Valerie: There is no "yes" or "no" answer. But there are considerations.
Consider the pros and cons: on the pro side, Holton 178's have a good reputation, the horn was owned by a professional hornist, and the price is reasonable. On the con side, the valves are stuck and the slides are frozen so there's no way you can see if the horn "fits" you beforehand (or even if the horn is a decent one---Holton makes clinkers from time to time just like other large instrument makers).
If the problem is truly only frozen slides and valves, here's an idea. Talk to the seller and ask her if she'll allow you to take the horn to a reputable horn repair person for an assessment. If the verdict is just that and the estimate reasonable, you might risk paying for the cost of getting the work done (with the approval of the seller) to have the opportunity to try out the horn. Certainly those costs plus the current asking price would still be well below the current asking price for a good, used Holton 178. If the horn doesn't suit you, consider your investment in the repair costs a valuable lesson in buying a horn. Be sure to have other horn players you trust try the horn, too, to get outside opinions.
Richard in Seattle Valerie WELLS wrote:
snip>>Would you recommend buying a used horn made by a reputable manufacturer (Holton 178, yellow brass) if it had frozen slides & valves because it's been sitting unused for 7 or 8 years? (The horn is about 10 years old. The owner is a retired professional.) She's only asking $1500. What do you think? Do you know if it's possible for an instrument like this to be restored to good working order?
_______________________________________________ post: [email protected] unsubscribe or set options at http://music2.memphis.edu/mailman/options/horn/archive%40jab.org
