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Thread: Help with a Besson horn

  1. #1

    Help with a Besson horn

    Please forgive me and feel free to delete if this is an improper request. I’ve inherited a Besson horn and I was hoping I could get some help in identifying it.

    I’m not a brass player but it is either a 3 valve baritone or euphonium. Satin finish. Serial number 570,xxx which I believe puts it in the 1975 range. Can anyone point me to additional resources to help get more information on this horn?

    Thank you.

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  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    West Palm Beach, FL
    Posts
    3,853
    Hi BQ93,

    Welcome to the forum. That's definitely a euphonium and is a 3 valve compensating model. That helps correct intonation with multiple valves being pressed - especially when using 1-3 and 123.

    See this link if interested:
    http://www.dwerden.com/eu-articles-comp.cfm
    Rick Floyd
    Miraphone 5050 - Warburton BJ / RF mpc
    YEP-641S (recently sold)
    Doug Elliott - 102 rim; I-cup; I-9 shank


    "Always play with a good tone, never louder than lovely, never softer than supported." - author unknown.
    Symphonic Band of the Palm Beaches
    El Cumbanchero (Raphael Hernandez, arr. Naohiro Iwai)
    Chorale and Shaker Dance
    (John Zdechlik)

  4. #4

    Thanks

    Quote Originally Posted by RickF View Post
    Hi BQ93,

    Welcome to the forum. That's definitely a euphonium and is a 3 valve compensating model. That helps correct intonation with multiple valves being pressed - especially when using 1-3 and 123.

    See this link if interested:
    http://www.dwerden.com/eu-articles-comp.cfm

    I appreciate it. As I said I am completely out of my element. I'll take a look at the link.

  5. #5
    Can you give me any tips on how i can determine the model? I am fairly certain it is a student model, but I do not have any idea how to tell which one.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    West Palm Beach, FL
    Posts
    3,853
    Can’t tell you the model number but would say some prefer these over a 4-valve compensator model because they’re lighter, have a good tone and play relatively in tune. Maybe someone else will know the model number.

    — edited to remove an error —
    Last edited by RickF; 09-30-2019 at 07:34 AM.
    Rick Floyd
    Miraphone 5050 - Warburton BJ / RF mpc
    YEP-641S (recently sold)
    Doug Elliott - 102 rim; I-cup; I-9 shank


    "Always play with a good tone, never louder than lovely, never softer than supported." - author unknown.
    Symphonic Band of the Palm Beaches
    El Cumbanchero (Raphael Hernandez, arr. Naohiro Iwai)
    Chorale and Shaker Dance
    (John Zdechlik)

  7. #7
    For many decades (until the Sovereign models came along in the mid-1970's) the New Standard or Imperial models were Besson's top of the line and were professional models. The pros all played 4-valve horns, but the 3-valve compensating horns were of the same quality. So it's hard to categorize it, but the quality is that of a pro horn 100%. There undoubtedly was a model number but I don't remember it.

    If you browse through the for sale section you'll see many examples where horns like this were offered for sale.
    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

  8. #8
    Thank you both for the help. I will do some research on the forum and see what I can determine.

  9. I have one in the same serial number range (as well as another 4 valve w/ removable front bell). As far as I have been able to determine, the 3v compensating is a model 176.
    Weril H980 euph
    Besson 4v comp euph 314xxx
    Besson 3v comp euph 455xxx
    King 3v bari. 20xxx
    King 4v double-bell euph 50xxx
    Conn 5v double-bell euph 355xxx
    Buescher 3+1 double-bell euph 285xxx
    Olds bell-front 3v bari
    Holton alto horn
    Holton 3v tuba
    Belleville Helicon
    Some of the performances of the Mid-Shore Community Band:
    http://www.youtube.com/results?searc...ty%20band&sm=3

  10. #10
    Thanks for the information. That should help.

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