New leadpipes

[Beanboy128]

Good evening my trumpet friends. I currently play trumpet and bass trombone and I have a question. Can you mod a trumpet to have interchangeable leadpipes like a trombone? I use a Yamaha xeno Bb trumpet and I'm looking into a blackburn leadpipe but want the versatility of using multiple.

[HaveTrumpetWillTravel]

Search for "modular" trumpets. I think there are a mix of makers. Getzen/Edwards, Spiri, and a few others. It's not totally easy. I think for some folks it's a way of approximating two trumpets in one, but in the long run I think folk just usually go with trumpets (more symphonic, more commercial, more jazz, etc.). There also seem to be two mechanisms. Some have two pipes that you can swap in and out (like on flugelhorn or piccolo) and others screw in using a hex screw (I think).

[LittleRusty]

Nothing wrong with wanting to try new equipment but based on another post where you state your peers are “still tripping over basic notes” it appears you are early in your trumpet career.

If true, it is probably better to take the money and get lessons and focus on learning your way around your current instrument.

[Beanboy128]

thanks for the reply my dude. I've actually been playing for like 7 years and im late in highschool. This doesn't by any means make a super old and wise trumpet player but im not new. The reason others are tripping over notes is most just really aren't good because said teacher isn't very good. Our lead trumpet last your pimped his trumpet and I'm looking to fill his role. Im close to as good as him I just think the teacher hates that I like jazz more than classical.

[gregplo]

[Dkjcliff]

I am no expert trumpet tech, but I would think it would be complicated to modify a non-interchangeable lead pipe horn to an interchangeable setup. I own a Getzen Genesis, which by the way is a great jazz horn that you might look into. To accommodate the removable pipe, the top bar on the tuning slide is unusually short. I guess if it were normal length, it would require the lead pipe to be too short from a harmonics perspective. So I would think you would need to have a lead pipe sleeve installed, custom lead pipes made, and a new custom tuning slide made.
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Selmer Radial II
Yamaha YHF-635T Flugelhorn
Martin Indiana Cornet

[camelbrass]

I’ve owned a Will Spencer modified Bach that has both interchangeable bell and lead pipes for about 11 or 12 years. Changes are really easy and made with an Allen key, although both bell and lead pipe need to have the fitting mechanisms installed. Funnily enough for most of that time it’s worn a pretty straight forward Bach 37 bell and MK bronze lead pipe.

Regards,


Trevor

[OldSchoolEuph]

Any trumpet can be modified to take interchangeable parts. Should it be is a bigger question.

There is no doubt that tremendous flexibility in a compact kit becomes possible when you do this. That can make it worth it. However, you need to realize that placement of mass along the raceway, and the couplings of braces and in this case mounts, impact the way the horn responds, feels, and without adjustment, sounds. You need to be a fairly capable player to adjust for the impact of such modifications - and if you wish to not waste a lot of money, you also need to talk with more experienced folks about what tapers pair well together, and with what blocks, so that you don't just wind up with a pile of parts that wont work well in any combination.

I suppose this comes under the heading of everything has its price.
_________________
Ron Berndt
www.trumpet-history.com

2017 Austin Winds Stage 466
1962 Mt. Vernon Bach 43
1954 Holton 49 Stratodyne
1927 Conn 22B
1957 Holton 27 cornet
1985 Yamaha YEP-621
1975 Yamaha YEP-321 Custom
1965 Besson Baritone
1975 Olds Recording R-20

[derekthor]

Have you tried practicing?

[LittleRusty]

[derekthor]

[Goby]

A Blackburn leadpipe isn't going to help your Xeno. Yamaha is one of the most meticulous when it comes to designing and revising every aspect of their horns. A pipe from Blackburn will probably change the feel but won't improve the horn the way it might for a Selmer Picc. if you want to mess around with changing elements of your setup, get a 2 piece mouthpiece like Warburton, ACB, or AR Resonance and try some different backbores. It will be far cheaper than sending your horn to be modded for interchangeable leadpipes, plus you won't mess up the finish of your horn or have to worry about any of the logistics of sending your horn to a qualified technician.

[Beanboy128]

[derekthor]

[Beanboy128]

[derekthor]

[Beanboy128]

[Beanboy128]

[derekthor]

[Beanboy128]