Adams E3 Changes

[John Morgan]

Beautiful! I like how you engraved your name on it. Nice!

Thanks, tonewheeler!! Well, the story behind the engraving of my name: I am not really a narcissist with a need to have my name engraved on my horns. I am, however, a frequent buyer of horns, some a bit expensive. Soooo, my wife Linda, who is the absolute coolest and best wife in the world, is always okay with whatever horn I may buy, but with the Adams and its cost, she "suggested" to me, "Honey, why don't you have your name engraved on it, and that way, you might keep it for a while". How could I say no to that, so I asked Miel to make it so, and they did!!

[spkissane]

Horn looks great, John. I do believe the SS leadpipe was a major factor in my choosing my E1 over every other Adams in the room at the last ITEC. It really has a special feel to it, and it SINGS! I'm not sure how many they've made with the SS leadpipe, but until today I've only ever seen mine. For customization options, it seems that Adams is still truly king.

[John Morgan]

Horn looks great, John. I do believe the SS leadpipe was a major factor in my choosing my E1 over every other Adams in the room at the last ITEC. It really has a special feel to it, and it SINGS! I'm not sure how many they've made with the SS leadpipe, but until today I've only ever seen mine. For customization options, it seems that Adams is still truly king.

Hey Sean,

Thanks! Well, now there are at least two of us loose in the country with SS leadpipes! I have been playing it quite a bit the last couple or three days, and I really like it. It seems to have an added "sparkle" to it and perhaps plays a wee bit brighter. I am with you on the singing part, too. I was playing the solo in the 2nd Holst Suite in my room yesterday, and Linda comes in and said she really likes the sound. Me too, so far. I am still getting used to it.

That is a nice looking E1 you have, Sean!!

[JakeGuilbo]

I posted last summer about how my local technician, with help from Miel, retrofitted my SS E3 to this reverse slide in an attempt to reduce secondary vibrations I was getting with the trigger assembly and to fix factory out-of-alignment. This worked and from June-November 2021 I was using this setup and it was "ok." One thing you completely lose with a trigger on an Adams horn, at least in my experience, is the shear amount of resonance the horn provides. I could NOT get comfortable playing the horn. The sound sounded ok in recordings but always felt dead to my ears live and to my hands. Like a giant brick. Simply removing the twisty rod that connects the main tuning slide to the trigger assembly was enough to return the resonance. So I had my tech remove the trigger completely. The horn SINGS now - it's every bit as alive as any other Adams horn I've had and I don't really miss the trigger. If you ever find your horn feeling "off" or "dead" try playing with the trigger disconnected and see if you notice a difference.

[John Morgan]

I posted last summer about how my local technician, with help from Miel, retrofitted my SS E3 to this reverse slide in an attempt to reduce secondary vibrations I was getting with the trigger assembly and to fix factory out-of-alignment. This worked and from June-November 2021 I was using this setup and it was "ok." One thing you completely lose with a trigger on an Adams horn, at least in my experience, is the shear amount of resonance the horn provides. I could NOT get comfortable playing the horn. The sound sounded ok in recordings but always felt dead to my ears live and to my hands. Like a giant brick. Simply removing the twisty rod that connects the main tuning slide to the trigger assembly was enough to return the resonance. So I had my tech remove the trigger completely. The horn SINGS now - it's every bit as alive as any other Adams horn I've had and I don't really miss the trigger. If you ever find your horn feeling "off" or "dead" try playing with the trigger disconnected and see if you notice a difference.

Hey Jake,

I read with interest your comments on the trigger and the resonance of the Adams E3 with and without the trigger assembly. I can only speak from the perspective of having a trigger since the birth of my Adams E3. The way that my horn looked when I initially received it was so overwhelming, that it would have been hard for me to find any fault, unless it was just utterly obvious. I had no problems with resonance for the nearly 6 years I have had the Adams. Now, perhaps if I played more Adams horns (I have only just briefly played on several Adams samples at the two ITECs of 2016 and 2019), I might notice a difference in the resonance of Adams horns without trigger assemblies. But I think I sort of know what you refer to as a dead horn or a horn that feels like playing a brick. I may have played on several horns over the years that gave me that impression.

The change I just now received with the reversed main slide leg has not seemed to take away any resonance, or none that I can tell. The SS leadpipe feels a bit different to me, and I have been adjusting to it for the past few days. But when I am nicely warmed up and feeling settled on the horn, it sounds great to me behind the horn, and according to my somewhat biased wife, sounds good to her, too.

When you removed the trigger completely, did you go back to just a regular main tuning slide, or are you using the one that was made for having a trigger (a bit looser fitting)? If you are still using the looser one, there is always the possibility that there is too much "looseness" in the slide such that you are get air escaping (that could have been true after you got the retrofit itself). Kind of like having a spit valve partially open. That can lead to a less desirable sound and feel.

I like having the trigger, if only for 2 or 3 notes on the horn. I actually prefer to play the G (bass clef in the staff) 12 rather than 3, but 12 is sharp on my horn. So, I often use 3 when I am on the G for any length. With the different slide setup I now have, it seems much easier to work the trigger, so I am using it for the G which I play 12. Something is just a tiny bit different in the timbre of that note played 3 (at least for me). And F and G above the staff can usually use a dose of trigger. Using the trigger is much nicer to me than bending a note into shape. And if you know the tendencies on your horn really well, then you can set the trigger where it needs to be prior to even hitting the note. That is how I try to use it. And it is just cool. And for added fun, at my age and with my faculties probably heading mostly south rather than north, I enjoy using the trigger and trying not to get it mixed up with the 4th valve, or vice-versa. And I laugh at myself when I am not successful (and hope it is not in the middle of a stand-up solo!).

John

[Magikarp]

What a beautiful euphonium.