[Trombone-l] King Duo Gravis Conversion

[Philip Brink]

Sorry to get into this thread so late, but... things take time over here in
Thailand! ;-)

In the discussion of double thumb triggers vs. middle finger triggers I was
reminded of a traumatic episode early in my career when I was living in
Canada. I had a very nice Conn 73H with double valves and double thumb
triggers which I liked a great deal. I decided that to do better in
auditions and suchlike, i should really have a Bach, and so I ordered a 50B2
from Giardinelli and it was duly shipped to me. Like a fool, I used it in a
concert the day it arrived, but was spared any embarrassment. I had never
even noticed any difficulty in handling the two thumb triggers on the Conn,
but as I was getting used to the Bach I found that I could barely managed
the switch from one to both triggers; the return to one was even harder as I
now recall - this was something like 35 years ago.

I never did accommodate to that arrangement, eventually kludging together my
own middle finger lever which worked OK. I am embarrassed to say, but I
eventually remodeled the horn with inline valves, but that's another story.
My supposition is that every player's hand works and is connected
differently and that that accounts for all the different opinions regarding
the second valve setup.

Phil Brink

On 10/30/07, Richardson, Timothy A Mr CIV USA IMCOM-Europe <
Timothy.A.Richardson at eur.army.mil> wrote:
>
> That's a worthy goal, but 50 years might be stretching it for a brass
> instrument that's played regularly.  (no problem for a wallhanger, which
> is probably what survives in museums).
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: thetubameister at adelphia.net [mailto:thetubameister at adelphia.net]
> Sent: Monday, October 29, 2007 5:18 PM
> To: Eric Edwards
> Cc: Trombone-L
> Subject: Re: [Trombone-l] King Duo Gravis Conversion
>
> Further, there might be a way to save the saddle, and replace all the
> parts so it could be restored to original in the future; it could add to
> the value.
>
> I'm doing this more often as I do "modernizations" to valuable
> instruments.  It would be sad in 50 years for future owners not to be
> able to hold their investment in the most valuable order.  And hopefully
> fully ready to use in their daily playing as well.
>
> J.c.
> ---- Eric Edwards <eric at elsjledwards.net> wrote:
> > No no no,  it's not sacrilegious!
> > It's making the horn comfortable to hold & play!
> >
> > I think that's more important than keeping something "factory fresh".
> >
> > I doubt changing the lever arrangement will negatively affect the
> price if
> > Earl was ever to try to sell it.
> >
> > Just my  $1.50's worth.
> >
> > Eric
> >
> >
> > Eric, Leandra, Sara, Jared & Lily
> > Edwards
> > "The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of
> low
> > price has faded"
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: trombone-l-bounces at server5.samford.edu
> > [mailto:trombone-l-bounces at server5.samford.edu]On Behalf Of
> > emrose79 at sonic.net
> > Sent: Friday, October 26, 2007 5:12 PM
> > To: trombone-l at server5.samford.edu
> > Subject: Re: [Trombone-l] King Duo Gravis Conversion
> >
> > but... but... that's almost sacrilegious!
> > Earl... old? I'm wondering if mine is the oldest on the list (1968-9)
> > BTW... I was at some kind of function about 10 years ago, and I saw  a
> > Duo Gravis with the middle finger set-up. He told me that it came that
> > way????
> >
> > Ed
> >
> >
> > Earl Needham wrote:
> >
> > >At 23:38 10/25/2007, William Huber wrote:
> > >
> > >
> > >>Dear List,
> > >>
> > >>    Has anyone had experience converting the side-by-side thumb
> > >>triggers on a King Duo Gravis to a more modern set up, with the
> thumb
> > >>operating the first valve and the middle or ring finger operating
> the
> > >>second valve? I'm trying to avoid being "all thumbs" when playing in
> > >>the low end of the instrument, and reworking the mechanism might
> help
> > >>me...  :-)
> > >>
> > >>
> > >
> > >         I've daydreamed of doing just this for some years, but I
> > >always chicken out, as I want mine, as old as it is (1976), to be
> > >"factory original".
> > >
> > >         Earl
> > >
> > >KD5XB -- Earl Needham
> > >Clovis, New Mexico DM84jk
> > >http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cw_bugs
> > >Quoting from the Coast Guard: ZUT
> > >
> > >
> > >_______________________________________________
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> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
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