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Thread: Restored Case for 1926 SA Triumph Baritone

  1. Restored Case for 1926 SA Triumph Baritone

    This is not quite a Euphonium, but it's close... a 1926 Salvation Army "Triumph" Baritone. Hopefully it's allowed here! I am primarily a Eupho player, so I'll lean on that and hope I get away with it!

    The baritone has been fully restored (including a full valve rebuild), and came up a dream - it plays really well.

    But... the case was pretty sad.

    I don't think it is the original case, as it's not a perfect fit, but I have seen other similar era Salvation Army instruments in cases that have very similar designs. So I THINK it's period correct, but possibly for a longer (non compact) Baritone.

    The case exterior was a brown vinyl, and the interior was a green felt lining, which had absorbed quite a strong and nasty smell from cigarettes from a previous owner somewhere along the line. So... a restored vintage instrument deserves a restored vintage case!

    I stripped it back to bare timber, threw away the brown vinyl and the green felt, and removed all the hardware. All the nails were falling out, so I re-glued everything, then applied a layer of fibreglass to the outside. Several weekends of sanding and bogging later... then a few coats of undercoat and fresh red paint went on. I'm not gunna lose this case in a rehearsal room!

    I built a custom form fit interior with red velour for the base, and fitted a top lid liner with a cool brass design. Turns out to be a nice snug fit! Even has a little compartment for some valve oil!

    It's not perfect... I have learnt a few lessons along the way, but I now know what I'll do for the next one (which will be for my 1912 Salvo Compact Eupho).

    It was a fun project, and I'm very happy with the result. Here are a few photos... I'd love to hear from others who have restored old cases like this.

    Click image for larger version. 

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    Click image for larger version. 

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    Jason.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Location
    Summerfield, Florida Sturgis, SD (summers)
    Posts
    1,863
    Well done, Jason. I know many of us have bought old horns, and usually the cases are a wreck or just about a wreck. I know with my 1956 B&H Imperial, the alligator case was the weak link, rather smelly and very well worn. You may have found a new calling.
    John Morgan
    The U.S. Army Band (Pershing's Own) 1971-1976
    Adams E3 Custom Series Euphonium, 1956 B&H Imperial Euphonium,
    1973 F. E. Olds & Son Studio Model T-31 Baritone
    Adams TB1 Tenor Trombone, Yamaha YBL-822G Bass Trombone
    Year Round Except Summer:
    Kingdom of the Sun (KOS) Concert Band, Ocala, FL (Euphonium)
    KOS Brass Quintet (Trombone, Euphonium)
    Summer Only:
    Rapid City Municipal Band, Rapid City, SD (Euphonium)
    Rapid City New Horizons Band (Euphonium)

  3. #3
    Nice job!

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Hidden Valley, AZ
    Posts
    1,031
    Indeed, a nice job.

    I have a case a lot like that one, needing work.

    Free for postage!

    Dennis

  5. John: It's definitely a labour of love, as there's no way it's economical, particularly in the time it takes. Luckily, once I'd stripped off all the exterior and interior, the timber was actually in remarkably good condition.

    Dennis: Yep, I think I've seen you advertise that elsewhere, but I think you're in the USA and I'm in Australia, so postage wouldn't be worth it. The little Eupho I have will need me to build the underlying timber custom, as it's one of those compact models and anything existing will be too long and the bell area probably not big enough. But after pulling this baritone case apart, I'm fairly confident I could sort that out. Bending some ply will be the tricky bit, but there are techniques for that.

    There are a few more before pics of the case up here:
    https://salvationarmyhorns.com/barit...tone-triumph-1


    And here's the eupho (that case isn't the right fit - way too tight!):
    https://salvationarmyhorns.com/eupho...nium-class-a-1

    Jason.

  6. #6
    Ahhh. The old Trumphonics. Played one for a short time in the 80s.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Hidden Valley, AZ
    Posts
    1,031
    Ah, yes, save that jewel!

    My Besson New Standard was a SA 'discard', and you can imagine just how bad it was before restoration. Lots of dents, holes, and apparently someone had sat on it. More brass than silver even.

    Ordinarily, I'd never put that much coin into a resto, but this 181 was just 7 digits from the used beauty I bought in High School back in '68. Hard times in the 80's and I had to sell it.

    It is a super horn now, and I'm happy I did the job on it.

    Dennis
    Last edited by highpitch; 06-16-2022 at 08:10 PM.

  8. #8
    I know someone who bought their 967 around the same time as I did. They sold it and bought it back several times. Once he asked if I was willing to sell him mine and without any hesitation I firmly told him NO! I have an old B&H trombone I rescued from a SA band room in the mid 90's. So glad I did. SA band rooms used to be an amazing treasure trove of instruments.
    I AM DANA.


    Meet the Family
    Junior - Euphonium - 1906 - Henry Distin Mfg.
    Hastings - Trombone - 1952 - Boosey and Hawkes
    Bramwell - Euphonium - 1988 - Besson/Boosey and Hawkes (BE967)
    Margaret - Baritone - 2015 - Sterling1050HS
    Albert - Eb Bass - 2023 - Dillon 981S


    New York Staff Band - 2nd Baritone - 1991-1994
    Philadelphia Freedom Band - Euphonium - 2022 -
    Lancaster British Brass Band (all hail the 2nd baritone) - 2022-

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