Alexander 307 F/Bb/F Full Triple Horn Used

Item Details

This is a full triple French horn in F/Bb/F made by Gebr. Alexander in Mainz Germany.  Similar to the model 310, this horn has that weighty old world sound.  In good condition with some lacquer loss.

This is the most unusual triple horn you will find.  The horn stands in Bb and has two proprietary and 3-dimensional change valves.  These change valves rotate together either 90 degrees to F alto or 180 degrees to F bass.  Both triggers attach to these same double change valves.  The F alto trigger is simply a mid-point stop of the F bass trigger. Looking closer, I believe we could stand this horn in low F by restringing both change rotors in the opposite direction like Engelbert Schmid does.  Don't do it, but you could.

There are positives for a triple horn with only five valves instead of six or seven, and without a large rotor in the bell branch, but there are some limitations.  The F alto trigger throw is very short and light.  For playing in the descant range, it has a very comfortable and fast action.  But the F bass trigger throw is twice as long and twice the spring tension.  We're turning two rotors 180 degrees, and it's not completely ideal in action or linkage noise or ease of use. You can do it, but you'll say, "Hey is this Swiss?  Germans wouldn't do this way."  Ah but they did indeed.

So the 307, despite its triple horn mass, could be a very good instrument for the descant style playing you do, though perhaps less so for your ordinary double Bb/F horn playing.  The F side plays very well, but as of this writing it's not as light or fast in thumb action to change from Bb to F bass and return.  Maybe a 307 would excel for section work in the orchestra, less so for solo and recital pieces where limitless low-range dexterity is required.  However, we know you.  You like horns.  There's always an ensemble you will find to use this instrument and have it excel.  The previous owner liked that when you push the volume, this Alexander just gets louder without getting edgy.  It holds together so you won't get the hand.

Condition

The 307 lacquer is fairly worn on body and slides, has some minor dents in the bell flare, evidence of repairs and joints resoldered.  Likely this was a fixed bell horn which was later cut and fitted with a screw ring.  The tech moved the Alexander medallion; it's been enthusiastically reattached.  One of the change rotor caps fits loosely, we'll have to sort this.  The change linkage is not quiet.  We'll see about it.  Rotors 1-3 linkages are in good condition, with some minimal noise as goes with Alexander.  All slides move freely, the interiors of the slides appear to be very clean and free of tarnish.

Count them if you can.  There are eight JoyKey water keys on this horn.  A small brass filter in each lets water out so your instrument never fills up or gurgles.  Priceless.  These little keys shed water but don't leak air.  Once in a while, clean or replace the JoyKey filters.

Date of manufacture only noted by "W. Germany" in the medallion, thus it was built between 1946 and 1991.  I'll ask Alexander what the years of production were.

Includes fixed bell gig bag.

If you'd like to make an offer for the Alexander triple horn, please send us a note.

I will hand it to master technician Paul Klintworth to improve the change valve action and tighten things up.

Tawnee Lynn Lillo played this 307 today in our studio and sounded amazing.  Big and dark and Germanic, different than the lightweight 103 horns we're more familiar with.  She also said wth is with this thumb trigger.  We'll see...