I laugh at myself when I am not successful (and hope it is not in the middle of a stand-up solo!).

John