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Thread: Preferred Horn Finishes

  1. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by Davidus1 View Post
    Nice! Now that you've had a couple of months on the horn are you still satisfied with it? (probably a "no brainer" question )
    Yep! At Dave's suggestion a week or two ago to provide a link, I posted my review on my personal site, to include a few photos. Please take a look if interested:

    www.euphiola.net
    U.S. Army, Retired (built mid-1950s)
    Adams E2 Euph (built 2017)
    Boosey & Co. Imperial Euph (built 1941)
    Edwards B454 Bass Trombone (built 2012)
    Boosey & Hawkes Imperial Eb tuba (built 1958)
    Kanstul 33-T lBBb tuba (built 2010)

  2. #12
    Quote Originally Posted by Eupher6 View Post
    Yep! At Dave's suggestion a week or two ago to provide a link, I posted my review on my personal site, to include a few photos. Please take a look if interested:

    www.euphiola.net
    I guess I missed that. Thanks for reposting. I look forward to checking it out!

  3. #13
    Quote Originally Posted by Eupher6 View Post
    Yep! At Dave's suggestion a week or two ago to provide a link, I posted my review on my personal site, to include a few photos. Please take a look if interested:

    www.euphiola.net
    Thanks for posting this. It was a great review. I enjoyed your site as well.

  4. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by Davidus1 View Post
    Thanks for posting this. It was a great review. I enjoyed your site as well.
    Thank you!

    One thing I really didn't comment about on the review was the valves.

    Adams does not use spring dampers as, I believe, the Bessons now have. Just a straight, non-coated valve spring that is comfortable for me. When it's time to replace them, I'll probably opt for Yamaha springs -- these feel about the same as a recent set of Yamaha springs I had purchased for the Sterling Virtuoso I'd had.

    The valve top "spacers" themselves aren't cork (thank God), but seem to be made of neoprene rubber. These, along with the corresponding valve cap inserts (also a type of neoprene/rubber), do a great job in keeping valve noise down.

    At this point, I think I have the valves pretty well broken in. The instrument was clean when I got it, meaning that Adams does a marvelous job in cleaning out rouge and whatever type of polishing agents that they might've used during the manufacturing process (it took me THREE thorough cleanings to divest the Sterling of the same black gunk), so apart from normal growth of slime that occurs in a horn that's played often, I didn't have to battle what I call the "valve break-in" routine. Even at the outset, when the valves were new, I've been using Yamaha Synthetic (normal weight) and in deliberately pushing it to see how far I could go before the valves screamed "Oil me, you fool!" I could go three days.

    With the Sterling, it was every day. Mandatory. Even after valve break-in.

    Now, I know all you horn fixers are shaking your heads and muttering about my little experiment, but I wanted to gauge how tolerant the valves are to both dirt and lack of lubrication. I was surprised to see they are VERY tolerant.

    I found it necessary to give the horn a bath and use the various tools I have in isolating and getting all the slime out of the horn after one month of fairly heavy use. Once the horn was clean, the valves responded very well.

    They are fast, quiet, and tolerant of a little misuse/neglect. I think this is noteworthy, because I don't know of anyone who really looks forward to oiling valves every time they play.
    U.S. Army, Retired (built mid-1950s)
    Adams E2 Euph (built 2017)
    Boosey & Co. Imperial Euph (built 1941)
    Edwards B454 Bass Trombone (built 2012)
    Boosey & Hawkes Imperial Eb tuba (built 1958)
    Kanstul 33-T lBBb tuba (built 2010)

  5. #15
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    San Diego, California
    Posts
    460
    I had no idea brushed finishes were that much more work than the silver plate. I guess we can also chalk up another use for Windex too!
    Euphs:
    Miraphone 5050 Ambassador
    Wessex Travel (Tornister) Euphonium 'Maly' ER154
    Yamaha 201 Baritone
    Mp: Wick SM4 Ultra X
    Groups:
    The San Diego Concert Band

  6. #16
    I agree with Eupher6 about Adams valves. They are amazingly tolerant and good. I believe -- though I have no basis in measurement -- that they may come from the factory just a little more broken in than some other makes, so they are in the sweet spot from day one. I've had great success using Hetmans 2 on these valves. They are just not fussy and have great response, though they are not the quietest nor do they have the refined feel of some other makes.

    My experience is also that Adams ships very clean instruments. And I guess I'm in a minority, I really like the factory supplied finger buttons. The springs feel fine and I have no impulse to change them out for another manufacturer's springs.

    The lacquer over silver and brass is a wonderful finish requiring only a wipedown to look great.

  7. #17
    polished silver all the way. Has a great smooth feel on your hands. Easiest to keep looking new for a really long time. If you get scratches or bad tarnish you can always have your repairperson give it a quick color buff and it will look brand new. You can't do this constantly or it'll eventually all get buffed off, but once every few years... it'll last longer than you will.

  8. I believe that Adams valves are similar to older vintage Sterling valves (ca. 2005-2010). My 2009 Sterling has the Bauerfeind valvset. Since my horn was built, Bauerfeind was purchased by Adams and Sterling has had to change suppliers. My Sterling valves are extremely smooth after a careful and thorough break in period.
    Adams E3 0.60 Sterling bell - Prototype top sprung valves
    Concord Band
    Winchendon Winds
    Townsend Military Band

  9. Click image for larger version. 

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ID:	2032My valves are way smooth as well. Judging from the sharp 90 degree bend in the first and third valve tubing (which I don't see in later Sterling models) I surmise mine is an early Sterling. Thanks to Doug Ruby for the third valve finger button!
    Last edited by tampaworth; 01-05-2014 at 08:28 PM. Reason: Typo
    Bob Tampa FL USA
    Euph -- 1984 B&H Round Stamp Sovereign 967 / 1978 Besson NS 767 / Early 90s Sterling MP: 4AL and GW Carbonaria
    Tuba -- 2014 Wisemann 900 CC / 2013 Mack 410 MP: Blokepiece Symphony American Shank and 33.2 #2 Rim

  10. #20
    The flat sides on the finger buttons also indicate an earlier model. I'm not sure exactly when Paul switched to the knurled-edge buttons, but I think it was around the time the Virtuoso was born.
    Dave Werden (ASCAP)
    Euphonium Soloist, U.S. Coast Guard Band, retired
    Adams Artist (Adams E3)
    Alliance Mouthpiece (DC3)
    YouTube: dwerden
    Facebook: davewerden
    Twitter: davewerden
    Instagram: davewerdeneuphonium

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