Antique Musical Instruments/French horn

Advertisement

Expert: - 4/2/2008


Question
I just acquired a Carl Fischer french Horn. It has a fitted case with a & molded into it. The horn is small but is a double. I thought it was a F/Bb double horn but it is too small to be a regular one. Did they make smaller horns for students? Any ideas as to what key it would be? when it was made? The case is molded plastic so I would guess it is from the '60s or so?

Answer
Probably shouldn't rely on the case to define the horn, they are often swapped as the original cases age.

I wonder if it might not be a Bb/F horn, where the full tubing is there for the Bb horn, but just enough extra to lower the horn to F when the Bb tubing is also used.

Are you sure it is a double and not a 4 valve single?  

Antique Musical Instruments

All Answers

Answers by Expert:

Ask Experts

Volunteer

Kenton Scott

Expertise

Please note: My area is BRASS instruments, not other wind, string or percussion instruments. I will provide information on antique, obscure and out of production BRASS instruments. 1) Please don't ask for evaluations, I'll not provide them on this site. 2) I am often asked very similar questions, so I'd invite you to first check on Horn-u-Copia.net. Much of the information I have garnered about this topic, I have posted on this WEB site.

Experience

I perform in several historical bands, have informally researched the area, repair brass instruments, and operate a Forum dedicated to the topic at http://horn-u-copia.net

Education/Credentials
B.S. Ed, M.S.

©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.