| Sorry, I am an electrical engineer not a materials guy. Since I cannot explain it from an engineering standpoint, bass will have to do.
From a purely theoretical point of view, I am told there can be certain, how shall I say, performance issues in some instruments of that age - slow response, flaccid tone, leaky valves, that sort of thing. Once it has gone completely over the edge, adjustments in lip and hand technique simply cannot compensate for the ravages of time and long use. The whole situation just gets more and more frustrating for everyone involved. Fortunately for active young players, new hardware is available for less than the price of the traditional imported convertibles favored by their elders. |