Copper leadpipe

Kateeba · Posted: Wed Jun 02, 2004 12:58 pm Post subject:

I have a full yellow brass b-flat trumpet and will be trying some pilczuk leadpipes in copper soon.

Does anyone have and use a horn with a copper leadpipe (NOT Bell). I am wondering what sound and feel characteristics it might produce vs a regular yellow brass leadpipe.

Thanks

Lou

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Louis Guarino Jr.
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[ This Message was edited by: Kateeba on 2004-06-02 15:59 ]

[ This Message was edited by: kateeba on 2004-06-02 16:15 ]

gus · Veteran Member Joined: 23 Jan 2003 Posts: 452

For what I know the copper or gold brass leadpipe is mainly intended
to avoid corrosion (sp), because the red rot is produced by a process of
loosing the zinc in yellow brass alloy.

That's the only thing I know.

GUs

davo · Posted: Wed Jun 02, 2004 1:44 pm Post subject:

As a percentage, there is considerably less zinc in gold brass or rose brass as compared to yellow brass and thus has a much lower probablilty of getting red rot (dezincification) over time.

_dcstep · Posted: Wed Jun 02, 2004 2:08 pm Post subject:

Some makers use materials other than yellow-brass for purposes other than protecting from red-rot.

The Jupiter XO Tribune is available with a sterling silver leadpipe. Believe it or not, the horn feels slightly different when compared to the stock rose brass leadpipe. Also, there's more focus to the tone. Taylor varies the thickness of his leadpipe walls to change the response of the horn. Selmer and Chicago Brassworks use sheathing around the leadpipe to isolate the bracing and stiffen the leadpipe, changing the response.

So, not only is the taper of a leadpipe very important, but the material can have a noticeable impact on a trumpet's sound and response.

Dave

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[ This Message was edited by: dcstep on 2004-06-02 17:47 ]

davo · Posted: Wed Jun 02, 2004 2:33 pm Post subject:

Sorry, I missed the spirit of the original post when I responded regarding red rot resistance of higher copper content leadpipes.

I think that more copper in the leadpipe is a corollary to the same in the bell material. The material is more dense and as a result would tend to favor the lower overtones yielding a darker sound with greater projection. This is merely supposition on my part and I welcome the inputs of any experts as I would also like to know the facts.

Roy Lawler, care to comment?

Tootsall · Heavyweight Member Joined: 05 May 2002 Posts: 2952

You are probably right that straight copper would have a significantly increased resistance to red rot. On the other hand, it would be even softer than redbrass or "gold" brass and would be (I think) highly susceptible to dents. And the one place you don't want dents (other than in the valve casings) is in the leadpipe!

gustav · Posted: Thu Jun 03, 2004 1:55 am Post subject:

I had Rich Ita install a copper leadpipe on a Bach 43 and it round the tone and smooth the sharpness of the notes. It help the 43 alot. But you have to be very gentle with horn. You have to handle it the same way you would handle a lightweight bell trumpet.

[ This Message was edited by: gustav on 2004-06-03 04:56 ]