Articles by Dave Weiner

Ryan asks: I’ve been using a older, heavily used Conn 6D until I can afford a better horn. It has a few quirks, but it’s hasn’t been too bad. Recently, any note played using the third valve sounds real weird, as if I’m just buzzing in a long open PVC pipe or as if I [...]

Chris asks: I have a Yamaha 667 that I have had considerable work done to. I love the horn and am ready for the last step.  I need to have the valves rebuilt, but don’t know how to narrow down the list of prospective repair shops who can do a good valve job.  How do [...]

Often, when working on a horn the wear and tear tell me a lot about how a horn is handled, used, cared for, and stored. Your horn is “talking” to me in the shop, and I am listening. Look carefully at the valve rotors in the picture and you will see that there is a [...]

Mathew asks: What advice or tricks can you provide for re-corking a mute, both successful removal of the old cork and application of the new cork? Dave replies: This is an excellent question that I rarely get to answer, so thank you for the opportunity! I will assume this is a straight mute that has [...]

Steve asks: I am a mechanical engineer- I specialize in machine design… close-tolerance design is my specialty.  I am looking to buy a used double French horn, but I know that sometimes used means wear… especially on valves.  Can a valve be chrome-plated to decrease “slop”?  What are normal clearances/tolerances between valve OD and hole [...]

Shane asks: How can I play the high notes without squeezing them out? Dave replies: At first, I was going to overlook this question as a practice question and not an equipment question.  Then I thought about it for a bit and decided that there are some equipment related answers. First, and probably most important, [...]