Re: Re: It occurs to me


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Posted by Rick Denney on January 12, 2001 at 16:00:21:

In Reply to: Re: It occurs to me posted by SENTAMENTAL OLD BASTARD on January 12, 2001 at 14:38:57:

There is a lot of truth to this, especially for the history buffs.

My old F tuba project horn is a Missenharter. Never heard of him? Neither had I, and I thought it was a perfect project horn: cheap and unworthy.

Then I started getting emails from Charles Missenharter's relatives, and those interested in the history of his instruments. They were not at all bothered by the brutal hack-saw job I did on that horn, but they were somewhat amazed to find an actual example of the instrument. On the other hand, *I* felt a bit guilty about the chop job I'd done.

You never know what significance might lurk in some old instrument.

But balancing that view is the notion that many old horns end up in the dumpster or the scrap-heap. I'd rather see an old BBb York converted to CC and played than sitting in some moldy corner until someone finally throws it away. There may be those who mourn the brutality done to that old Missenharter, but it's in my basement in approximately playable condition, getting approximately played from time to time, and that is more than can be said for its former condition.

Another thing to remember is that sentimentality can sometimes make an old horn seem better than it really is.

Rick "who respects old horns but doesn't worship them" Denney


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