Best valves ever made?

[Louise Finch]

[Big Dave88]

I guess I should answer my own thread...

Getzen, definitely.
Schilke valves are also pretty amazing, as many have said.
And those dang microbor valves on my Besson 2-20... The best valves I have had in my hand, and almost half a century old at that....
Kanstul valves are pretty very nice, its just that the tolerances are so tight I find I have to clean and wipe them quasi-often to get the full experience. Thats not a bad thing, just a thing with them.

And honestly, the stainless steel valves on my Dillon picc are actually pretty superb. I really hope they hold up.
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"Bud didn't worry about this..."
-Barenboim

[VetPsychWars]

[Brad361]

[petere]

No on has mentioned the Challenger II trumpets yet. I purchased one of these "used" earlier this year and the valves are amazing: Fast, smooth, great compression. They are as fast as any US made trumpet that I've played.

[jimspeedjae]

Never played them on a CarolBrass, but I have the Hoxon valve set on my trumpet...another set that's popular with a lot of the boutique makers.

And I have a couple of the valve blocks waiting for a couple of trumpet builds that I'll eventually get round to one day/month/year

They a smooth, but with a very consistent action, super quiet and so far very reliable.

Using with Ultrapure never hurts either.

I have a couple of post Yamalloy Yammies, and really enjoy playing them, but the valves are not close to the Hoxon. Then again, we'll see where these are in fifteen years. Maybe it's time for a Dr Valve job on them.

Oh, and though I know they are not to everyone's taste the valves on my Courtois picc and flugel (as well as a couple of other Courtois' I've owned previously) have been great.

The Selmer Radial Eb I have the valves are up there with the best too, and the Besson C that I have (no idea what model) plays great and the valves are very free.

In order of my preference, on horns I know well...

1 Hoxon
2 Selmer Radial
3 Courtois
4 Besson
5 Bach / Stomvi / Yamaha

I've played on Bauerfiend valves (on an olderTaylor) and Getzens too, but it's a while ago and can't say that they either stick in my mind much or that I played on those horns enough to give a valuable opinion.

[1400MZA]

In my experience, my two cents:

-Bauerfeind [Thien trumpet]
-Yamaha [My Bb and C chicagos and my friends Chicago's and NY]
-Getzen / Schilke
-B&S [new models, all models before 2000 aren't the new]


In my experience, Stomvi Master, have a very bad or limites valves. I owned a Stmvo Master in Bb and another in C. The C was Ok, betwenn 0 to 10 a 7,5. With Bb I've got problems, as I live in Spain I gone to Stomvi factory, they said that they repaired the valve cluster, but it goes in the same way, so to the Bb I put a 4.
In a Stomvi Piccolo from a friend, there where problems with the 3 valve, Stomvi made some adjust, but the problem where the same.

In my experience Stomvi valves aren't very good.
Shilke are superb valves, also Getzen, Yamaha and Bauerfind.
B&S if they are from 2000, if where from before 2000 there weren't so good.

Just my experience.

[RandyTX]

I wonder how many people with Kanstul valve issues give up on them too soon, before they're even broken in good.

When my Kanstul 1525 was brand new, the valves felt slow and too tight. I was worried about them, but stuck with it. If I had given up at that point and traded it off, I would have made a big mistake.

After a lot of early use, cleaning, re-oiling, in cycles to get the "new" worn off, they just started getting better and better. I am extremely happy with them now, and if anything, they just keep getting better. With regular cleaning and oiling, I've yet to have a single sticky or catchy valve issue, in practice or performance.

[VetPsychWars]

[F.E. Olds Nut]

Schilke or Getzen. Olds is a runner up.
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Del Quadro "The Mother"

[Dan O'Donnell]

MY opinion...

#1 Getzen

#2 Kanstul
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God Bless,
Dan O'Donnell

"Praise Him with the sound of the Trumpet:..."
Psalms 150:3

[Bob Stevenson]

The best valves, In my view, are the B&H 'microbor' as used by B&H for over 50 years from the early 1950's In this product B&H very nearly perfected the piston valve by bringing together the right materials with the right machining process resulting in a very excellent product that others can be judged by. Prior to this valves had been essentially a hand making process in which each valve was soldered together from pieces by a craftsman. The 'Microbor' process (which is what it was) took valve production into the modern age in a fully automated method of manufacture with infinitesimal variation and tolerances.

Although B&H had a very chequered history and made some very bad instruments towards their end, the valves were a superb work of genius made when British manufacturing was at it's high point.....In my experience playing brass over the last 50 years I have never found ANY valve that is either better in use, more reliable, or less prone to wear. Over the years I have seen many abused B&H valves/instruments and also heard people pour scorn on them as the locally made item. However, I have never heard anything but extreme praise from good players regarding the superb valve action and reliability of the 'Microbor' product.

