Bachette (Bach Pocket Cornet)
This cornet was constructed as a design exercise and to keep my
focus on what I enjoy amongst the more mundane work. Vincent
Bach probably never would have been interested in building a
pocket cornet or trumpet, but if he did maybe it would have looked
a bit like this. I wanted it to be as compact as possible without
compromising the acoustics of the original design. This was a
Vincent Bach Stradivarius model 7-10-62 (7-10 bell with a .462"
bore size) with a 112 mouthpipe. This was a very popular model
for Bach cornets as well as trumpets (usually with a 6 or 7
mouthpipe) in 1935 when it was built. When I purchased the
cornet about 10 years ago (photos below), my plan was to restore it
for resale, but it quickly became clear that it would be a loosing
proposition, so it became a "parts" horn. Fortunately, I never had
the heart to scavenge parts for other restorations and it occurred to
me that it could have another fate.
The valves were extremely loose, so they were plated and refit.
Somebody had cut the tops off of both the top caps and stems, so I
silver soldered nickel silver pieces on to restore original dimensions.
The two existing buttons were also cut down, so I used a new set
that look pretty close. I reused as many original braces and pieces
of tubing as possible and remade missing pull knobs etc. The
tuning slide assembly and return crook with water key were not
changed other than shortening the lower inside slide tube to allow
the mouthpipe to extend further inside the outside tube. The
replacement mouthpipe is not a Bach 112, but is very close in
dimensions. The bell bend is also a replacement part. For this I
used a section from a more modern Bach 25 bell which is very
close in design. That piece was bent first and then brazed to the
original straight section of the original bell. This had to be as
"seamless" as possible, although there is a seam there of course.
The branch or tapered crook that attaches to the new bell bend is
the original bell bend, once again using as much of the original
cornet as possible. The last photo to the left shows the newly
remade cornet next to all the original parts that were not used.
This cornet has been played by a number of our top Southern
California studio and Philharmonic players and all have judged it to
be an excellent playing cornet, not compromised by its compact
shape.
Click on images to the left to view larger photographs. For more
pocket cornets and trumpets be sure to check out
PocketCornets.com.
focus on what I enjoy amongst the more mundane work. Vincent
Bach probably never would have been interested in building a
pocket cornet or trumpet, but if he did maybe it would have looked
a bit like this. I wanted it to be as compact as possible without
compromising the acoustics of the original design. This was a
Vincent Bach Stradivarius model 7-10-62 (7-10 bell with a .462"
bore size) with a 112 mouthpipe. This was a very popular model
for Bach cornets as well as trumpets (usually with a 6 or 7
mouthpipe) in 1935 when it was built. When I purchased the
cornet about 10 years ago (photos below), my plan was to restore it
for resale, but it quickly became clear that it would be a loosing
proposition, so it became a "parts" horn. Fortunately, I never had
the heart to scavenge parts for other restorations and it occurred to
me that it could have another fate.
The valves were extremely loose, so they were plated and refit.
Somebody had cut the tops off of both the top caps and stems, so I
silver soldered nickel silver pieces on to restore original dimensions.
The two existing buttons were also cut down, so I used a new set
that look pretty close. I reused as many original braces and pieces
of tubing as possible and remade missing pull knobs etc. The
tuning slide assembly and return crook with water key were not
changed other than shortening the lower inside slide tube to allow
the mouthpipe to extend further inside the outside tube. The
replacement mouthpipe is not a Bach 112, but is very close in
dimensions. The bell bend is also a replacement part. For this I
used a section from a more modern Bach 25 bell which is very
close in design. That piece was bent first and then brazed to the
original straight section of the original bell. This had to be as
"seamless" as possible, although there is a seam there of course.
The branch or tapered crook that attaches to the new bell bend is
the original bell bend, once again using as much of the original
cornet as possible. The last photo to the left shows the newly
remade cornet next to all the original parts that were not used.
This cornet has been played by a number of our top Southern
California studio and Philharmonic players and all have judged it to
be an excellent playing cornet, not compromised by its compact
shape.
Click on images to the left to view larger photographs. For more
pocket cornets and trumpets be sure to check out
PocketCornets.com.
