Thein W3NY alto valve

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JCBone
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Thein W3NY alto valve

Post by JCBone »

https://houghtonhorns.com/shop/thein-eb-alto/
This horn seems to have a very unique valve setup. I wonder If anybody here knows anything about this
TomRiker
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Re: Thein W3NY alto valve

Post by TomRiker »

Best guess it's so you can have a half or whole step trill valve? Also looks like you can have a tuning slide to make it a Bb attachment.
JCBone
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Re: Thein W3NY alto valve

Post by JCBone »

TomRiker wrote: Thu Apr 01, 2021 3:13 pm Best guess it's so you can have a half or whole step trill valve? Also looks like you can have a tuning slide to make it a Bb attachment.
I was actually more interested in the valve and that wacky overly complex trigger system.
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Burgerbob
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Re: Thein W3NY alto valve

Post by Burgerbob »

TomRiker wrote: Thu Apr 01, 2021 3:13 pm Best guess it's so you can have a half or whole step trill valve? Also looks like you can have a tuning slide to make it a Bb attachment.
It's both. There are two valves.
Aidan Ritchie, LA area player and teacher
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harrisonreed
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Re: Thein W3NY alto valve

Post by harrisonreed »

Burgerbob wrote: Thu Apr 01, 2021 4:43 pm
TomRiker wrote: Thu Apr 01, 2021 3:13 pm Best guess it's so you can have a half or whole step trill valve? Also looks like you can have a tuning slide to make it a Bb attachment.
It's both. There are two valves.
It looks far too short though. I think the picture shows a combo whole step/half step valve. The whole step tubing can probably be switched for Bb.
CalgaryTbone
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Re: Thein W3NY alto valve

Post by CalgaryTbone »

I play tested one of those at an ITF some years ago. It was set up with the valve in B flat, and had a short set of tubing to make it a trill valve. I don't remember them offering the 2nd valve within the tubing to allow for 1/2 and whole step trills. That is a newer innovation I'm guessing. You can also remove the valve to play it as a straight horn as well. Theins are beautiful instruments - listen to Toby Oft's - Leopold Mozart Concerto on his solo recording.

I'm guessing by looking at the pictures that in this set-up, you trill a 1/2 step with one valve, and the 2nd (dependent) valve can be kept engaged and you trill the same finger except now the trill will be a whole step. In the one I tried, the tubing could be replaced just beyond the valve with longer tubing to tune the valve to B flat. Interesting idea.

Jim Scott
JCBone
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Re: Thein W3NY alto valve

Post by JCBone »

Why is the valve sideways though? this is also the first time I have seen a valve that is part of the slide section
Last edited by JCBone on Fri Apr 02, 2021 2:16 am, edited 1 time in total.
brassmedic
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Re: Thein W3NY alto valve

Post by brassmedic »

Can you say, "Over engineering"?
Brad Close Brass Instruments - brassmedic.com
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harrisonreed
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Re: Thein W3NY alto valve

Post by harrisonreed »

JCBone wrote: Fri Apr 02, 2021 1:43 am Why is the valve sideways though? this is also the first time I have seen a valve that is part of the slide section
It's pretty overkill
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