TromboneChat

I picked up a TR-158 at a pawn shop for $200. It's playable, though a bit on the ugly side. Bell and slide lacquer are pretty bad, but the rotor is smooth and has good compression. Slide is about 6/10, and someone messed with the receiver. About 1/4" of top of the leadpipe is gone and some mouthpieces simply go in as far as they can but never seat.

Anyway, the old white plastic ball sockets are about to disintegrate. I ordered a set from Votaw, but they're for the newer linkage that has smaller balls (yeah....). I have tried reaming one out, but it seems that once I get it open enough to fit, it won't have enough of a lip to stay on.

Any suggestions? I've also tried hobby shops for ball sockets.

I've considered buying the stop arm and F-attachment lever for a newer 158, but neither Votaw nor Conn-Selmer have the parts in stock, and C-S shows them as permanently out of stock. Votaw also says the newer stop arm will not work with the older horns because - of course - they changed the design.

I'm looking for a cheaper solution - no Thayer or other valve swap, etc.

Any ideas will be gratefully appreciated.

Chris

There is a section for parts for tech at instrument innovations that may have something that’ll work. My tech used some of those linkage parts to convert a YBL-322 and an Abilene 88H to mechanical linkage…I know the TR-158 is mechanical, but maybe they may have something you can use…here is the link.

https://instrumentinnovations.com/parts-for-techs/

atopper333 wrote: ↑Tue Dec 05, 2023 3:48 pm There is a section for parts for tech at instrument innovations that may have something that’ll work. My tech used some of those linkage parts to convert a YBL-322 and an Abilene 88H to mechanical linkage…I know the TR-158 is mechanical, but maybe they may have something you can use…here is the link.

https://instrumentinnovations.com/parts-for-techs/

Thank you! I'll give it a look.

No luck on Instrument Innovations. The problem is that the ball is a part of both the rotor stop arm and the F-attachment arm. From what I can see, it would require major modification to connect a miniball linkage setup. The existing ball ends would have to be machined down and threaded which is beyond me.

Sad part is I have two sons that are machinists, but they don't have the equipment at home to do the work and they work for a high-security company. No sneaking in personal work. Drat.

I tried boring out the new model sockets today, and as I feared, there's not enough of a lip left to hold them in place. They have a set screw, and I have those as tight as they can go and still allow the linkage to move.

Going to keep experimenting and looking. There's probably a hobby shop around here I haven't tried yet.

Chris

There is a guy on eBay who is parting out a lot of horns. This is his website:

https://texashorntrader.com/

It might be worth it to give him a call to see if he has something he hasn’t listed yet…

Just trying to help out. My father has an old 70s TR 158 that is such a beautiful horn…love that old Holton sound.

Also, if Texas horn trader doesn’t have anything, my father did send his horn to be refurbished to Jim out of Wardbrodt music, he may have a lead on where you can find a part.

I've contacted Texas Horn Trader - he's keeping his eyes out for me. I have a quote of $300 to do a conversion, but I'm not sure whether it's worth it. I'm having the slide worked on this week and that'll be north of $100 I'm sure. That would put me $600 into a horn that's maybe worth $400 because it's ugly as a mud fence.

Ouch…yeah, that can definitely changes how to go about the repair work! I wish I maybe had another avenue, but I think you have exhausted more avenues than I can think of…

I found some Jupiter links that may work - will take a slight modification, but I think I'm onto something. More to come!

Hey Chris, sorry I've been out of touch....

IT wouldn't be TOO difficult to cut the original ball end off the lever and stop arm, then drill and tap to whatever thread size is needed for either miniballs or the nylon ball and socket set up.

cwaage wrote: ↑Fri Dec 08, 2023 3:20 pm
Sad part is I have two sons that are machinists, but they don't have the equipment at home to do the work and they work for a high-security company. No sneaking in personal work. Drat.

You would just need a 2-56 tap and the correct size drillbit, a jeweler's saw to cut off the balls, and a file to smooth out the cut. Then you could install Du-bro ball links. That stuff's not expensive.

Thanks for the info! However, that's getting a bit beyond my comfort zone. When I get to the cutting, soldering, etc., I leave that to the pros like ya'll.

cwaage wrote: ↑Mon Dec 18, 2023 8:08 am Thanks for the info! However, that's getting a bit beyond my comfort zone. When I get to the cutting, soldering, etc., I leave that to the pros like ya'll.

Yes, definitely not a procedure for someone who isn't mechanically inclined. I only mentioned it because you were referring to a machinist who "doesn't have the equipment". My point was there is little equipment needed.