Bell Size. Does it matter?

[deleted_user_fdb91a0]

There's bell shape (flair), and then there's the actual diameter of the bell.

Bell flair can be fast or slow. Diameter can be wide or narrow.

Then there's the actual bell wire (or lack thereof). A bell can be dead (no wire) or live (wire).

Bells can also vary in thickness. Yamaha makes some bells that thin out as they approach the wire.

Then there's the type of alloy used in the bell construction. Yellow brass, rose brass, copper, etc. Each will change the sound somewhat.

Any combination of these factors plays a significant role.

For example, I owned the Yamaha Miyashiro horn for a while. It has a 5 1/8" bell, with a flat French bead and a thickness that thins toward the wire. It has a slow flair, but a wide diameter. The result was a bell that provides a ton of feedback, a very bright sound, and fast response. That horn was a lot of fun to play, and the bell was a big reason for that.