When well maintained vavle wear is virtually unknown even after years of use. My 'Sov' cornet is now 31 years old and the valves are excellent and silent, also in my house at the moment we have a Besson 600 cornet that is about 30 years old, a sop cornet from the mid 50's with early white plastic spring guide and a 'Stratford' trumpet made in 1961 (also has white spring guide)....and all have superb valve action with minimal oiling. Spare valves will fit straight into an existing instrument should replacement be neccessary. Spares were certainly available until very recent times and presumably still are.

Like all machines it is NOT completely perfect and it's weak spot is undoubtedly the plastic spring guide/washer as this has a small projecting piece that goes inside the valve which can eventually break off........However, the plastic part is so inexpensive that you can carry some in your case and regular inspection prevents failure.



Interestingly, when I was talking to Leigh MacKinney at 'Eclipse' he admired the valve action of my old 'Sovereign' and mentioned that Bauerfiend are not better, just the best he coupld get for his instruments!

Moving on to other products.....I played the Besson valve with enclosed spring for 15 years and only had one 'sticky' valve event....it proved to be a dog hair in the valve!!..........This valve is almost as good as the 'microbor'.

The best 'inexpensive' valve I have found is the Jupiter......although the vavles on the Indian made Bessons are good too.

Worst valve that I have ever used came from the Kanstul factory...Sorry! but it's true!

[giakara]

I working as a trumpet player for 25 years and i have try everything and i mean everything (LawlerGetzen,Bach,Schilke,Benge,Conn,Besson,Martin,Olds,Selmer,Yamaha,Kanstul,Van Laar,Schagerl,Shires)in real working situations like many hours of use in the same day in outdoor gigs in hot or cold whether , in the Greek islands with strong winds and sand to sneak everywear and the Getzen horns or the horns with Getzen valves is the winners .
They have the faster valve action they never stikcs even i forget to oil the valves for days , never frozen if i dont use it for months and build like a tank with nickel coat thats why Getzen is the only company that gives life time guarante for the valves becose they made the best valves in the market.

Regards
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Lawler TL5-1A Bb 2015
Lawler TL6-1A Bb 2004
Lawler TL5-1A Bb 2003
Getzen eterna 910 C
Getzen eterna 850 cornet
Selmer Paris 3 valve picc
Yamaha 731 flugel
Carol mini pocket
Reeves/Purviance mpcs

[chapahi]

My Kanstul cornet has the most amazing valves of all my horns.
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Sima, Kanstul 1525 Flugel and Kanstul pocket trumpet. Olds Super

[Louise Finch]

Hi

I totally agree with Bob about the B&H Microbor valves. My new Sovereign (Buffet Crampon made) has excellent valves. I also quite like the feel of my Bach valves.

I really don't like Kanstul valves. Admittedly the Smith Watkins cornet I owned previously, was found to have had a faulty 2nd valve, but I didn't much care for the other two either. They may have very well have been great once broken in, but having tiny hands, I just found them too finicky for me.

I chose my Sovereign as a replacement for my faulty Smith Watkins cornet over a replacement Smith Watkins cornets, largely owing to the Besson valves feeling much better for me.

All the best

Lou
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Trumpets:
Yamaha 8335 Xeno II
Bach Strad 180ML/37
B&H Oxford
Kanstul F Besson C
Yamaha D and D/Eb
- James R New Custom 3Cs
Flugel:
Bach Strad 183 - Bach 3CFL
Cornets:
Yamaha Neo + Xeno
Bach Strad 184ML
B&H Imperial
- Kanstul Custom 3Cs

[Comeback]

Each of my current Bb trumpets have great valves, and it is hard for me to settle on which are the best. My 1952 Super Artist has valves that are smooth, fast and absolutely reliable. My 2000 Strad 180S37 has wonderful valves too, but, though I appreciate what the rubber washers under the valve caps do to preserve alignment, I am always aware of the clicking noise that occurs when the finger buttons strike the washers - at least for a little while. The valves on my 1972 Getzen Eterna Severinsen are probably the best: I replaced the original rubber washers with felt and the results are simply superb, all the positive hype about Getzen valves seems true.

Jim

[trumpet_guy.david]

The valves on my 20th Anniversary Xeno are pretty rocking themselves!
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XO Brass Artist
1604S LB Bb
1624RS-R C
1700S Piccolo

Pickett Brass Mouthpieces

[delamotrumpet]

Getzen and Monette have the best (smoothest and fastest) valves.

[ConnArtist]

By Besson 10-10 has insanely slick, perfect valves. Which, if I understand correctly, was made by B&H.

My flugelhorn with Stomvi valve-block also has incredibly smooth valves. I have not tried the famed Getzen or Baurfiend valves yet. Given how satisfied I am with my current horns' performances and longevity, I might never get around to those others
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"Stomvi" PhrankenPhlugel w/ Blessing copper bell
1958 Conn 18A cornet
1962 Conn 9A cornet (yes, the Unicorn )
Reynolds Onyx cornet
c. 1955? Besson 10-10 trumpet
1939 Martin Imperial Handcraft “Model 37”
1986 Bach Strad 37 ML

[Crazy Finn]