Horn year made
Posted: Sun Oct 06, 2024 2:12 pm
Hi quick question how does the year of when the horn was made matter? does it affect the sound quality becuase the newer ones have better technololgy or what. thanks
It's hard to say yes or no. it DOES matter because say for instance, Conn's Elkhart era horns are often regarded as being leaps and bounds above that of the Abilene and modern Elkhart era. Now does this mean all Elkhart era horns are just that good? no. there are plenty of Elkhart horns that are dogs and only command a premium because of the Elkhart stamp. And there are plenty of Abilene and modern horns that play amazingly! That being said, a modern horn will not duplicate the Elkhart sounds that are so fabled. This isnt necessarily better or worse. It's just a characteristic of those particular sounds people search for.
that same logic applies to Bach New York, Mt Vernon, and Corporation era horns.
a good horn will play well regardless of it was made in 1899 or in 2024. if you are collector or some sort of badge/nameplate chaser, yes the years will matter a lot more, but a good horn made in 2024 will ALWAYS outplay any dog example of Elkhart Conn or dog example Mt Vernon Bach.