TromboneChat

I'm traveling and had the chance to plaYduets with an older brother (a very accomplished musician) on his trigger Yamaha. I don't know what's model but small shank mouthpiece. I started having trouble getting a note out, like the water key fell off or worse.

I've had a 2 week complete layoff with the lip problem, and some chop issues, so wasn't sure it me or a very nice horn.

Turns out my thumb resting on the trigger bar was enough to partially activate the valve. I regripped below it and it played fine.

I have experienced the same problem with the “underside trigger” mechanisms. This is the trigger used on the Elkhart Conns, Benge and many other models. My thumb touches it ever so lighter and the valve becomes partially engaged.

It is the reason I have converted all of my Conn, Benge and similar valve levers to the “overside mechanism.” Granted, I will probably develop some repetitive motion problems unique to that style of mechanism as I age, but at least I won’t be struggling with a partially engaged valve. Wow, that sounds petty.

All of the underside mechanisms are string linkages right? Might be wound a little too tight?

Actually, not all underside levers are string. I know that Todd Clontz has probably converted hundreds on Conn levers to ball and nylon socket linkages. I think I have converted at least twenty. Even when it is a ball and nylon socket linkage, I have the same problem with those levers.

It’s a matter of relaxing the thumb. If you relax your thumb with the overside linkage, it simply touches the slide receiver and does no harm. If you relax your thumb on an old Conn, it will partially move the lever. I’m sure that if I played on an underside lever for a few months, the problem and new muscle memory would solve itself. I just never had the drive to go through that process…..thus, I change the lever mechanism and the problem is eliminated in less than a couple of hours.

Matt K wrote: ↑Sat Sep 24, 2022 10:15 am All of the underside mechanisms are string linkages right? Might be wound a little too tight?

I have a couple older Yamahas (YBL-613, YSL-682G, YSL-684G) which have under-the-thumb triggers and mechanical linkages. All of their horns from a certain era had this style with the professional models being mechanical and the intermediate being string.

I have had this issue on the same style of trigger set up. It ends up never really working for me and, as much as I like some of the older Yamaha offerings, ended up just selling them and getting something that works better for me.

I had a Yamaha 421G that I loved to hear but hated to play for that very reason. I took it to a great tech and swapped the linkage from below the thumb to above. Now I love to hear and love to play that horn. The tech didn't use any new parts, just repurposed the old parts.