Kendall, from what I understand, only 1 Kruspe flare was assayed, and given the very nature of handmade instruments of that vintage, there was probably a great deal of variance between the alloys available to Kruspe at the time, thus I don't believe that there is a 'standard' Kruspe alloy. Having worked on hundreds of these older Kruspes and 8d's, I would not agree that it was the difference in alloys used in the mouthpipe that accounts for the difference in sound. (Was the Kruspe mouthpipe assayed as well? Or just the flare?) Kruspe instruments had seamed tubing throughout their entire length, and if one takes measurements they'll find that it is nowhere near concentric. (Conn horns of that vintage hold their diameter throughout the bends far better than did the Kruspes). The earlier Kruspes also did not have as well fit valves as did the 8D's that followed. Basically, Kruspes were made to the best standard possibilities at that time, which would not fare as well in modern times. Now tubing is extruded or drawn, not handhammered around a mandrel - causing it to keep it's internal dimensions with far more accuracy. So, perhaps it was these inaccuracies in the building process which gave them their fabulous sound (and horrendous scale).
These are just a few of the MANY differences between the Horner model and the 8D. I could fill pages with other differences between them. Lastly - Conn didn't really make a 'boo-boo' - they ended up making a horn that was the touchstone in American hornplaying for about 2 decades, and to this day (though, the current product is not like the earlier model), they sell more horns than just about anyone! My final point would be that one can do all the designing he wants on a computer, perhaps they can even build what they claim to be a 'perfect' horn, but as a Kruspe, Geyer, or Schmidt can show you - they can't give you that golden sound associated with many of the older horns. Horn design is both a Science AND an Art. Believe your ears, not a computer printout! Sincerely Ken Pope <<where Conn really made a boo-boo. They used plain old nickel-silver and not the nickel-bronze type alloy that Kruspe used. That helps explain the difference in sound between silver Kruspe's and the Conn 8D. Close, but not quite a cigar.>> "Just Put Your Lips Together And Blow...." http://www.poperepair.com US Dealer: Kuhn Horns & Bonna Cases Pope Instrument Repair 80 Wenham Street Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 617-522-0532 "Just Put Your Lips Together And Blow...." http://www.poperepair.com US Dealer: Kuhn Horns & Bonna Cases Pope Instrument Repair 80 Wenham Street Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 617-522-0532 _______________________________________________ post: horn@music.memphis.edu unsubscribe or set options at http://music2.memphis.edu/mailman/options/horn/archive%40jab.org
