Junk/cheap French horn

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arpthark
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Junk/cheap French horn

Post by arpthark »

Looking for a cheap/junky but playable single horn in F or Bb. Can be Chinese, don't need a case. Looking for something to mess around with. I have every brass instrument here except a horn and my son is curious. :tuba:

btw, I know hornists tend to despise the "French" moniker, but I wanted to be clear I wasn't looking for a junk tuba (which we colloquially call horns). :teeth:
Last edited by arpthark on Sat Aug 31, 2024 10:46 am, edited 1 time in total.


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Re: Junk/cheap French horn

Post by shovelingtom »

I was watching horns on shopgoodwill.com for my stepson on and off recently. He wanted a double so I haven’t bid on any singles but there are a lot of decent enough looking singles in the $20-50 range.
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arpthark
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Re: Junk/cheap French horn

Post by arpthark »

"Dada, play tuba. Mama, play ba'itone. I play ... French horn??"

We probably have too many books about instruments...

I'll be on the goodwill hunt!
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Re: Junk/cheap French horn

Post by Heavy_Metal »

Holton Farkas double horn:

https://shopgoodwill.com/item/208552287
Principal tuba, Bel Air Community Band
Old (early 1900s?) Alexander BBb proto-163
1976 Sonora (B&S 101) 4-rotor BBb
1964 Conn 20J/21J BBb (one body, both bells)
1970s Marzan Slant-rotor BBb
~1904 York 3P BBb Helicon
Old Alex Comp.F, in shop
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Mary Ann
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Re: Junk/cheap French horn

Post by Mary Ann »

Beginners should be on a single Bb. Single F horns are difficult to play and will turn off many who could be fine horn players if they weren't started on single F horns. The older junk ones are very, very bad.
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arpthark
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Re: Junk/cheap French horn

Post by arpthark »

Mary Ann wrote: Sat Aug 31, 2024 9:20 am Beginners should be on a single Bb. Single F horns are difficult to play and will turn off many who could be fine horn players if they weren't started on single F horns. The older junk ones are very, very bad.
That would be fine, too. Not going to be too picky with a 2 year old.
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Re: Junk/cheap French horn

Post by Mary Ann »

look for a used kinderhorn then, half size Bb.
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Re: Junk/cheap French horn

Post by MikeS »

I’m not sure how you are defining cheap these days but I think this is a 16D, single B Flat, so U.S. made between 1959-71.

https://reverb.com/item/77243153-c-g-co ... horn-brass
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bloke
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Re: Junk/cheap French horn

Post by bloke »

Why not just get on this page https://www.facebook.com/groups/1025307565518885 and ask,

"Does anyone have an old 3-valve French horn that I could have (or buy for a low price) for my little boy to play? He is interested in it, and I would like to teach him."

Shipping boxes (in which French horn cases fit) are not easy to come by (odd size, unless way too large, and you can't ask someone to give you something AND spend an hour cutting down a box). Also, shipping a horn has become just about as expense (size/weight, and only the "free" $100 insurance) that it costs about as much as a crummy old single French horn is worth.

again, my advice: Shop local. :thumbsup:
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