Thein W3NY alto valve

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JCBone
Posts: 373
Joined: Jul 29, 2020

by JCBone »

https://houghtonhorns.com/shop/thein-eb-alto/

This horn seems to have a very unique valve setup. I wonder If anybody here knows anything about this
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TomRiker
Posts: 52
Joined: Jul 14, 2020

by TomRiker »

Best guess it's so you can have a half or whole step trill valve? Also looks like you can have a tuning slide to make it a Bb attachment.
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Burgerbob
Posts: 6327
Joined: Apr 23, 2018

by Burgerbob »

If it's anything like the Chinese copies, it's also removable so it can be a straight alto.
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JCBone
Posts: 373
Joined: Jul 29, 2020

by JCBone »

[quote="TomRiker"]Best guess it's so you can have a half or whole step trill valve? Also looks like you can have a tuning slide to make it a Bb attachment.[/quote]

I was actually more interested in the valve and that wacky overly complex trigger system.
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Burgerbob
Posts: 6327
Joined: Apr 23, 2018

by Burgerbob »

[quote="TomRiker"]Best guess it's so you can have a half or whole step trill valve? Also looks like you can have a tuning slide to make it a Bb attachment.[/quote]

It's both. There are two valves.
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harrisonreed
Posts: 6479
Joined: Aug 17, 2018

by harrisonreed »

[quote="Burgerbob"]<QUOTE author="TomRiker" post_id="144937" time="1617311586" user_id="9686">
Best guess it's so you can have a half or whole step trill valve? Also looks like you can have a tuning slide to make it a Bb attachment.[/quote]

It's both. There are two valves.
</QUOTE>

It looks far too short though. I think the picture shows a combo whole step/half step valve. The whole step tubing can probably be switched for Bb.
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CalgaryTbone
Posts: 1460
Joined: May 10, 2018

by CalgaryTbone »

I play tested one of those at an ITF some years ago. It was set up with the valve in B flat, and had a short set of tubing to make it a trill valve. I don't remember them offering the 2nd valve within the tubing to allow for 1/2 and whole step trills. That is a newer innovation I'm guessing. You can also remove the valve to play it as a straight horn as well. Theins are beautiful instruments - listen to Toby Oft's - Leopold Mozart Concerto on his solo recording.

I'm guessing by looking at the pictures that in this set-up, you trill a 1/2 step with one valve, and the 2nd (dependent) valve can be kept engaged and you trill the same finger except now the trill will be a whole step. In the one I tried, the tubing could be replaced just beyond the valve with longer tubing to tune the valve to B flat. Interesting idea.

Jim Scott
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JCBone
Posts: 373
Joined: Jul 29, 2020

by JCBone » (edited 2021-04-02 4:16 a.m.)

Why is the valve sideways though? this is also the first time I have seen a valve that is part of the slide section
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brassmedic
Posts: 1447
Joined: Dec 14, 2018

by brassmedic »

Can you say, "Over engineering"?
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harrisonreed
Posts: 6479
Joined: Aug 17, 2018

by harrisonreed »

[quote="JCBone"]Why is the valve sideways though? this is also the first time I have seen a valve that is part of the slide section[/quote]

It's pretty overkill