Original Buescher Snap-Ins vs Oversized Domed Resonators
Here we have a 1925 Gold Plated Tru Tone and a 1926 Silver Plated Tru-Tone. The gold horn was done with all original Buescher Snap-Ins. The silver horn had lost many of them so I just removed the rest.
For many, the removal of the original snaps not only makes the horn worthless, but is sacrilege itself.
Early in my woodwind repair career here in Seattle, I thought little of the intact originality of the horn. I now feel pretty strongly about keeping all Bueschers original when possible. But I'm not such a purist that I either turn my nose up at a modernized Buescher, or hesitate at the completion of a previous, partial removal of some Buescher Snaps. I do not believe it is cost effective to reinstall lost snaps as the spuds are nearly impossible to find.
It was very interesting to A/B these two closely related horns. I suspected the gold horn would have a significantly darker tone; the general consensus being that oversized resos will brighten a horn.
But the tone of a horn is dictated much more by the mouthpiece used. While the oversized resos will increase projection and quicken the response, I found both these horns to be surprisingly powerful. And the gold plated horn, with the original Snap-Ins was neither overly dark, nor lacked power. Which did I prefer?
I don't know. As usual, after the completion of the Full Mechanical Overhaul I coveted both of them.
Here we have a 1925 Gold Plated Tru Tone and a 1926 Silver Plated Tru-Tone. The gold horn was done with all original Buescher Snap-Ins. The silver horn had lost many of them so I just removed the rest.
For many, the removal of the original snaps not only makes the horn worthless, but is sacrilege itself.
Early in my woodwind repair career here in Seattle, I thought little of the intact originality of the horn. I now feel pretty strongly about keeping all Bueschers original when possible. But I'm not such a purist that I either turn my nose up at a modernized Buescher, or hesitate at the completion of a previous, partial removal of some Buescher Snaps. I do not believe it is cost effective to reinstall lost snaps as the spuds are nearly impossible to find.
It was very interesting to A/B these two closely related horns. I suspected the gold horn would have a significantly darker tone; the general consensus being that oversized resos will brighten a horn.
But the tone of a horn is dictated much more by the mouthpiece used. While the oversized resos will increase projection and quicken the response, I found both these horns to be surprisingly powerful. And the gold plated horn, with the original Snap-Ins was neither overly dark, nor lacked power. Which did I prefer?
I don't know. As usual, after the completion of the Full Mechanical Overhaul I coveted both of them.
