Boston Echo Cornet
This is the only known original Boston echo cornet. If you've read
my page on the recreation of one of these for Steve Ward, you
know that this turned up within a year of finishing the recreation
and was purchased by him. This instrument was made in the early
1870s before the introduction of the larger bore Boston cornets
including the Three Star and Two Star models, having the valve
section design the same as in E.G. Wright piston valve cornets and
continued by The Boston Musical Instrument Manufactory for a
few years. The last photo to the left shows a Wright Bb piston
valve cornet from about 1868 for comparison. Not surprisingly,
this is also from Steve Ward's collection. Notice the ferrules
joining the tubes between the valve casings. This echo cornet is
the same bore size as this Wright example as well as the earliest
Boston Bb cornets: .462". The bore of the rotary change valve is
.485", the same as the earliest Three Star and all Two Star
Cornets. The bell rim diameter is slightly larger than the Wright's
at 5". The over all length is 12 5/8".
The only contemporary illustration that we have of a Boston echo
cornet is the woodcut appearing in the catalogs published in the
1880s and 1890s that clearly show the Two/Three Star cornet
valve section. That cut also indicates much more solid mountings
for the echo bell. Not only is it braced to a second slide tube
inserted into the change valve tubes, but also has an adjustable
brace from the end of the mute to the curve of the main bell. The
attachment on this cornet is only the single, very short tube
inserted in the change valve slide. Wear and tear have made this
situation even worse and the bell has to be supported by the back
of the left hand and little finger wrapped around the long, curved
brace. Notice, also the auxiliary slide in the second photograph.
This inserts in the change valve converting it into a semi-tone,
which can be used for trills and facilitating the low F. Judging by
the wear on this slide and lack of wear on the echo bell, the owner
must not have used the latter very much.
I must also comment on the acoustics of the echo bell. Through
the middle and high register, it plays fairly well in tune and has a
tone quality that most would think an authentic echo off of a
geologic formation. However, the low register is almost unplayable
and sounds strangled if forced. This is easily corrected with the
insertion of a narrow tube into the end. The length isn't very
important, but the ideal seems to be about 2". As in a Harmon
"Wa-wa" muted, the tube can be fully inserted, extended or in
between to good effect and varies the tone quality. This acoustical
problem could have also been solved if the "funnel" of the echo
was made longer on the small end. I don't believe that this had an
inserted tube originally and I wonder how much use anybody got
from this design compared with the Besson, Courtois and other
echo cornets that were available by this time. Regardless of this
fact, this is a treasured antique of great historical value.
my page on the recreation of one of these for Steve Ward, you
know that this turned up within a year of finishing the recreation
and was purchased by him. This instrument was made in the early
1870s before the introduction of the larger bore Boston cornets
including the Three Star and Two Star models, having the valve
section design the same as in E.G. Wright piston valve cornets and
continued by The Boston Musical Instrument Manufactory for a
few years. The last photo to the left shows a Wright Bb piston
valve cornet from about 1868 for comparison. Not surprisingly,
this is also from Steve Ward's collection. Notice the ferrules
joining the tubes between the valve casings. This echo cornet is
the same bore size as this Wright example as well as the earliest
Boston Bb cornets: .462". The bore of the rotary change valve is
.485", the same as the earliest Three Star and all Two Star
Cornets. The bell rim diameter is slightly larger than the Wright's
at 5". The over all length is 12 5/8".
The only contemporary illustration that we have of a Boston echo
cornet is the woodcut appearing in the catalogs published in the
1880s and 1890s that clearly show the Two/Three Star cornet
valve section. That cut also indicates much more solid mountings
for the echo bell. Not only is it braced to a second slide tube
inserted into the change valve tubes, but also has an adjustable
brace from the end of the mute to the curve of the main bell. The
attachment on this cornet is only the single, very short tube
inserted in the change valve slide. Wear and tear have made this
situation even worse and the bell has to be supported by the back
of the left hand and little finger wrapped around the long, curved
brace. Notice, also the auxiliary slide in the second photograph.
This inserts in the change valve converting it into a semi-tone,
which can be used for trills and facilitating the low F. Judging by
the wear on this slide and lack of wear on the echo bell, the owner
must not have used the latter very much.
I must also comment on the acoustics of the echo bell. Through
the middle and high register, it plays fairly well in tune and has a
tone quality that most would think an authentic echo off of a
geologic formation. However, the low register is almost unplayable
and sounds strangled if forced. This is easily corrected with the
insertion of a narrow tube into the end. The length isn't very
important, but the ideal seems to be about 2". As in a Harmon
"Wa-wa" muted, the tube can be fully inserted, extended or in
between to good effect and varies the tone quality. This acoustical
problem could have also been solved if the "funnel" of the echo
was made longer on the small end. I don't believe that this had an
inserted tube originally and I wonder how much use anybody got
from this design compared with the Besson, Courtois and other
echo cornets that were available by this time. Regardless of this
fact, this is a treasured antique of great historical value.
Click on images for larger views.