TromboneChat

Is there a risk the the horn will play differently when *not* employing the trigger attachment? I certainly don't want to alter that aspect of the horn.

Absolutely. I say it's probably inevitable, actually. A rotor that old is bound to have at least a little corrosion and probably be at least a little out-of-alignment to some degree. But I also suspect that it would improve it, if anything.

patrickosmith wrote: Wed Jun 22, 2022 12:22 pmIs there a risk the the horn will play differently when *not* employing the trigger attachment? I certainly don't want to alter that aspect of the horn.

Well, it is actually somewhat inevitable, as you are changing the weight and resonant profile of the horn, just by changing the wrap on the F-attachment. The bracing and weight affect any horn on both the Bb and F sides of the horn. I have a bass trombone that has both Eb and D crooks for the second valve (dependent), and it definitely plays differently based on the crook. The Eb is short and has no tuning slide, while the D crook is longer and also has a 6 inch tuning slide in it.

That said, I think you'll find it may play better with the new valve, just because it's a new valve with better air passages and no leaks.

patrickosmith wrote: Wed Jun 22, 2022 12:22 pm Reasons for doing the open wrap conversion:
1) closed wrap has red rot (been there for years, not going away).
2) rotor buzzing noise is get worse, even with regular maintenance and frequent oiling
3) expected improvement in sound quality when employing trigger attachment

The closed wrap, red rot and all, will be preserved for posterity (it's all in one piece).

Is there a risk the the horn will play differently when *not* employing the trigger attachment? I certainly don't want to alter that aspect of the horn.

Another option (which I haven’t seen discussed here or the other thread on this horn) is to have the valve and the internal casing plated, then re-fitted. It was done occasionally back in the day. A good tech could give an opinion as to whether this is viable, and whether the tubing can be salvaged with appropriate cleaning, or whether it needs to be replaced. Again, just another option.

I think Osmun does that

patrickosmith wrote: Wed Jun 22, 2022 12:22 pm Reasons for doing the open wrap conversion:
1) closed wrap has red rot (been there for years, not going away).
2) rotor buzzing noise is get worse, even with regular maintenance and frequent oiling
3) expected improvement in sound quality when employing trigger attachment

The closed wrap, red rot and all, will be preserved for posterity (it's all in one piece).

Is there a risk the the horn will play differently when *not* employing the trigger attachment? I certainly don't want to alter that aspect of the horn.

If the red rot hasn't been a problem for years, why is it a problem now?

The buzzing rotor would definitely be an issue, but I would lean more toward Conservation rather than Modification. Plating the casing and valve seems like a a great idea. Like many have have said, modification will inevitably change any horn. It is definitely possible to create unintended changes when replacing parts as substantial as the valve section. You also mentioned that the valve is "inhibiting performance" in an earlier post. A new valve might be more efficient, but I'm not really sure how a new valve and tubing would match the timbre and unique sound quality that made that horn and player historic. A great technician would know more about this.

I thought of this analogy after my post yesterday. If I loved NASCAR and Richard Petty enough to purchase one of his vintage 70's cars he raced, I wouldn't want to make it more "efficient" by replacing the engine with an electric drivetrain and using it as a commuter car. I'd buy a commuter Prius or Civic and respect what aspects made Richard Petty's car so special and unique, wrinkles and all.