B&H Imperial 3-valve compensated (80s)

[simonm29]

hi Michael, if you pass Boosey & Hawkes Imperial please let me know/give contact. i would be interested.....in case you dont want it. thx

[MichaelBavarian]

When I get to test the B&H Euphonium from the 80s next weekend - what do I have to look for? Points I have in mind:

- to look that the valves are working well
- instrument should not lose air anywhere
- check intonation with tuner
- check overall condition of instrument

Any other ideas?

[MichaelBavarian]

hi Michael, if you pass Boosey & Hawkes Imperial please let me know/give contact. i would be interested.....in case you dont want it. thx

If I do not buy it, I will forward you the ad.

[iMav]

Any other ideas?

Does playing it put a smile on your face? (That would be a biggie for ME!)

[davewerden]

When I get to test the B&H Euphonium from the 80s next weekend - what do I have to look for? Points I have in mind:

- to look that the valves are working well
- instrument should not lose air anywhere
- check intonation with tuner
- check overall condition of instrument

Any other ideas?

You should wipe off and oil all valves before starting.

I would play some 1/8th note scales and listen/feel for notes that are stuffy sounding/feeling. Keep in mind that a little variation is normal; just see if there are any "dogs" in there.

Play a couple of trills at a medium-slow tempo. Listen for clarity between the top and bottom note. Use simple fingerings so your fingerings are sure to operate accurately. If the separation is mushy, that might point to leaky valves.

A quick check for leaky valves: pull the 1st slide out smoothly out of the horn. Don't press the 1st valve while doing this. There should be a "pop" sound as the slide comes off the horn, which would indicate the valves are capable of maintaining compression.

[aroberts781]

Michael, Dave has some good suggestions above, and I think Larry's point is good. In other words, is playing this particular horn enjoyable, or not.

There was a fairly short thread (link below) about testing euphoniums, and in that thread Dave links to an article he wrote on this forum that has a lot of good, detailed thoughts on testing a euphonium.

http://www.dwerden.com/forum/showthr...s#.Y1FVwPzMI2w

If it were me, I would warm up playing easy long tones, 1-octave scales or scale fragments, and 1-octave arpeggios to get a sense of the horn. Once comfortable with it, I would probably do some 2-octave scales and any favorite tunes/excerpts that you know. Bring some sheet music with you. Try something slow/melodic and something fast/technical. For the scales, vary the articulations (slurred, accented, staccato, etc...) to get a sense of how it responds.

If you have a euphonium that you are currently playing on, bring it along to compare. If possible bring a musician friend that can give their opinions.

When I got my 3-valve compensating Besson New Standard (made in 1976), my very first impression was a bit of disappointment in the sluggishness and noisiness of the valves, but once I cleaned them, oiled them, and replaced the felts and springs it was totally fine. I just wanted to share that in case you had a similar first impression. Try to focus on the sound and enjoyment/ease of playing it, and if the valves just seem noisy it may be a simple fix with some Mead Springs and fresh felts.