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Need Besson 2-20 or 8-10 Pistons



 
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lanier
Regular Member


Joined: 09 May 2007
Posts: 36
Location: Carrollton, GA

PostPosted: Sun May 07, 2017 3:44 pm    Post subject: Need Besson 2-20 or 8-10 Pistons Reply with quote

I need a set of replacement pistons for a Besson 2-20 or 8-10 cornet that I picked up recently. Apparently a previous owner attempted a repair involving pliers. The horn isn't worth much but I'd like to get it back in playing condition if I can do so without a lot of expense.

I'd appreciate a heads-up if anyone knows where I can find a set - I'd be happy with the pistons alone or the assembly including spring, stem, guide, cap and button. I placed an ad in the marketplace as well.

Thanks for the help
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Blake Lanier
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lanier
Regular Member


Joined: 09 May 2007
Posts: 36
Location: Carrollton, GA

PostPosted: Sat May 13, 2017 2:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bump - just in case. On the other hand maybe I have a Besson 2-20 wall decoration or lamp on my hands.
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Blake Lanier
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homebilly
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Joined: 24 Dec 2010
Posts: 2192
Location: Venice, CA & Paris, France

PostPosted: Sun May 14, 2017 1:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have heard good things about that horn.

with the right light bulb it can go from dark or light right up
with the flip of a switch........

amazing really !!
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ron meza (deadbeat jazz musician) & (TH 5 post ghost neighborhood watch ringleader)
waiting for Fed-Ex to deliver a $50 trumpet to my door. shipping was prepaid by seller of course!
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Bob Stevenson
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Joined: 04 May 2005
Posts: 1139
Location: Essex, England

PostPosted: Sun May 14, 2017 2:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

When that item was made the Besson factory worked independantly of B&H who owned Besson. This meant that sometimes the B&H factory took up the slack for Besson by completing orders and general assembly......

So, if you have a B&H made instrument with the 'microbor' valves having white or black plastic combined guide ring and spring keeper and visible exterior springs then the whole valve unit is available as a spare part to fit.

However, if it really is a Besson made instrument then the valves (with hidden internal springs) were effectively hand made/fitted and you are very unlikely to find a satisfactory replacement valve.
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lanier
Regular Member


Joined: 09 May 2007
Posts: 36
Location: Carrollton, GA

PostPosted: Fri May 19, 2017 10:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks! This horn has external springs and white plastic valve guides. I haven't located a U.S. supplier with parts in stock. Maybe Dawkes in the U.K. or B&H directly.

It also a question of cost. If the 2-20 was in perfect playing condition with sketchy lacquer, it might sell for $100 to $150. If I remove the lacquer and buff up the raw brass maybe a little more. I have about $60 in it as it is so with the cost of the parts and the labor for someone to true the bores and lap the pistons the cost is probably more than the horn will ever be worth. To be really useful, the horn needs 1st and 3rd valve slide saddle and ring added and so the bucks keep flying away.

I wish that I had heard it before some dimbulb took pliers to the valves so I could know if it was really a player. I'll probably have a really good cornet guy (Rich Ita is close) to look it over and help me decide whether to repair it or to pass it on for parts (my heart says to fix them all but my head can't justify it.)
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Bob Stevenson
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Joined: 04 May 2005
Posts: 1139
Location: Essex, England

PostPosted: Fri May 19, 2017 2:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The 'microbor' valve system was one of the first, arguably actually the very first, fully replaceable machine made valve design and intended for fully automatic production. it was invented and developed by B&H in the late 1940's to specifically reduce or eliminate the need for hand/human craftsman during the production process.....

This resulted in valves that are essentially among the finest ever made by any manufacturer......along with the machine made valve pistons the inside of the jackets were hard plated in more or less indestructible phospher bronze deposit (phoretic laqueur) The valves can be replaced from stock and need no lapping,...indeed it is not possible to lap anything withiout spoiling the integrity of the valve function! If reasonably looked after microbor valves are effectively indestructible in normal use for many years.

Microbor was in production/use for over 50 years and has arguably not been surpassed by any manufacturer extant. The spare valves were available from the UK factory but this is now defunct. You can try the UK spare parts stockists such as 'Windcraft', who all used to carry the valves as spares which required no fitting other than assembly of the springs and stems etc.
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