I have a K series 8D that was and is a very fine horn. Having said that, it needed a valve job which Walter Lawson did 3 years ago. I was amazed with the result. After the valve job the horn was better than it had ever been, even when new. Notes centered much better, particularly in the high register. I could even play a high A that was focused and in tune on 1&2 as well as open (previously my only alternative) and also with the 3rd valve.
Gretchen Zook Sent wirelessly via BlackBerry from T-Mobile. -----Original Message----- From: "Luke Zyla" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: Thu, 13 Apr 2006 22:48:13 To:"The Horn List" <[email protected]> Subject: Re: [Hornlist] leadpipes on 8D All I can say is that I wasn't pleased with the upper register and the focus of the low register on my 8-D. Walter Lawson sent me some mouthpieces and a couple of leadpipes and I found a combination that transformed a very good horn into a great horn. Simple as that. I am not concerned about maintaining any sort of integrity of an 8-D. After all, it is a mass produced horn. The goal of a company like Conn is to maximize profit by producing the best horn for the lowest price. This involves compromise. When you get into the next class of horn, you pay lots more for a superior instrument. When you are put on the line in a professional situation, you want the proper tools to express yourself. I will say that only experienced and well trained players should tinker with equipment. Younger or less experienced players may fall into the trap of looking for answers in places other than the practice room. I already had several years of professional performing and lots of training before I made the equipment improvements. My favorite horn of all time is my Paxman Model 20L. Manufactured in 1980, it is a magnificent piece of fine craftsmanship. I had to get the valves replated by Chuck Ward once. My son, who is a junior in horn performance at West Virginia University, plays it now. He sounds great on it. Boy, it would be great to have young chops again. CORdially, Luke Zyla ----- Original Message ----- From: "debbie wenger" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, April 13, 2006 8:45 PM Subject: Re: [Hornlist] leadpipes on 8D > Luke, > > What kind of 8D is it? It is perceived that depending upon the year of > manufacture, there is a variance of quality. > > Beware. I have heard two arguments. Think along the lines of old > automobiles. Some people want to zealously restore them to their original > condition. Some want to customize. If you are a purist, and you believe > in your horn, because of who you bought it from, or how it played for you > when you tried it out, then, you don't want to change it. > > There are those, who say,"if you own an XXXX horn, it will be immensely > improved by replacing the bell/leadpipe/valve caps/slide liners/shortening > or lengthening the slides, with superior Lawson/German made/custom milled/ > etc.etc. > > I like to believe that the manufacturers do some kind of testing to put > the most effective leadpipe with the most effective bells, etc. In other > words, if they, through test playing, found that a larger throat/ bigger > bell, differently bent leadpipe, would make that horn play so much better, > wouldn't they manufacture it that way then? > > And, if you do this, replace critical parts of your horn, the purists will > call your horn a "Frankenstein" horn. I heard a person brag that his horn > had an XXX bell, an dddd leadpipe and hhhh valve section. > > How many professional sections have Frankenstein horns in their sections? > I don't know. > > My strategy, is to buy your horn, whatever make, used from a professional. > But then, a friend of mine is thrilled with his horn, because it was owned > by a string of professionals. Maybe, that meant that it was not meeting > their requirements. > > You can have fun customizing. But, also remember, the person who > enthusiastically offers to customize your horn, rather than restore it, is > out to earn some money. Of course! > > I am likely naive. I am not a renowed horn player. (HA) But because of > that, I do believe, I have nothing to lose by speaking my mind. My > knowledge is miniscule in comparison to the far greater wealth of > knowledge on this list. But, when it comes to earning a living hornwise, > no professional wants to hurt another. If there is a market for > something, someone will gladly make money off it. That is free enterprise. > > I guess, you can see I am a purist, I have an Elkhart 300,000 series 8D, > that was sold to me by a professional when he retired, and I was > encouraged to make it into a Frankenstein horn by someone who knows his > stuff, and I didn't, I only had it cleaned, and I am GLAD!!!! > >>From: "Luke Zyla" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >>Reply-To: The Horn List <[email protected]> >>To: "The Horn List" <[email protected]> >>Subject: Re: [Hornlist] leadpipes on 8D >>Date: Thu, 13 Apr 2006 05:55:39 -0400 >> >>I put a Lawson pipe (FB210.125) on my K series 8D. It helped the high >>register quite a bit. I combined it with a Lawson mouthpiece (S660 cup). >>The combination is excellent. Try out the new leadpipe by taping it along >>side the old pipe and see for yourself. Lawson will send you a variety to >>try for a downpayment. >>CORdially, >>Luke Zyla >>----- Original Message ----- From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >>To: <[email protected]> >>Sent: Thursday, April 13, 2006 12:46 AM >>Subject: [Hornlist] leadpipes on 8D >> >> >>hi- >>I forgot to mention this in my post. >> >>What have people's experiences been with putting Lawson or Patteson >>leadpipes on and 8D (or Patterson Conversion -although I have only heard >>of these played in NYC and Hollywood, correct me if I'm wrong I am trying >>to become less ignorent here) I have herd from someone a while ago that a >>Lawson leadpipe really "improved" their 8D. There isn't anything I want >>to improve about my horn, except the really stuffy, resistant, impossible >>high range as compared to many other horns I've tried, and the fact that I >>need to take a breath every 2-3 measures. >> >>again I ask, is this likely faults in my technique or could it be the >>nature or large horns with a deep mouthpiece, or both? >> >>thanks again, >> >>Dave M. >> >> >>________________________________________________________________________ >>Try Juno Platinum for Free! Then, only $9.95/month! >>Unlimited Internet Access with 1GB of Email Storage. >>Visit http://www.juno.com/value to sign up today! >> >> >>_______________________________________________ >>post: [email protected] >>unsubscribe or set options at >>http://music2.memphis.edu/mailman/options/horn/lzyla%40charter.net >>_______________________________________________ >>post: [email protected] >>unsubscribe or set options at >>http://music2.memphis.edu/mailman/options/horn/vtagirl%40hotmail.com > > > _______________________________________________ > post: [email protected] > unsubscribe or set options at > http://music2.memphis.edu/mailman/options/horn/lzyla%40charter.net > _______________________________________________ post: [email protected] unsubscribe or set options at http://music2.memphis.edu/mailman/options/horn/gretchenzook%40cs.com
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