Expert: Kenton Scott - 5/19/2006

Question
I have acquired an old cornet named "The Indiana"  Elkhart Ind. It needs some work and I was wondering if it was worth repairing, or should I get a new horn. (The mouthpiece is stuck ,the finish is pitted, and it has a few dents.

Answer
Indiana was an independent company for a brief period, but was then bought by Martin in 1928 and still manufactured independently for a while, and finally in 1942 became a tradename for Martin.

So, the older it is the more interesting it probably is, and probably the better quality it is.

If all that is wrong with it is that which you described, it is certainly repairable, and you will probably end up with a better horn than an economically priced new one.

Removing the mouthpiece is inexpensive to repair, and the dent removal isn't a lot either.  As far as the finish is concerned, you may want to consider having the old lacquer removed and just buffing the brass, and leaving it as raw brass rather than re-lacquering it.  Some folks think it improves the tone without the lacquer, it is easier to repair, and will be cheaper than having it re-lacquered.

Email me at Kenton@punxypa.com