First picture of my "new" Adams E3 with top sprung valves

[MichaelSchott]

I dropped an email to Adams. We’ll see. I don’t really have a local distributor/reseller around here.

How much did the buttons cost you?

My dealer is not local. I think I paid $150 for them at the time.

[iMav]

My dealer is not local. I think I paid $150 for them at the time.

Who’d you use?

[Sara Hood]

You know they still have Miss America and other beauty contests. We should have a euphonium beauty contest. It doesn't have to be over the top, but we could make a call for your finest photograph of your euphonium, gather up and post all of the entries in one place, then take a poll right here. The winner gets, well, nothing, but imagine the pride you will have for your horn. And there are no losers, as anyone who has a euphonium and enters is a winner just for owning, loving and playing this most remarkable instrument.

This is a fun idea (smile). My only concern is that I will be too late to the party. I am still trying to figure out if I can afford buying a new horn and getting it engraved. So hold that thought!

- Sara

[John Morgan]

This is a fun idea (smile). My only concern is that I will be too late to the party. I am still trying to figure out if I can afford buying a new horn and getting it engraved. So hold that thought!

- Sara

I am delighted to wait for you and your new horn, Sara. We should build some suspense and intrigue, and nothing does that better than waiting a while... And this gives everyone a chance to figure out how to work their cameras (I still have a couple of the non-iPhone variety and use them pretty much exclusively).

Sorry, Doug, I seem to be going off topic. I don't want to spoil the arrival of your beautiful Adams.

[MichaelSchott]

Who’d you use?

Dillon Music in NJ. I have a connection through a friend with them.

[ChristianeSparkle]

I totally was not drooling looking at that beautiful euphonium. I'm so jelly! Not...not that I plan to cheat on my own horn, mind you!

[tbonesullivan]

More pictures in sequence showing the new Adams E3. I had already practiced 1 1/2 hours on my Sterling when I received the Adams. Though I did spend close to 30 minutes getting the horn oiled and tuned, my chops were pretty tired, so I don't have much feedback yet. I will say that the intonation seems not to have changed much at all with the change in the bell. I will continue to do strenuous practice through Saturday (next 4 days) then have a rehearsal from 11-1 on Sunday and a concert from 3-5. I should have pretty good feedback by the end of the week.

oh DANG that is nice. Was the +1 valve changed to top sprung as well? If possible I'd also love to see what the mechanism inside looks like on the top three valves. Definitely awesome to see that Adams is open to innovations like this. I love my Sterling but bottom sprung valves can be annoying sometimes.

Thank you so much for sharing the pictures!

[daruby]

The 4th valve is standard Bauerfeind fare. It is completely interchangeable with my 2009 Sterling. Pictures of a top sprung valve in comparison with the standard valve are below:

[iMav]

I ordered a set of finger buttons directly from Adams. Blue inlays. $151.72 total shipped. Will send pics when they arrive. (Here is the pic of the options they sent me…I picked blue…second from the left.)