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Thread: Boosey & Hawkes round stamp Sovereign, completely restored!

  1. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by davewerden View Post
    Usually an air leak will make the horn feel stuffy. It's possible that the repair job corrected some joints that were not smooth, which happened in many cases with the English Bessons. Some players have had good repair shops go through them and correct the misalignment. This is probably the case with some other brands as well. If any friends within reach have a Besson 2052 or a newer German Sovereign, you might give the horns a blow and see how they feel. The response is better with the German horns, probably because the factory has a method for more consistent alignment. Anyway, if the German Bessons also make you feel like it takes effort to keep the sound going, you may just have to work at playing in the new realm. If the horn feels freer, you may be playing more loudly than before, which is why the air goes away faster.
    Hi Dave,
    I think what you described is the case, as even with al valves pressed down there is almost no resistance. The instrument just plays extremely open and it will take a lot of practice to get back used to it. I actually played a Besson 2052 Prestige from 2012 and a Sovereign 967 from around 2000 (very late English production) before I got the Round Stamp and while it was getting repaired. Both are indeed more responsive and the prestige is particularly a very hard horn to play on, but the Sovereign could sing! For your interest, here is a side by side comparison with the Prestige and the Round Stamp.
    Click image for larger version. 

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  2. #12
    Join Date
    Mar 2017
    Location
    Sacramento, CA area
    Posts
    309
    Quote Originally Posted by Clayton M. View Post
    The photo with your disassembled horn in a basket reminded me of C3-P0 in The Empire Strikes Back!
    I was liking it because it really showed the conical versus cylindrical profiles of the tubing and how they go into building the horn. That is what they say gives the euphonium its sweet voice. It was amazing to see it go from a basket of plumbing to a complete horn though, I agree.
    - Sara
    Baritone - 3 Valve, Compensating, JinBao JBBR1240

  3. #13
    Beautiful looking and typical of McQueens standard of work. The only thing that surprises me is that you didn’t get them to sort the trigger and mountings for a guard whilst it was in.
    Enjoy and I’m sure you’ll get used to the feel of it in a few weeks of playing.

  4. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by DEF1 View Post
    Beautiful looking and typical of McQueens standard of work. The only thing that surprises me is that you didn’t get them to sort the trigger and mountings for a guard whilst it was in.
    Enjoy and I’m sure you’ll get used to the feel of it in a few weeks of playing.
    They sorted it quite alright I think, since the trigger wasn't even moving down anymore when I shipped the instrument to them! You can see in the pictures that I'm using a screw-on type bellyguard now.
    Cheers

  5. #15
    Sorry, didn’t see that Vito. Like I said before though, beautiful looking and I bet it sounds lovely.

  6. The Custom trigger has been made by Atelier Pfeiffer in the Netherlands. MS are the initials of Marcel Schot.

    Enjoy your beautiful horn!

  7. #17
    Join Date
    May 2016
    Location
    Truro, Cornwall, UK
    Posts
    111
    That looks gorgeous. The round stamps are becoming exceedingly rare, although my local second hand specialist has at least one awaiting preparation, as well as an entirely unused, new B&H Imperial that’s still in its original bag!
    1983 Boosey & Hawkes Sovereign
    Denis Wick SM4 (original series)

  8. #18
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Hidden Valley, AZ
    Posts
    1,034
    Sure is nice to see another older Besson put back into playing condition.

    Dennis

  9. #19
    Join Date
    Mar 2019
    Location
    Fort Lauderdale, FL
    Posts
    4

    Shape of teh bell

    Quote Originally Posted by Vito View Post
    Hi Dave,
    I think what you described is the case, as even with al valves pressed down there is almost no resistance. The instrument just plays extremely open and it will take a lot of practice to get back used to it. I actually played a Besson 2052 Prestige from 2012 and a Sovereign 967 from around 2000 (very late English production) before I got the Round Stamp and while it was getting repaired. Both are indeed more responsive and the prestige is particularly a very hard horn to play on, but the Sovereign could sing! For your interest, here is a side by side comparison with the Prestige and the Round Stamp.
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	IMG_20190305_144946_Easy-Resize.com.jpg 
Views:	89 
Size:	886.0 KB 
ID:	6732
    Hi,

    Just wondering about the shape of the bell on the horn on the right (the Round Stamp?). It looks elliptical. Am I seeing things or is that normal?

    Vito (also)

  10. #20
    Join Date
    May 2016
    Location
    Truro, Cornwall, UK
    Posts
    111
    In addition to what you’ve said about the sound of the Globe Sovereign, I prefer the ergonomics too. I’m on my second!
    1983 Boosey & Hawkes Sovereign
    Denis Wick SM4 (original series)

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