I've been a champion of the contempora for many years. There are
basically two models, both excellent and usually for sale at a price
that allows a high quality rotor rebuild included in a budget of less
than $1000. If you're considering the brass version, the smaller Pottag
model (large leadpipe with a medium bell throat) is suitable for any
orchestral use, especially with the 8D sound being supplanted in recent
years with Geyer wrapped horns. It has a beautiful singing tone and is
ideal for solo and ensemble work. A very similar horn is the very rare
Holton 77.
The larger Chambers model was specifically designed to replace the
famous 8D James Chambers played in the New York Philharmonic. He played
it for three seasons until politics of Reynolds ownership forced him to
withdraw the endorsement. The Osmun Brass web site has an interview
where Chambers talks a bit about the horn. He really liked the horn,
but is less than happy with the new Reynolds company. The horn
apperently was designed to match the best 8Ds, and then modified
slightly until Chambers liked it well enough to replace his 8D. The two
most apparent modifications were to double the thickness of the bell
from .009" to .018", and the leadpipe was shortened and retapered. The
heavy bell is far more efficient, so the horn is much less fatiguing to
play. The modified leadpipe doesn't lock in like the 8D pipe. Not only
is the horn more expressive, the player has more latitude to play it
absolutely in tune. From a marketing point of view, the Conn pipe is
more forgiving to less advanced players, probably 90% of the market the
instrument is aimed at. I've been told that many of the Hollywood
players in the '60s put the Chambers pipe on their 8Ds. The Chambers
pipe is long gone, but there is a huge selection of after market pipes
to be had.
When Reynolds moved to Texas, the pottag and Chambers endorsements
were left behind. There was a design change to the Chambers model, but
there is little consensus exactly what was changed. The bell thickness
was reduced to about .012" inch. This took away the awesome power
potential of the heavy bell, but made the horn a little more forgiving
to play in smaller ensembles. I was a believer that the new design was
more of a student instrument until I did a restoration of one for my
wife. I discovered that a universal problem with all the FE01s and
FE03s (Chambers in NS and Brass) was solder rings left in the interior
tubing. Reaming the bore to a uniform .0468" made the Texas horn play
every bit as well as the Cleveland models. My wife prefers the Texas
model over the Cleveland. She really can't play hard enough to take
advantage of the heavy bell. She also has an H series 8D with both a
stock and a Lawson pipe, and much prefers the Texas Reynolds to the 8D.
The Lawson pipe makes it closer, but the Reynolds takes much less
effort, and the extra effort is quite audible.
I own several Contemporas and have fixed up several for students. I
bought a Cleveland horn, new, in 1962, and have played it since. I was
about to get a valve rebuild, but I bought an identical horn that was
bought and never played, and was for sale for $450. The rotors were
never even broken in. My wife's Texas horn was only $210 on ebay
because the bell had been crushed like a ball of tin foil. It also has
rotors that show no wear. I was going to put a screw bell on it, but
the old bell straightened with practically no scarring. The horn plays
so well, now the the bore is restored to uniform size, there's no
reason to do the bell. Unless you get as lucky as I did, most of these
horns have been in school programs and maintained by techs who end up
dissolving the rotors in acid over the years. Figure a valve rebuild
into the price you bid, or get the seller to allow an inspection
period. If you get the return allowance in writing in an email, ebay
will use their leverage to enforce it. Make sure the seller has a
seller rating worth protecting.
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: horn@music.memphis.edu
Sent: Wed, 28 Mar 2007 9:54 AM
Subject: [Hornlist] Reynolds Contempora
Hi all,
I am strongly considering picking up a Reynolds Contempora double
(Brass).
(Right now, I
am on a 6D and need something beefier for my playing style...)
Wondering if anyone has any experience with these horns and can offer
opinions.
Best,
Steve
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