Fascinating. Horns are a lot like cars aren't they? Some people shell out big bucks for a Schmid or Paxman or Rouke or the like. They're like your Ferraris or BMW's or Mercedes's. People pay the money because they're already great Horns and need little additional work on them if at all. Stock, they're pretty decent. Of course parts and repairs for them are always expensive, and you can't use cheap oil in them if you want them to last. Plus you have to take great care with them too, to save on trips to the repair shop (garage).
Some people buy cheaper cars, or cheaper horns. The 8D's and Yamaha's are great examples. They won't set you back much if you buy one new or vintage and stock they work fine. Sort of like your Honda Accords I suppose. The parts and repairs are easy to do and a lot of garages will do your work for you. Parts are easy to find, and you don't have to shell out more money for specialty oils and parts since they will do their job well. But just like those that buy mid-range priced cars, those that buy mid-range priced Horns have a lot of options that high-priced Horns don't have. Eight-D's have a plethora of mouthpipes you can have installed. You can have a lot of different types of valve jobs from straight chem-cleaning to relapping and replating. I know my old Holton had a great garnet-lapped valve job once. You can interchange bells from different manufacturers sometimes - with Yamaha's I know you can. Now I do know you can get some add-ons for Paxmans and Schmids, but they're few and far between. I mean how many add-ons and kits from third party manufacturers are out there for cars like Porsches? Not to say either Horn, or car, is better than the other. It's different strokes for different folks, or in this case whatever you like driving the most. In the hands of an accomplished driver, any car will do well. That is, I suppose, unless you've got a Yugo (chinese eBay horn?). Let me raise a glass and toast to clear horizons to the quest to find your perfect horn - and maybe in the process, your perfect car. -William _______________________________________________ post: [EMAIL PROTECTED] set your options at http://music.memphis.edu/mailman/options/horn/archive%40jab.org
