Custom Minick Bach 42
Posted: Wed Jul 07, 2021 2:46 am
Every once in a while I get a really satisfying project build. This is one of those and I thought some might be interested.
Trombonist Jaehan Kim from Seoul Korea has been asking me for a while for a Minick tenor bell. I finally had one available in 8.5" beryllium bronze and suggested the new Hagmann 2.0 valve for it. I had some old early elkhart era parts around the shop (vintage neckpipe, mounts/bars, diamond bell brace, tuning slide connectors) and agreed to work on this project for him with my colleague Don Sawday (shout out to Don!).
If you haven't yet tried the new Hagmann 2.0 valve... it's WAY better than the original. I always wanted to love the original but there were some finicky design things that made them maintenance heavy and they needed a superb installation to be setup correctly to function as designed (ahem...looking at you Bach 42A) which wasn't always the case. Mr. Hagmann redesigned the valve a few years ago and the 2.0 version is much more stable, more resonant and just better all around. We've already replaced a few of the original versions on client's Rath R4s with great success! Can't say enough good things about these new valves (but they still do need to be installed by a good tech with hagmann experience).
Back to this build. I sourced the new hagmann with open wrap, a seamed copper Hoelle tuning slide with reversed receiver, custom Ark/Sawday ferrules. It really came out spectacular! Here are some photos from the assembly and final bell section after lacquer.
Trombonist Jaehan Kim from Seoul Korea has been asking me for a while for a Minick tenor bell. I finally had one available in 8.5" beryllium bronze and suggested the new Hagmann 2.0 valve for it. I had some old early elkhart era parts around the shop (vintage neckpipe, mounts/bars, diamond bell brace, tuning slide connectors) and agreed to work on this project for him with my colleague Don Sawday (shout out to Don!).
If you haven't yet tried the new Hagmann 2.0 valve... it's WAY better than the original. I always wanted to love the original but there were some finicky design things that made them maintenance heavy and they needed a superb installation to be setup correctly to function as designed (ahem...looking at you Bach 42A) which wasn't always the case. Mr. Hagmann redesigned the valve a few years ago and the 2.0 version is much more stable, more resonant and just better all around. We've already replaced a few of the original versions on client's Rath R4s with great success! Can't say enough good things about these new valves (but they still do need to be installed by a good tech with hagmann experience).
Back to this build. I sourced the new hagmann with open wrap, a seamed copper Hoelle tuning slide with reversed receiver, custom Ark/Sawday ferrules. It really came out spectacular! Here are some photos from the assembly and final bell section after lacquer.