I'd rather not do that on a horn I don't even fully own yet. Although, speaking of uneven wear on the piston valve, I wonder how anyone can manage to push it perfectly straight anyhow since to do that one would need impressively large hands.
I've tried different angles of my hand, but there's no way I could play standing up with one of these with any of my current solutions. -William -----Original Message----- From: Steve Haflich <[email protected]> To: The Horn List <[email protected]> Sent: Sat, Jun 4, 2011 12:48 pm Subject: Re: [Hornlist] Schmidt pistons and small hands [email protected] wrote: I'm trying out a Schmidt model horn for a week and I love the horn and the Schmidt wrap, but it's the first time I've really had time to try it out and I wasn't aware that my hands (which are small) find it difficult to reach the thumb trigger comfortably. To clarify, this is Schmidt with a 'tee' - the thumb piston change valve wrap. I'd hate to say no to this horn just because of that reason alone, so I'm wondering what I could do to make playing this horn more comfortable? I've seem some people with Klebsch straps, but I'm not sure what other people have done for this type of horn. Never be afraid to experiment with safe, reversible improvements on a horn. Here is what I would try. If you have a hot glue gun and a smooth shoelace (perhaps a sneaker lace), form a small loop of shoelace of length that can be hot glued to the valve button and will let your thumb actuate the valve while sliding alongside the valve body. Experiment a little and see if you can find some length and position that is comfortable. If this works, I wouldn't leave it this way indefinitely, because actuating the piston with an off-center force might eventually cause uneven and rapid wear to the valve. So if the modification works, then try to hot glue some pegs near the top of the valve casing such that the lace will pull correctly along the axis of the valve. I haven't tested, but I expect that the temperature of a hot glue gun is low enough not to harm lacquer. YMMV. A little more hot glue on the shoelace loop might keep it open and in position for quick insertion of your thumb. My horn has a rawhide shoelace appropriated from long-forgotten boots that connects fro my leadpipe spit valve to a strut near the thumb valve. My thumb can exercise it instantaneously, and it gives security when facing an important solo line and I want to make sure [blup blup blup blup blup]. I think when I first met Cabbage more than 40 years ago he used to play one of these piston thumb Schmidts, and his hands are no bigger than his sense of humor. Perhaps he will have a suggestion. _______________________________________________ post: [email protected] unsubscribe or set options at https://pegasus.memphis.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/options/horn/valkhorn%40aol.com _______________________________________________ post: [email protected] unsubscribe or set options at https://pegasus.memphis.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/options/horn/archive%40jab.org
