Bell Engraving*

[davewerden]

This is a good chance to discuss bell engraving. It had become almost a lost art for a while in the brass world. Now you can actually get such a thing on a new horn, and a few years ago I noticed that Brasswind had that as an option during horn overhauls (not sure if it is still offered).

So first, would you like to have elaborate engraving on a horn?

Second, DO you have such a thing (old or new) in your collection? Photos would be fun!

And third, please mention if you know of this as an option from other new horn makers.

Here is a photo from Musikmesse in Europe. Adams is offering this now, although I don't know if it would look right on my brushed finish. It looks pretty special on this bright finish horn, though. Shown in the photo is Olivier Haas, an Adams artist, but I think that is a display horn he's playing.

[ghmerrill]

I admire the look, and I admire the art. But it's not something I'd ever get for myself -- any more than I would go (or ever would have gone) that direction with engraved firearms. I see those things as primarily for hanging on a wall or in a display case -- not for actually using. To me, it's like engraving my favorite hammer. It neither makes it a better hammer, nor does it make a hammer into a piece of fine jewelry.

Don't get me wrong: I don't look down on anyone who does this. It's just not something I'd do. But I also wouldn't avoid buying an instrument that was engraved. I'm just pretty utilitarian in these things.

[daruby]

I love custom engraving. Bob Childs has a custom engraved new Besson Prestige 2052, completely gold plated. Roland Froescher had a York Eminence in lacquer (and black nickel trim) that had quite a bit of custom engraving. The only thing I have o any f my horns is my name engrave on the 1st valve side of my Sterling.

Doug

[DaveBj]

Hmm . . . wonder where I could get some nekkid ladies, like old Mr. Towsley had on his gold-plated double-bell Conn. Just a thought . . .

[fmanola]

Check out http://www.artisticengraving.com/tubas-sousaphones (the BSO tuba bell in the lower right corner is particularly neat).

Frank

[davewerden]

Thanks, Frank. It's nice to see an independent company offering this, too. There are a couple of fun videos on how it's done here:

http://www.artisticengraving.com/

[Davidus1]

Here's a blast from the past.

http://cderksen.home.xs4all.nl/Conn2Jdraw1926image.html

http://cderksen.home.xs4all.nl/ConnN...bassimage.html

[Anson]

I admire the look, and I admire the art. But it's not something I'd ever get for myself -- any more than I would go (or ever would have gone) that direction with engraved firearms. I see those things as primarily for hanging on a wall or in a display case -- not for actually using. To me, it's like engraving my favorite hammer. It neither makes it a better hammer, nor does it make a hammer into a piece of fine jewelry.

Don't get me wrong: I don't look down on anyone who does this. It's just not something I'd do. But I also wouldn't avoid buying an instrument that was engraved. I'm just pretty utilitarian in these things.

Did you just call your horn a "hammer"?

[ghmerrill]

Did you just call your horn a "hammer"?

Yes. I thought that calling it an "axe" would be trite.

[Eupher6]

I admire the look, and I admire the art. But it's not something I'd ever get for myself -- any more than I would go (or ever would have gone) that direction with engraved firearms. I see those things as primarily for hanging on a wall or in a display case -- not for actually using. To me, it's like engraving my favorite hammer. It neither makes it a better hammer, nor does it make a hammer into a piece of fine jewelry.

Don't get me wrong: I don't look down on anyone who does this. It's just not something I'd do. But I also wouldn't avoid buying an instrument that was engraved. I'm just pretty utilitarian in these things.

^^^This. I tend to worry more about how much practice time I get in rather than engraving. Reminds me of a video I saw on FB of a guy who wanted Maynard Ferguson to engrave - with one of those buzz-engravers - his signature on the bell of the guy's horn. Maynard did so, but I'm pretty sure it didn't make the guy a better player.

[davewerden]

Now I'm not saying that fancy engraving will make you a better player. BUT, we ALL know how much better our cars run when they are clean, right? So...

[ghmerrill]

^^^This. I tend to worry more about how much practice time I get in rather than engraving. Reminds me of a video I saw on FB of a guy who wanted Maynard Ferguson to engrave - with one of those buzz-engravers - his signature on the bell of the guy's horn. Maynard did so, but I'm pretty sure it didn't make the guy a better player.

Well .... it might have made him a better player -- in an indirect way. See: So now he has a horn AUTOGRAPHED and ENGRAVED by MAYNARD FERGUSON. He sells that horn for a huge profit to some collector, then turns around and buys a BETTER instrument. This encourages him to practice more (and maybe he uses some of the money for lessons), it gives him a better sound, and he becomes a better player.

I'd try that myself, but lugging a tuba around is something of a problem. However, I have managed to see Oystein Baadsvik in person twice in the past couple of years. And I used to have one of those electric engravers around here somewhere. Might be worth a try. Wish I'd thought of it when I was playing flute and went to that master class with Galway.

[ghmerrill]

Now I'm not saying that fancy engraving will make you a better player. BUT, we ALL know how much better our cars run when they are clean, right? So...

You CLEAN your car? You're really not from the south, are you? (I'm not either, but over a couple of decades I've adapted well.)

[Pat]

Sherry Huntley at Artistic Engraving did some beautiful work on a Martin Committee trumpet that I once owned. The horn had faded engraving and she not only perked it up to new, but added the embellishments usually seen on the "deluxe" version of the horn. Great, great work.

[kp110477]

When shopping for a guitar I always browsed the 'how to buy' categories of forums to brush up on what to look for, same with anything really. One of the common themes was to 'pick the guitar that you think makes you look cool playing'. At first, I was baffled, after-all what does that have to do with ANYTHING? Les Paul played an electrified 2x4 practically. Then it made sense, if you think you look cool playing it, you're probably going to naturally want to play it more often. As we all know, more practice = better playing. I think a customized horn of any kind would make someone want to play more. Not all customizations are pretty either, but they made it their own (think SRV and his No. 1). my .02