Expert: Kenton Scott - 10/4/2007

Question
I have this trumpet and from the pictures on your forum of Martin Dasants and Symphony's it seems that my trumpey will play in both B flat and A depending on how the slides on the end of the leadpipe are arranged.  however as I have no instructions can you confirm this and tell me how to set up for B flat and how to tune the horn in b flat as well as how to do both in A.  Also, do you know where I can get some printed instructions for this horn.Serial number is 84556.MORRISC

Answer
Unless there is some collector out there with the instructions that may have originally, I don't believe you are going to find instructions.  You might be more likely to come across an ad that would describe it.

But, to switch pitches, the best thing to do is to go to a tuner or another instrument where the pitch is known and play it and bring it into tune.  There is the main slide that you are talking about and some Martin's have a secondary tuning area just in front of the mouthpiece.  Once you have the main horn in tune, then you need to adjust the valve slides.  Some dual pitch horns, have the valve slides scored to show a starting point for tuning the valves.