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Thread: Meadsprings worth it? Potential fix for valve noise?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2022
    Location
    South Carolina
    Posts
    7

    Meadsprings worth it? Potential fix for valve noise?

    I have a Jupiter JEP1020S that has a rattling/scratching sound when using the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th valves, Im a no expert when it comes to euphoniums but it seems to be caused by the springs. Instead of just sitting around, I feel like it would be better to just consider this an upgrade and get new springs. I have seen on this forum and on other reviews that meadsprings are pricy, but are a nice upgrade, and the same with yamaha springs. It appears that the meadsprings have a plastic cover/wrap that make them almost completely silent, so I think that those are the ones I will go with. Im wondering what anyone else thinks about this, and whether these springs will fit on my euphonium?

    There is always the chance that it is something other than the springs, but I cant think of anything else.

    The image is my 4th valve/spring
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails 69B55F6E-2FB7-4BCA-A1AC-9D32BFA6AE9E.jpeg  
    Last edited by Luke Born; 12-13-2022 at 04:15 PM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2015
    Location
    Varese,Italy
    Posts
    385
    It depends on the positioning of the springs inside the cylinder which rub on the wall of the same. I had the same problem on the Courtois 165, not a big deal, but annoying. To get around this, I bent the spring slightly to one side and looked for the position that made it silent by turning it from side to side or turning it upside down, not that it was a great system but, at the time, the only one that came to mind . Steven Mead's springs could be the solution having a double conical shape with a Teflon coating. I've had them on my Prestige for a few years and I must say they are a great product.
    2007 Besson Prestige 2052, 3D+ K&G mouthpiece; JP373 baritone, 4B modified K&G mouthpiece; Bach 42GO trombone, T4C K&G mouthpiece; 1973 Besson New Standard 3 compensated valves, 3D+ K&G modified mouthpiece; Wessex French C tuba, 3D+ K&G modified mouthpiece.

  3. The great jazz trumpet/flugelhorn player Clark Terry* used to manually coat his valve springs with cork grease to keep down the noise. You might want to give this a try to see if spending $ for the Mead springs would make a difference.

    *I realize that time passes and new generations ascend, but it pains me a bit that I felt I had to explain who Clark Terry was. Years ago I went to a master class he put on. He gave the best single piece of advice I’ve received about playing music.

    At the question and answer session at the end of the class, someone asked, “Mr. Terry, what advice would you give to someone who wants to advance their musical career?”

    He thought for a second and said, “Show up on time and don’t be a d&#k.”

    if you have a couple spare minutes…

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wKLBLgkSBk

  4. #4
    Mead Springs may be expensive, but for around 20 USD I found that they made quite noticeable improvements in both horns I have had them on. My Schiller didn't really have noisy valves, but there was a pretty noticeable rebound/bounciness when the valves completed their upstroke that I found bothersome. The Mead Springs completely eliminated that rebound. With the springs that came on my 1976 New Standard, the valves were slow and noisy. Again, Mead Springs (along with new felts) made a huge improvement. I think it would definitely be worth a shot to see if Mead Springs help the valves on your Jupiter.

    Quote Originally Posted by MikeS View Post
    *I realize that time passes and new generations ascend, but it pains me a bit that I felt I had to explain who Clark Terry was. Years ago I went to a master class he put on. He gave the best single piece of advice I’ve received about playing music.

    At the question and answer session at the end of the class, someone asked, “Mr. Terry, what advice would you give to someone who wants to advance their musical career?”

    He thought for a second and said, “Show up on time and don’t be a d&#k.”

    if you have a couple spare minutes…

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wKLBLgkSBk
    I must admit that Clark Terry is a name I was generally familiar with as a famous trumpet player, but I have never really listened to him much. Usually if I feel like listening to jazz from around that era I will put on J.J. Johnson. So thanks for making a point of stressing Clark Terry, because I really enjoyed that clip! Very nice playing.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    Valley City, North Dakota, USA
    Posts
    1,314
    I have mead springs for all my euphoniums.
    Groups
    Valley City Community Band
    Valley City State University Concert Band
    2024 North Dakota Intercollegiate Band (you're never too old!)


    Larry Herzog Jr.

    All things EUPHONIUM! Guilded server

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    NYC metro area
    Posts
    523
    Quote Originally Posted by aroberts781 View Post
    Mead Springs may be expensive, but for around 20 USD I found that they made quite noticeable improvements [snip].
    I agree. Big improvement when I installed the Mead Springs (lighter version).
    Dean L. Surkin
    Mack Brass MACK-EU1150S, BB1 mouthpiece
    Bach 36B trombone; Bach 6.5AL and Faxx 7C mouthpieces (pBone on loan to granddaughter)
    Steinway 1902 Model A, restored by AC Pianocraft in 1988; Kawai MP8, Yamaha KX-76
    See my avatar: Jazz (the black cockapoo; RIP) and Delilah (the cavapoo) keep me company while practicing

  7. #7
    The Mead springs are over-priced considering the materials...but they are the best springs I've ever used and are worth the price for the use I get from them! (One would assume that the high price is to pay back the folks who designed and developed the product. Plus, even as well as they sell, they are still a low-volume item, and low volume items are not cost-efficient to manage.)

    Mine last for years and stay silent. They offer choices of strength to match different horns, and with the right set they do a good job of giving you quick piston return with little bounce. Money well spent in my book.
    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

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Sep 2022
    Location
    South Carolina
    Posts
    7
    Sounds like meadsprings it is.. I have heard they are a but tough to get used to at first, so we will see how that goes haha. Thanks for the help.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    Valley City, North Dakota, USA
    Posts
    1,314
    I never thought $20 was expensive for something like the Mead springs. Worth every penny IMHO.
    Groups
    Valley City Community Band
    Valley City State University Concert Band
    2024 North Dakota Intercollegiate Band (you're never too old!)


    Larry Herzog Jr.

    All things EUPHONIUM! Guilded server

  10. #10
    Got the meadsprings yesterday. The noise from the valves was a bit annoying with my Besson. But now they are practically silent. So they do what they should.

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