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Thread: Year of manufacture of my Sterling Virtuoso

  1. #1

    Year of manufacture of my Sterling Virtuoso

    I finally located the serial number of my newly acquired Sterling Virtuoso: 065 754029.
    Wonder if anyone can determine from that the year of manufacture?
    Arnold (Arnie) Williams
    Sterling Virtuoso Euphonium with Gold Brass bell (Capitol Pops Band, Capitol Pops Tuba Euphonium Quartet)
    Yamaha YBH-831S Neo Baritone Horn (Joyous Brass, First Baritone)
    Yamaha YBH-301M Marching Baritone (Ophir Prison Marching Kazoo Band and Temperance Society LMTD)
    Yamaha YEP-830 Xeno Bass Trombone (Sacramento Concert Band)
    Euphonium: DW Heritage 4AL (main); K&G 3D (Ophir Prison Band)
    Bass Trombone: Ferguson M Series Jeff Reynolds

  2. Arnie,

    I am almost certain, based on prior conversations with Paul, that he does not keep accurate records of his serial numbers, beyond knowing that they are sequential. Based on my two data points:


    1. My euph serial number is 753336 and dates to August, 2009.
    2. My baritone serial number was 754325 and dated to August 2015.


    That is just 989 instruments in 6 years, Or an average of 165 instruments/year. Given that your euphonium is 296 units prior to my baritone, that would put your horn in about 2013.

    I would assume you have the new style tuning trigger (has a stop on the trigger rather a stop screw on the slide) and has a thumb-screw pushrod rather than a turnbuckle pushrod. Further, it MIGHT or might not have Bauerfeind valves. If so (and this would be good), it would tend towards the earlier part of the range (perhaps late 2012 or early 2013).
    Paul lost access to the Bauerfeind valves sometime around late 2012/13-ish to the best of my recollection. For a while he used Czerveny valves (not long), then at least two different versions of made in China valves. I am pretty certain he currently uses the same valve block as the JP Sterling horns. That was the case with my 2015 Sterling Virtuoso baritone.

    Do you have a picture(s) of the valve block and the valves that also shows the guides? The current horns use a very different guide (more like Besson) than the older Bauerfeind.

    Doug

    PS Unless someone else has access to records that I am not sure Paul Riggett even keeps, or has an instrument with a known background and serial number close to yours, I think this may be as good an estimate as you will get.
    Adams E3 0.60 Sterling bell - Prototype top sprung valves
    Concord Band
    Winchendon Winds
    Townsend Military Band

  3. #3
    I'll get some pictures later today; I believe the trigger mechanism is as you described, and I believe Tom said the valves are Bauerfeind (they are smoooooth). The trigger mechanism are getting along better with use.
    Arnold (Arnie) Williams
    Sterling Virtuoso Euphonium with Gold Brass bell (Capitol Pops Band, Capitol Pops Tuba Euphonium Quartet)
    Yamaha YBH-831S Neo Baritone Horn (Joyous Brass, First Baritone)
    Yamaha YBH-301M Marching Baritone (Ophir Prison Marching Kazoo Band and Temperance Society LMTD)
    Yamaha YEP-830 Xeno Bass Trombone (Sacramento Concert Band)
    Euphonium: DW Heritage 4AL (main); K&G 3D (Ophir Prison Band)
    Bass Trombone: Ferguson M Series Jeff Reynolds

  4. Quote Originally Posted by Arnbone Euph View Post
    I'll get some pictures later today; I believe the trigger mechanism is as you described, and I believe Tom said the valves are Bauerfeind (they are smoooooth). The trigger mechanism are getting along better with use.
    Arnie, Pictures?
    Adams E3 0.60 Sterling bell - Prototype top sprung valves
    Concord Band
    Winchendon Winds
    Townsend Military Band

  5. #5
    Took photos but before posting got a message that my horn was bought new from Custom Music International in 2018. (so likely an mfg date near 2018).
    Arnold (Arnie) Williams
    Sterling Virtuoso Euphonium with Gold Brass bell (Capitol Pops Band, Capitol Pops Tuba Euphonium Quartet)
    Yamaha YBH-831S Neo Baritone Horn (Joyous Brass, First Baritone)
    Yamaha YBH-301M Marching Baritone (Ophir Prison Marching Kazoo Band and Temperance Society LMTD)
    Yamaha YEP-830 Xeno Bass Trombone (Sacramento Concert Band)
    Euphonium: DW Heritage 4AL (main); K&G 3D (Ophir Prison Band)
    Bass Trombone: Ferguson M Series Jeff Reynolds

  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by Arnbone Euph View Post
    Took photos but before posting got a message that my horn was bought new from Custom Music International in 2018. (so likely an mfg date near 2018).
    Umm, I don't think you can count on that. As far as I know, Sterling stopped doing business with Custom years ago. It may have been sold as "new" in the sense that no one had owned it before. But I suspect it is at least ten years old. That's not good or bad - but I think that's the situation. I saw Paul at the 2012 ITEC and I got the district impression that he was done with Custom Music.
    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. Dave and Arnie...i know that Arnie's horn is newer than my 2009 by virtue of its serial number and the difference in its tuning slide mechanism. My original guess that it is 2012-ish is probably correct. This horn is a real find for Arnie since it has the Bauerfeind valves and new trigger. One of Sterlings finest.

    Doug
    Last edited by daruby; 01-06-2023 at 11:53 AM.

  8. #8
    My serial number is 754054, so mine is likely in the same vintage ballpark. Thanks for the info... this is very informative!
    Sterling Virtuoso Euphonium, Denis Wick 4AL

  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by daruby View Post


    1. My baritone serial number was 754325 and dated to August 2015.

    ​I am pretty certain he currently uses the same valve block as the JP Sterling horns. That was the case with my 2015 Sterling Virtuoso baritone.

    Oh really? Man. That really stinks...
    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
    Lancaster British Brass Band (all hail the 2nd baritone) - 2022-

  10. #10
    I only say that because at times, the valves give me fits...
    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
    Lancaster British Brass Band (all hail the 2nd baritone) - 2022-

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