Hi!

I'm getting olsen axial valves installed on my Bach 50b2. Has anyone had any experience modifying the old French style case to fit the new valves?

Cheers,

Bryce

I doubt you'd be able to modify one that would fit them safely. There are so many better cases out there, time to invest.

[quote="bryceminnell"]Hi!

I'm getting olsen axial valves installed on my Bach 50b2. Has anyone had any experience modifying the old French style case to fit the new valves?

Cheers,

Bryce[/quote]

Considering it's a 50B2 I don't see why you couldn't modify the case. However I don't have any experience doing this.

[quote="WGWTR180"]<QUOTE author="bryceminnell" post_id="129266" time="1604202238" user_id="10268">
Hi!

I'm getting olsen axial valves installed on my Bach 50b2. Has anyone had any experience modifying the old French style case to fit the new valves?

Cheers,

Bryce[/quote]

Considering it's a 50B2 I don't see why you couldn't modify the case. However I don't have any experience doing this.
</QUOTE>

Before I get started, I think the old Bach French style cases are the best old-school cases ever made. I'd want to save mine if I were in your position. (In fact, I still have the original case for my 1972 36B. I'm going to take it to a luggage shop one day soon and have them rebuild it. For now, the horn lives in a Pro-tec hard case. That sucker is heavy!)

If you're going open wrap and in-line, I don't think you can reshape the case interior to make it work. That case is designed for the F-attachment and Eb attachment to fit within the area defined by the neckpipe, tuning slide, and bell. The usual Thayer wraps have both valves' tuning slide loops outside the main tuning slide. You could make it fit if you remove the mouthpiece/accessory box behind the tuning slide, but you will have to do a lot of reshaping and refitting of the interior. Figuring out how to secure the bell section properly is going to be the toughest part.

If you're handy and you enjoy doing that sort of thing, it might be worth doing. If you are aren't, you should probably bite the bullet and get a modern case. I highly recommend the Bonna cases. Even the "soft" case protects the horn very well. If price is an object, the Pro-tec Max cases are cheaper and protect the instrument well. They also weigh a lot-I think they are made from MDF.)

[quote="Dennis"]<QUOTE author="WGWTR180" post_id="129307" time="1604237397" user_id="7573">

Considering it's a 50B2 I don't see why you couldn't modify the case. However I don't have any experience doing this.[/quote]

Before I get started, I think the old Bach French style cases are the best old-school cases ever made. I'd want to save mine if I were in your position. (In fact, I still have the original case for my 1972 36B. I'm going to take it to a luggage shop one day soon and have them rebuild it. For now, the horn lives in a Pro-tec hard case. That sucker is heavy!)

If you're going open wrap and in-line, I don't think you can reshape the case interior to make it work. That case is designed for the F-attachment and Eb attachment to fit within the area defined by the neckpipe, tuning slide, and bell. The usual Thayer wraps have both valves' tuning slide loops outside the main tuning slide. You could make it fit if you remove the mouthpiece/accessory box behind the tuning slide, but you will have to do a lot of reshaping and refitting of the interior. Figuring out how to secure the bell section properly is going to be the toughest part.

If you're handy and you enjoy doing that sort of thing, it might be worth doing. If you are aren't, you should probably bite the bullet and get a modern case. I highly recommend the Bonna cases. Even the "soft" case protects the horn very well. If price is an object, the Pro-tec Max cases are cheaper and protect the instrument well. They also weigh a lot-I think they are made from MDF.)
</QUOTE>

Good point about the inline valve section. I saw 50B2 and just figured he would keep it in its current setup.

If you're talking about the formed wooden "French" case with the black covering, then no, it cannot be modified to accept axials. As mentioned above, you coukd remove the mouthpiece box section, but that doesn't fix the issue of the axial valves adding "depth" (the distance from the bell to the gooseneck) to the bell section.

Bryceminnell.

What sort of shape is the Bach case in? Are you interesting in selling it?

Thanks everyone for your help. Didn't think it would be possible. Think I'll have to invest in a new case.

[quote="hornbuilder"]Bryceminnell.

What sort of shape is the Bach case in? Are you interesting in selling it?[/quote]

I've sent you a DM