[TPIN] Bell Bow (NOT Bilbo Baggins!) Bends

[MikeSpengl at aol.com]

In a message dated 3/9/2008 9:23:12 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
manderson at okcu.edu writes:

Apparently, they also got rid of some dead weight workers during the  strike
and only hired back those who were really good at what they do. So,  it
should be no surprise that quality control is up at  Bach.

MA





>From what Tedd Waggoner told me during my visit to Bach last  September, I 
would say not "dead weight workers", but a flawed system. Under the  pre-strike 
system, the folks who did the final inspections were paid based on  the number 
of horns they "passed." This is no longer the case, and Tedd has a  system of 
LED signs that tell him at a glance how many horns have passed out of  how 
many inspected. I can't recall exactly the figures I saw, but it was  something 
like 67 horns passed out of 83 inspected the day I was there. 
 
  Tedd had 6 just-finished raw brass 37's laid out for me to try, and  all 6 
were pretty good as far as consistency goes. None quite measured up to my  
two, but that's where a player's individual preference/quirks come into play...  
In fact, even Tedd upon trying them went through the  
"Like-this-one-not-crazy-about-this-one"-trumpet-player-mode... :-)
 
  As far as the bell-bow bend goes, my own personal gut-feeling is  that the 
body of the horn comes more into play. My long-time 1965 Bach has a  1997 
replacement bell on it with the more rounded bell-bow. It's still a special  horn. 
The new one has the more squared bell-bow. Also pretty special, or else I  
wouldn't have bought it... Just lucky, I guess...
 
  By the way, going back out to South Bend for another personal  business 
visit this coming September. So another trip to the Bach factory  will be in 
order. Hopefully the weather will cooperate, so I'll have a full day  for the Bach 
trip (as opposed to the two-hour "rush-through" I had last year). 
 
  Be well  all....                          Mike S



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