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Making Trumpet Pipes With Free Reeds
By Wallace Venable

Nigel Perry asks whether it is possible to make trumpet pipes with
harmonium reeds.  Being rather naive, but curious, about the same
subject, I have been trying to do that.

I have been using recycled reed organ reeds from circa 1960 organs
purchased on eBay.  While the reeds are designed to operate on vacuum,
I have devised a mounting which allows them to sound on pressure.

I have made some wood trumpet horns in the general style described
on the Wurlitzer plans I have.  I have not been able to get a good
resonance when combining reeds and horns.  In the few cases where
resonance has occurred, the horns pull the reeds off frequency.

I am working toward an original design, not a Wurlitzer copy, so
I am considering working up a soft free reed voice and constructing
traditional shallot drivers for my louder trumpet rank.

Wallace Venable



(Message sent Mon, 05 Feb 2007 16:18:49 -0500 , from time zone -0500.)

Key Words in Subject:  Free, Making, Pipes, Reeds, Trumpet

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