C-Soprano tone

[Stencilman]

Last night I put new pads on an old Wurlitzer/Buescher C-Soprano and was amazed at what a unique sound it has. It is very hard to get any air into it and the sound is a bit stuffy - it's nothing like playing a Buescher True-Tone Bb soprano. I expected the two horns to play pretty much the same, but they seem to be different beasts. Has anyone else observed this?

After struggling with it for about an hour I began to get used to it. It has a pleasant, smooth tone. A cut down Rico Graftonite B7 mouthpiece plays pretty well in tune.

Can anyone share their experiences with C-sopranos?

[djonk]

Try a Runyon Custom Spoiler in 6 or 7. This makes for a real good easy playing sound and an added benefit is that it plays in tune (at least on my King 'C' soprano).

[geo@loyola.edu]

Share experiences, you ask :-)? Well, sure!

I recently finished playing the reed 4 (or 5---don't remember) book in a pit orchestra for ``The Wiz.'' I used a Buescher C sop (from Gayle) for the oboe part. The mpc is a no-name but probably original Buescher, stamped with a C. I used a Clarion Fibercane 2.5 synthetic clarinet reed.

My experience that I was woefully flat for the first rehearsal, even with the mpc pushed in to the max, but I used a Legere 2.5 synthetic reed at the time. Either I was able to compensate with embouchure or the ambient temp in the performance venue or the different reed made some difference. It was reasonably in tune. Highest note was a high B; lowest a low G, IIRC. My subjective opinion, confirmed by the director, was that the C sop's tone and volume rose above the ensemble as the author probably intended and with an approximation of the desired timbre. Your mileage may vary :-)!

Geo

[Stencilman]

Thanks for the info Djonk and Geo. I finished the overhaul fixing a couple of leaks, and found that it played much easier with a proper mouthpiece cork. The Rico Graftonite does work very well on this horn (I modified the Graftonite by opening it up to .068", narrowing the tip and side rails, reducing the chamber size and adding a baffle).

The sound is more "compact" than my True-Tone Bb soprano and the low E and D have an unusual quality, but overall it has a very nice tone. Up above G2, the tuning gets a bit "flexible" (I can easily lip B and C up or down a half step) but it is pretty easy to get used to. I've found some altissimo fingurings to get around the fact that it is only keyed up to Eb. This will reqire some more experimentation, though.

I was planning on selling this horn but its just so cute! My wife hasn't seen it yet and I'm sure she'll be suckered in by this little beauty's charm as well.