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Got my mitts on a King double bell euph with two front bells. Borrowed from a friend. Needs a bit of work.

There is a hole stopped with cork on the top bow. It has a nipple similar to a huge water key but no spring/lever or anything, just a hole with cork. What is this for? Looking at catalogs from the era this was on the double front bell version only and not the upright bell version.

This is so that when you move the small bell (to fit it in the case) you don't end up with a dent there.

Fun horns! I have a King also. Would love to get a 5-valve someday.

ParLawGod wrote: ↑Sun Feb 26, 2023 6:23 pm This is so that when you move the small bell (to fit it in the case) you don't end up with a dent there.

Fun horns! I have a King also. Would love to get a 5-valve someday.

Thanks very much for the info! That is exactly it, it seems.

Unfortunately, the valves in this one are beyond shot. It led a well-used life some 100 years ago. I am helping my friend replace the corks/felts and I am hoping that, combined with some heavy oil, will mitigate the leakiness. I am playing it on an Ives piece with offstage "antique" brass band this spring.

I saw a King 5-valve silver-plated (with gold flushes) for sale a week or so ago...but the valves were the worst I had EVER seen. It was also a low pitch instrument, though with modifications to the 1st & 3rd slides to help with pitch. Nearly contacted the seller, but it would have required sinking too much into it.

The Kings have always been my favorite as they have a little "sweeter" sound to them than the other models out there.

As valve rebuilding has become so expensive upon the retirement of Dave Secrist + hyperinflation, I wonder how many beat-up newer valves-compatible instruments are going to be cannibalized so that their valvesets can be transplanted onto vintage instruments of more interest.

Players shun "bell-front baritones", but when they are configured as "double-belled euphoniums", they magically morph themselves into sought-after treasures.

Well it doesn't involve airliner flight nor an 18-wheeler at 70 miles per hour.

If it works, play it.

Yep, it'll do.