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I'm currently road testing an old (mid 50's) B & H Imperial euph that I might purchase. I play a Shiller now. I'm almost sure I like the Imperial better than my shiller. The valves are quicker and the notes come easy on it. I'm wondering if the speed of the valves is due to it's age (no compression). The valves are worn but there are no pock marks or anything like that. The tuning slides all move nicely. If it continued to work like this I'd be very happy. Is it too old to count on playing for about 6 or 8 hours a week ( I play in a community band) or am i just catching it on the end of it's useful life. Will this little tank last a long while if I'm careful.
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Old B & H Imperial
Try pulling the valve slides without depressing the valves: if there's an audible pop when the slide leaves the receiver, the compression is just fine. if the compression is spotty, a valve oil formulated for vintage horns like Yamaha Synthetic Classic, may be thick enough to provide a good seal.
It's probably worth having the horn checked by a tech for red rot and internal corrosion, but assuming the horn is in good condition and it's maintained, there's no reason it shouldn't be good for another 40-50 years.
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