Expert: Kenton Scott - 12/6/2007

Question
Sirs:
I was given a Brua C. Keefer cornet by a friend of my parents when I was seven years old - some 78 years ago.  I played, by ear, until I was 13 and able to be in the high school band, at which time my parents bought me a used Conn trumpet.  As a child, I did not take care of the Keefer cornet properly.  I have had the horn all these years, always keeping it in the attic and forgetting about it.  I recently got it down.
There are two numbers on the horn.  On the bell, the number engraved is 5548.  The number on the second valve casing is 6309.
It is a beautifully engraved little instrument, almost ready to be played again, meaning that the valves, though noisy, are workable.  There is one missing part:  the removable lead pipe.

Can you give me any advice as to where I might find a lead pipe?  As I remember it, the horn had two lead pipes, one longer than the other.  The lead pipe that I think  made it a Bb instrument was approximately 4 inches long - the measurement from the insertion point of the actual lead pipe to the crook of the horn.  The other was considerably longer, which I think was intended to make it an A horn.  That is only an uneducated guess.  I am only interested in obtaining the shorter lead pipe.

It would be wonderful if I could find a ready made lead pipe left over from the "old days".  If notlikely, can one be fabricated, and, if so, any recommendations?

Jim Milan
jmilan2@juno.com

Answer
The horn was made in 1916.  The two numbers represent the tracking number for different parts of the process.  The valve engine and the complete assembly.  The Bell number is the one that is used to date it.

Bits (lead pipe) are a problem.  It seems like there are more cornets that need them than there are bits.  I would suspect that your horn may have had one for high pitch and one for low pitch, though it could be Bb to A.  If it was Bb to A then you are right, you need the shorter one, but if it was high pitch to low pitch, then you need the longer one.

You see them on Ebay periodically, sometimes they go for as much as a complete horn with one, which is another option.  And, yes they can also be fabricated, I've done that a couple of times.  The advantage of a custom made one, is that you can measure to make sure it is of the proper length.