Expert: Kenton Scott - 5/17/2007

Question
I recently purchased a York Eb Alto horn with a serial number beginning with 45***. Can you direct me to someone or a site where I can get more information about this horn. I also have a JW Pepper Alto horn that I would also like to get some history for. Any information you have will be of help to me. Thank you very much!!

Answer
The York dates back to 1914, according to the best detailed list I know of.  All of the York lists are 'constructed' not official.  So the age is an estimate.

The York instrument had a reputation for making high quality instruments at least until they were bought out by Fischer in 1940.  

Yours very likely has a 'donut'.  That is, a loop of tubing beside the tuning slide.  That was their patented method of allowing the instrument to convert back and forth between high and low pitch.

The Pepper could be made by Pepper or an import, I would more information on it to hazard a guess.  

You can see examples of both as well as York and Pepper histories on my WEB site, www.horn-u-copia.net