Amado water key

Tom Spoljar · Regular Member Joined: 19 Mar 2002 Posts: 13

Dear trumpet fellows,
I am curious about one thing and hopefully someone can help me? I wonder is the difference in sound between trumpet with amado water key and normal water key really so evident and why?
Also, is Bach making trumpets with amado water key?
Thanks a lot for your help,
Tom Spoljar

bachstrad72 · Posted: Wed May 29, 2002 3:56 am Post subject:

Amado Water Keys don't really noticably affect sound. It is really the players preference as to whether he would rather worry about lubricating another piston or worry about a cork chipping and falling out. I prefer the amado water key. As far as I know Bach does not make trumpets with amado water keys as standard. I have an extensive machine shop in my house and did the conversion myself though I did by my horn with one on it, I bought a new tuning lside and did the conversion on that, Its a simple conversion and for someone who knows what they are doing it should only take about five minutes

YankeeMan · Posted: Wed May 29, 2002 7:16 pm Post subject:

I have an Amado on my Fluegel, & regular spit valves on my other horns. I know ONE thing: the Amados break down regularly and are a big piece of crap. Everyone I know that has them has experienced this.
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PH · Posted: Wed May 29, 2002 7:28 pm Post subject:

I have tried Amado keys on several of my different horns in the past. They tend to need a bit of maintainence. They seem to make the horn play slightly more even. I guess this is because they disrupt the smooth inner bore contour of the trumpet less. However, they don't work really well as water keys. I seemed to have a hard time getting all of the water out of those horns.

p.s. YankeeMan, take Manhattan and get off my bus!

[ This Message was edited by: PH on 2002-05-29 22:34 ]

Mr. Stomvi · Heavyweight Member Joined: 01 Apr 2002 Posts: 1062

There are a few different types of Amado water keys. I have had three Stomvis and they use their own Amado type keys which are easy to disassemble (a screw cap on the end) and have been essentially trouble free. I never lubricate them. I did however have the holes opened up one drill bit size (cost $ 5) as they didn't drain well. They work superbly now.

Seth Moore

drunkiq · Posted: Mon Aug 26, 2002 5:49 pm Post subject:

I don't use spit valves myself (there is a method to not use them that makes it come out of your bell) but that does not work on my flugel....

My flugel has those darn amado keys and I have to shake the heck out of the horn to make it all come out...

Thank you mr. Stomvi.. i will have it drilled out next time i am at the shop... you may have just solved on of the annoyances in my life..

- marc

DaveH · Heavyweight Member Joined: 20 Nov 2001 Posts: 3861

I'm not really convinced that the Amado water key is any real advancement in brass instrument design/construction. I think it is just something different which you may eith er like or not. I also don't think that the design of the water key has any real audible differences in sound between horns so equipped. Maybe theoretically, but not as a practical matter of what anyone can actually hear.
My experience has mostly been with the traditional cork and spring/lever key, and I have never had any problems with that design. To me, this is a matter of personal preference and the answer would be based on personal experiences/preferences of the player.

tom turner · Posted: Mon Aug 26, 2002 6:36 pm Post subject:

In theory the Amado water key should allow the horn to play more even by, in effect, making the conventional hole needed for the spit valve to "disappear."

When going for a no-compromise horn they are a logical thing to include. Yes, they require a little valve oil in them occasionally--like any "valve"--but I have no grips about them over long use.

Most have a "C-ring" that keeps the guts together and an inexpensive tool can be purchased if/when one wanted to remove the valve, clean it and re-install it. I haven't had to do that yet.

Different horns seem to have different spit retention properties (probably based upon the way the tubing is wrapped).

An old, nearly now lost, technique taught to cornetists was how to properly and quickly remove the spit from a horn.

Holding the horn in the right hand normally:

1. Rotate the horn counter-clockwise onto its left side (right hand on top).

2. Push down the #3 valve only and BLOW AIR THROUGH HARD.

3. Push down the #2 valve only and BLOW AIR THROUGH HARD.

4. Push down the #1 valve only and BLOW AIR THROUGH HARD.

5. Lift the bell UP to about a 45 degree angle and BLOW HARD though the horn in open position while turning the horn even more counter-clockwise until the instrument is UPSIDE DOWN--BELL UP.

6. With the horn still upside down, keep blowing as you LOWER the bell towards the floor.

TONS of extra condensation will come out of any horn, regardless of whether it has an Amado water key or spit valve!

This only takes a second and is ALWAYS the best and quickest way to eliminate the problem.

Hope this helps!

6.

cgooding · Posted: Mon Aug 26, 2002 6:50 pm Post subject:

I have had Amado water keys on most of my horns for years and have never had any trouble with them. I must also add that they have all been on better quality horns like Blackburn and Kanstul. I have noticed that the Amado keys that companies like Jupiter put on their horns are of noticeably lower quality than I had.
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