One of the most interesting pieces of this hobby is the retuning or modification of air horns to produce non-factory sounds or chords. Though some prefer the original, factory look and sound of a horn, I personally love some of the many creations I've seen and heard which are not factory spec. The way I look at it, as long as you are not permanently changing a one-of-a kind, or otherwise unique horn, then do whatever you please - it's your horn, and you may just find something new and beautiful! In fact, the K5LA and P5A are two examples of horns that would not have come about if modifications weren't performed. At the request of Deane Ellsworth, working with Amtrak at the time, bells on the P5 and K5 were modified to create new chords, which are today very popular among many Class Is.

non-factory configurations

The way I see it, there are three different possible ways that you can play around with and modify a horn. The first is to use a non-factory configuration of parts, but using all factory parts. One example of this is a configuration I recently tested using K horn bells. By swapping out a #2 bell for a #3A bell on my K5H, I turned the D# minor 6th chord into a G# major chord - very different, and very pretty, I think. Jeff Hammaker has done similar experiments with K5s. He has a 1L and 3L bell, which gives him nine different bells from which to build chords. Elwood Belknap has also done some configurations like this, with Leslie and Prime bells. One creation of his is a Prime PM922 (I think). Prime never created this horn, but Elwood created one anyway, using Prime bells 1, 2, and 3.

However, I think you can make the most combinations of non-stock horns by using P horn bells. Because of the foundry change, you have 11 different notes from which to choose to build new and unique horn configurations: 0, old and new #1, old and new #2, old and new #3, #4, #4a, old and new #5. There have been some beautiful chords, such as C major 6th, F minor triad, C minor 6th, B minor, etc. If you have a piano, try banging out various chord combinations - who knows what you may find!

		k5m_020622_2.wav	my 'K5M', using bells 1, 3A, 3, 4, 5
		k5_020518_4.wav	one of Jeff Hammaker's K5 creations
		pm922_020518_1.wav	Elwood Belknap's PM922(?) blown at Altoona 2002
		s4t_011218_1.wav	I created an 'S-4T' by replacing my Leslie 25 and 44 bells with one 48 bell
		cnj1523_010422_3.wav	this creation was recorded in the field - it's an A-200 and an old-cast P3 - railroads were always resourceful, that's for sure!

non-permanent modifications

A second way to create new and unique horns is by physically modifying the horns, though not permanently. Elwood Belknap is a master at retuning Leslie and Prime horns using this idea. He has developed exact lengths for 'pitch rings', which lengthen, and lower, the pitch of the bell which they are installed on. By doing this, he is able to, theoretically, retune a Leslie or Prime to any chord he desires!

Another way of modifying a horn 'temporarily' is to swap out diaphragms for non-factory diaphragms. Though this may not sound like it would do much, the tone of the horn can change significantly by doing this. In the 1970s, and a few times since, tests were run with P horns with Phosphor Bronze diaphragms of varying thicknesses. The test horns were much more mellow, and from a distance could sound very much like M horns! This is just one possible result of swapping out diaphragm materials to change the tone of a horn.

		s5tj_030614_2.wav	Elwood's S-5TJ is a standard S-5T with non-permanent spacers inserted on some of the bells to lower pitches enough to produce the intended chord
		p01245_010519_1.wav	Justin Gohl's P01245 has a 0 bell created by non-permanently bolting the remains of one broken bell onto the front of a normal #1 bell, lengthening it enough to effectively build a 0 bell

permanent modifications

The last type of modification is a permanent change to the horn. Usually, this involves cutting, drilling, welding, or something of the like. All I can say on this is be sure you want to do what you are doing, because the chance exists that your horn may be destroyed in the process.

That said, I have heard some magnificent horns that were the results of physical modifications. One common modification is to shorten Leslie bells to 'make' the 277 and 330 bells, which haven't been manufactured since 1952. By cutting and rewelding the right bell to the right length, you are now able to create S5As, S5Ds, S3Es, etc. which otherwise are virtually impossible to come by. Elwood Belknap is also a master at this, and his S5D replica shows just what can be accomplished with a little work. I have also done one modification, on a Leslie 25 bell. I have bored the center out so that this bell plays a B now instead of C, and then put it on my S5T to give the advertised, but never built, S5T tuned to B-major 9th.

Modifications are not limited to Leslie and Prime horns, though, either. Ed Kaspriske has changed several P horn bells to create even more notes to work with. One of his creations is a 3F bell, which plays F# instead of G or G# as it would from the factory. Another is a #6 bell, which plays high E. It was created by cutting a small length out of a #5 bell, and then rewelding the remaining parts back together.

Even K and M horns can be modified. Elwood has created 0 bells for M horns by welding additional lengths onto 1 bells. Ken Lanovich has also created a K3 tuned to A major triad, but cutting and boring out various K bells. And these are just a few of the many different combinations that may be possible. If you ever get a chance to meet Elwood, ask about some of his creations. He has saved many a horn that would otherwise be considered junk. The horns may not look just right, but they sound magnificent! Especially considering the horns were absolutely worthless before he 'restored' them, they are amazing creations for sure!

		s5d_030614_3.wav	Elwood's S-5D replica is an S-5T with lengths cut out of the 25 and 31 bells
		s5t_030614_4.wav	the 25 bell on my S-5T has been bored out and lengthened to produce the B in this chord
		p5f_020518_1.wav	Ed Kaspriske's P5F - a second generation P5 with the #3 bell bored out to play F#
		p7x_020518_2.wav	one of Ed's P7X combinations, using his #6 bell
		p7x_030614_1.wav	another P7X, with both a #6 and a 3F bell
		m3-0_020622_1.wav	one of Elwood's M3s with a home-made 0 bell
		k3m_030614_1.wav	Ken Lanovich's K3 tuned to A major