Expert: Kenton Scott - 11/1/2008

Question
QUESTION: I have a Buescher True-tone model 8 New England trumpet. It has two slides on the tuning slide. It says low pitch. When taking out the straight slide and puting in the curve one back in with out the other one making it shorter, would it make it into a C trumpet or maybe high pitch? I've seen on some pictures of the same model that they had a mouthpiece extension. Is this for the unknown pitch besides Bb?

ANSWER: Since it is marked as a low pitch, that would seem to define that it was designed to play at 'modern' pitch.  And, I believe it is in fact, intended to be a C/Bb horn.  The most common combinations included high and low pitch, and the keys of C, Bb and A.



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Would it need an extension for the key of C? AS I said, mine was just the horn. I've seen a few on ebay with all the extras and they had some sort of mouthpiece extension or adaptor.

Answer
Have you tried this horn with a tuner to see what pitch it is playing in?  A C trumpet is higher than a Bb trumpet, so it would be the shortest.  You shouldn't have to add tubing to get it to C.  Usually mouthpiece extensions or bits are for cornets not trumpets.