Because we have never seen a "Compensating" Double French Horn ourselves before, we thought it might be valuable to quote from the "Horn Planet":

The Compensating Double:

"Double horns were developed by Edmund Gumpert and Fritz Kruspe in the late 1800s. The first double horns were based on a system of adding tubing which compensated for the different lengths between the F and the B-Flat horns. Today we call them "compensating" double horns to distinguish them from full double horns, which came about a short time later. The full double is by far more popular today, but compensating horns are still used by some hornists. Compensating horns are more difficult for some players to play in tune, but others prefer them because of their lighter weight - a result of the fact that there is much less tubing in the compensating horn than in a full double.

In most compensating horns, when the thumb valve is pressed, it directs the air through a length of tubing that produces the B-flat harmonic series, i.e. it is a B-flat horn. Each of the three valves, when pressed, then direct the air through additional tubing to lower the pitch by the correct amount, e.g. the first valve lowers it one step, second lowers it one-half step, and third lowers it one and a half steps. The three valve slides are exactly the correct length to lower the B-flat horn the proper interval.

When playing on the F horn side of a compensating horn, the air still goes through the B-flat horn tubing as before, but now it also goes through an additional length of tubing that makes it the correct length to produce the F harmonic series, i.e. now it is an F horn. Because the length of an F horn is longer than a B-flat horn, there is another set of three short slides (one on each valve) to "compensate" for the different length of the F horn. When using the three valves, the air travels through the existing B-flat horn valve slides and the additional short, "compensating" slides."

We have recently had it relacquered by Leopold Müller in Baiersdorf, Germany and they did a splendid job. It has had some experience and, of course, there are traces of having been used, but the horn looks quite beautiful !!

This Getzen Double French Horn has an illustrious past as well as a bright and delightful future.

This Getzen Double Horn comes with:

• Brand New Mouthpiece
• Brand New AS Form Case
• Rotor Oil
• Cleaning cloths, etc.

We have disassembled this GETZEN Double French Horn and have cleaned, polished and oiled the valves. All tuning slides have been polished, cleaned and oiled. The overall look of the horn is Excellent. This Beauty offers the hornist years and years of French Horn Pleasure.