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Thread: what is meant by Bauerfeind

  1. #1

    what is meant by Bauerfeind

    What is meant by Bauerfeind, as in Bauerfeind valve block?

  2. #2
    Bauerfeind is a company that makes high-quality valve systems for brass instruments. The valve block would be an assembled valve set, which would be the housings and interconnecting tubing and the pistons. Several different manufacturers have used Bauerfeind valves to give them high quality without the pain of building these very complex mechanisms. Adams has purchased Bauerfeind, but I think they would still sell valves to other companies as they have in the past.

    I've seen discussions of Bauerfeind valves in some trumpet brands, but I don't know if they do any rotary valves. Sterling Virtuoso euphoniums originally used valves they made themselves. I watched the build process of the pistons and it was pretty tedious. After a while they used Bauerfeind valves for several years, but I think they are now having their valves made in China.
    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

  3. #3
    Here is a blog post showing the process of making valves:

    http://www.dwerden.com/forum/entry.p...stons-Are-Made

    And here is a photo from the Adams factory. I THINK the tech is making valve blocks, but he may also be simply using blocks that are already made. As you can see, each piston/cylinder has little short tubes sticking out. The main tubes and valve-slide tubes will be attached to those.

    Click image for larger version. 

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    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

  4. #4
    Join Date
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    Really? Is this company the same as (or related to) Bauerfeind AG -- the large manfacturer of medical supplies in the ortheopaedics area? Bauerfeind AG is very well known, but I can't find much about the valve-making company. Apparently the valve-making people are highly secretive and reclusive.
    Gary Merrill
    Wessex EEb Bass tuba (DW 3XL or 2XL)
    Mack Brass Compensating Euph (DE N106, Euph J, J9 euph)
    Amati Oval Euph (DE 104, Euph J, J6 euph)
    1924 Buescher 3-valve Eb tuba (with std US receiver), Kelly 25
    Schiller American Heritage 7B clone bass trombone (DE LB K/K10/112/14 Lexan, Brass Ark MV50R)
    1947 Olds "Standard" trombone (Olds #3)

  5. #5
    Gary: I'm not sure if they are the same company, but I strongly suspect not.

    From a few quick searches, I see that Bauerfeind valves were/are used in a couple high-quality trumpet shops, Harrelson and Taylor. DEG used them at some point (not sure about now) for Getzen trumpets. And I learned that Adams has owned Bauerfeind since 2011 at least.

    Manufacturers are not always clear about what parts they buy vs. parts they make. And I don't think they need to be, as long as the end result is good. But for me (a charter member of the "inquiring minds want to know" club), I like to know all the little details just for fun. I'm not going to decide if I want an Adams based on whether the valves are Bauerfeind design or their own design...but I like to know!
    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

  6. #6
    Here is another photo of a "valveset" ready for installation into a Taylor trumpet.

    Click image for larger version. 

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    (Note that some of the longer tubes coming off the cylinders are not part of the Bauerfeind valveset; I assume they were added by Taylor for convenience at the next step.)
    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

  7. #7
    What is the forum opinion on the China-made valves on the new (not JP) Sterling v. previously-made Bauerfeind valves?

    And..is there a date range of manufacturing for Sterling (not JP) when they used the Bauerfeind valve blocks? I ask because it seems that there have been opinions expressed on the forum about the valve quality from China.

    I would like as good an instrument as I can afford, new or used.

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