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bradnott
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Joined: 13 Nov 2019
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 Posted: Thu Apr 25, 2024 12:42 pm Post subject: L.A. Benge repair work in California |
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I bought a 1970s L.A. Benge 3x from the Horn Trader back when I was a highschool student in 1999.
It got played a ton in high school, and then college marching band. Then I served in the U.S. Navy and hardly touched it. I briefly played it again consistently from 2013-2015.
This year I'm getting back in to playing and I'm taking my comeback seriously.
But, my horn is...vintage. It only has a few very small dents and silver plate is probably around 80-85%. But it has a few small red rot spots on the lead pipe. They haven't opened up, but the lead pipe's years are numbered.
The horn also doesn't seem to play as open as I remember so I want to get a valve alignment. I've never had that done in the 24 years I've owned it.
I could just buy a replacement horn, maybe even another Benge, but I'm considering getting the repair work and alignment done.
Does anyone have any recommendations for who should do the repair work and/or alignment?
I live in Santa Cruz, CA and I've read good things about a few shops in the bay area. But I thought I'd ask here to get a better idea of my options.
Thanks!
P.S. while I'm at it I'll likely get an alignment for my 1928 Conn Victor (80a). So this thread will give me ideas for where to take that horn as well.
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bradnott
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Liberty Lips
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Joined: 12 Dec 2003
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| Posted: Fri Apr 26, 2024 3:40 pm Post subject: |
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| All of these are reasonable choices. If it were me I would replace the leadpipe and align the valves. |
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trumpet2012fhl
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Joined: 30 Jan 2011
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| Posted: Fri Apr 26, 2024 8:32 pm Post subject: |
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4. A New Benge trumpet from BAC.
Still haven't pulled the trigger on one yet for myself. |
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Liberty Lips
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| Posted: Sat Apr 27, 2024 8:56 am Post subject: |
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| trumpet2012fhl wrote: | 4. A New Benge trumpet from BAC.
Still haven't pulled the trigger on one yet for myself. |
Apparently no one else has, either. From what I can ascertain BAC has made very few of their version of the Benge trumpet, probably less than five. |
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homebilly
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Joined: 24 Dec 2010
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Location: Venice, CA & Paris, France
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| Posted: Sat Apr 27, 2024 9:36 am Post subject: |
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the second pull slide is wrong anyways
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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!
http://ronmeza.com
http://highdefinitionbigband.com |
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Liberty Lips
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Joined: 12 Dec 2003
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| Posted: Sat Apr 27, 2024 11:36 am Post subject: |
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| homebilly wrote: | | the second pull slide is wrong anyways |
It was only that way on the prototype, due to the fact that they purchased their valve cluster from another vendor. Supposedly they were going to correct that on their production horns, but that would mean there would have to be production horns. |
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Dayton
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| Posted: Sat Apr 27, 2024 12:12 pm Post subject: |
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If a repair tech tells you a leadpipe change and a valve alignment is all that needs to be done -- perhaps a chem cleaning while you are at it -- then that seems like a great outcome.
Note that you cannot can't be certain that option is viable without a repair tech taking a look at the trumpet. First, they need to be able to source an appropriate leadpipe to use as a replacement. That used to be fairly easy. Not sure if it still is. Second, the trumpet itself is (approaching?) 50 years old. If it has a lot of playing time on it the valves may need more work than just an alignment.
Good luck! |
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bradnott
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Joined: 13 Nov 2019
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| Posted: Sat Apr 27, 2024 1:09 pm Post subject: |
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| Dayton wrote: | If a repair tech tells you a leadpipe change and a valve alignment is all that needs to be done -- perhaps a chem cleaning while you are at it -- then that seems like a great outcome.
Note that you cannot can't be certain that option is viable without a repair tech taking a look at the trumpet. First, they need to be able to source an appropriate leadpipe to use as a replacement. That used to be fairly easy. Not sure if it still is. Second, the trumpet itself is (approaching?) 50 years old. If it has a lot of playing time on it the valves may need more work than just an alignment.
Good luck! |
Yes, by the serial number it's probably around 46 years old. I bought it used when I was in high school because of many of my great trumpet heroes who played a Benge. It has sentimental value, but I am realistic and reasonable. I'm not a "restore it at all costs" kind of a person, especially not for a horn that isn't particularly rare.
No repair tech is going to crush my dreams if the repair/restoration cost is going to be ridiculous. I can handle the news; but I feel I should at least get a professional assessment before I decide to give up on the horn.
In the end I'll just have to make a decision: spend X dollars to keep playing "my" vintage horn, or spend Y dollars on a new/replacement horn.
I bought the horn as a high schooler after coming up with half the money myself, and my parents graciously gave me the other half. The day it came in the mail was like Christmas. The moment I played it I knew I had made a fantastic decision by choosing it over the Bach Stradivarius that so many other young advancing players think is the holy grail.
It gave me a LOT of good times, so at least in my possession if it needs to be retired it has served me very well. |
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