Getzen Spit Valves

[Norm]

I just received an eBay Getzen Capri It has obviously been through the mill, and probably several mills, but plays so beautifully. What a lovely sound. My question...those "funny" looking knobs on the lead pipe, and third valve slide...Are these for draining moisture? And how do they work? There appears to be some sort of nipple on them that one can push, but they're either stuck or that isn't their function. If water keys, can they be repaired? Help.

Norm

[hose]

The "spit valves" you speak of are amado water keys. It you cannot push the "nipple" towards the inside of the slide then it is probably "frozen" shut. If you want these amado water keys to operate, you will need to take the horn to a repair tech, as taking these little suckers apart is not for the nervous handed, impatient amateur.
_________________
Dave Wisner

Picketts
Yamaha 6335RC
Yamaha 8335RS
Lawler Flugel
Kanstul cornet

[lmf]

Hi, Norm,

And once you get them repaired and working, keep 'em oiled.

I hear there is good reason for this type of water key, but some folks don't like 'em and some do.

I have them on two of my horns and traditional water keys (spit valves on three others. I like 'em, but you have to keep them oiled for them to continue to work.

Best wishes!

lloyd lmf

[pedaltonekid]

If you'll put a couple drops of valve oil in the lead pipe when you oil the valves you shouldn't have to do anything else to keep them well oiled.
_________________
Best Regards, Play Well!!

[dr_trumpet]

BiNaK 495 keeps all my Amato water keys working well...

[CornetplayerUK]

Be warned - keep these well maintained. If they get stiff, and don't return to their position after you've pressed them in, you have to use a pin or something to push them back out from the other side! Personally I really dislike them because I had a couple come away from the cornet purely due to the poor build quality of the instrument.

[camel]

[Smokin Joe]

Is it possible to have the Amado's removed and replaced with the standard type spring loaded ones. At the repair shop of course.

Joe

[Craig Swartz]

Aside from the "reduction in turbulence" advertised by the Amado folks, they are much cheaper to install in the first place, requiring only one solder operation and can be installed as a single unit. Lever type water keys require a nipple and fulcrum be soldered onto the stock, then the lever and spring and pivot must be hand installed as well. It doesn't sound like much but every separate hand installation adds cost. (I'm not certain what an Amado unit itself costs as compared to the parts of most lever systems.)

It is very possible to have the Amados replaced with levers but without factory jigs to line things up would take some added care. A good brass tech should be able to do the work if you have the money. I prefer levers but can live with the Amado if it is already there. Maintenance is really pretty easy provided one ahs a C clip tool and understands that the piston is spring-loaded and can be lost somewhere out there if not contained when removing the clip.

[rolling360]

I just had an Amado replaced on my daughters Getzen cornet. It costed around 5.00 for the key and 15.00 for the install.

[Craig Swartz]

Thanks, rolling360. Your post proves the cost factor- more to install than to buy the part. Has anyone ever had the process reversed? I'd be interested in seeing how it compares. I know that just the lever for a student line Bach t-bone is more than $5.

[dr_trumpet]

[shastastan]

[quote="camel]
And they simply do not empty the instrument completely....[/quote]

And I thought it was just me that had trouble getting 'em to drain properly.

[Winghorn]

I have never had a horn that had them, but I personally think Saturn water keys look ridiculous. Maybe when I was in Jr. High......
Steve Allison

[Accordion Ron]

Come now guys. We can't admit to spitting into our horns. Isn't that merely condensation?
The Amandos on my Lawler work better then the old fashioned "water keys" as far as emptying the horn. They will get stuck if you don't maintain them however.
RR

[dr_trumpet]

[Bob Stevenson]

personally, I have come to dislike Amado keys,...they seem like a good idea at first but any prolomged use shows up inherent weakness in the design.

Saturn keys are a MASSIVE improvement over other water key designs.

Jason Harrelson is known to be working on a water key design so this will be interesting to see.

To clean Amados, take a amall phillips screw driver and 'unclip' the small circlip from the back of the fitting keeping your thumb partly over the circlip to prevent loss....remove circlip and back plate,...puch out plunger from other side........clean plunger of calcium deposits, replace and oil.

[BKC]

To keep the C clip from flying away and landing who knows where,
do the removal operation inside a big zip-lock type plastic
bag. Being clear, you can see what you are doing and if the clip
pops out, it will be inside the bag.
This sounds like Heloise.

[KingSilverSonic]

I like the look of the Amados and have them on my Benge Bb and the C7. When I get the Benge C refurbished I will have an Amado installed instead of the lever that it now has. A drop of valve oil once a week keeps them moving freely. They don't seem to empty as well as the levers, which strikes me as odd. But, I have found that blowing more gently seems to help the matter.
_________________
Richard

Lawler C7
Burbank Benge C
Calicchio 1s/2
King Symphony 20 DB and Silver Sonic Cornet
Lawler flugelhorn
Member: Bugles Across America

[gchun]

BKC-

Good idea about using a plastic bag to catch those airbourne c-clips!!! I've sent a few flying across the room in my day!!

Garry