French Horns · Models

Model

Gebr. Alexander 103

French horn · Germany

The Gebr. Alexander Model 103 is a professional double horn made in Mainz, Germany, playable in either F or B-flat using a thumb-operated change lever. One of the most widely used orchestral horns in the world, it is prized for its tone and intonation and is offered with a detachable-bell option.

Model

Ricco Kühn W 293

Germany

A professional F/Bb double French horn handmade by Ricco Kühn in Oederan, Germany. The W 293 is the workshop's best-selling model, available in Knopf/Geyer or Reißmann wraps and praised for its warm, even tone and easy response.

Model

Paxman Model 20

French horn · United Kingdom

The Paxman Model 20 is a British-made professional full double horn in F/B-flat built around Paxman's Merewether system, which routes air through the valve section in the same direction on both the F and B-flat sides for smooth slurring and legato. It has a 12.2-inch bell and four rotary valves, and is highly configurable, offered in medium, medium-large, or large bore; yellow brass, gold brass, or nickel silver; and fixed or detachable bell.

Model

Holton H179 Farkas

French horn · United States

The Holton H179 is the flagship professional Farkas-model full double horn in F/B-flat (reversible to B-flat/F). It has all nickel-silver construction, a 0.468-inch bore, a large-throat 12.25-inch hand-hammered nickel-silver bell, tapered rotors, and string linkage. Designed for the 'big horn' artist, it produces a rich, dark sound and is one of the most popular professional double horns in the United States.

Model

Hans Hoyer 801 Geyer Style

French horn · Germany

The Hans Hoyer 801 is a German-made professional full double horn in F/B-flat built on a Geyer-style wrap. It has a 0.468-inch (11.9 mm) bore, a medium-large hand-hammered 310 mm (12.2-inch) bell, a gold-brass leadpipe, four conical rotary valves, and a string linkage. It is offered with a brass or optional gold-brass body and a fixed or detachable bell.

Model

Engelbert Schmid Double Horn

Germany

The Engelbert Schmid Double Horn is a handmade full double horn in F and B-flat, the core of Engelbert Schmid's range. It is offered with an A-stopping valve and in several metal alloys, bell sizes, and screw- or fixed-bell configurations. Schmid double horns are noted for their even response and are used by orchestral players worldwide.

Model

Paxman Model 25

French horn · United Kingdom

The Paxman Model 25 is a British-made professional full double horn built on the Model 20 with Paxman's dual-bore system, which widens the F side so it resists like the B-flat side. It is highly configurable in bore, bell throat, material, and bell attachment, and is valued for even response across both sides of the horn.

Model

Hans Hoyer 6801

French horn · Germany

The Hans Hoyer 6801 is a German-made professional double horn that switches between F and B-flat. Built in the Kruspe style with a large-throat 310-millimeter bell, it aims for a big, dark sound and is offered with a fixed or detachable bell.

Model

Conn 8D

French horn · United States

The Conn 8D Connstellation is a classic American professional double horn, switchable between F and B-flat. Its all-nickel-silver body and large-throat 12.25-inch bell are known for a big, dark sound, making it a long-standing standard in orchestras and film recording.

Model

Yamaha YHR-567

French horn · Japan

A Yamaha full double horn in F/B-flat with yellow brass body and four valves.

Model

Yamaha YHR-871

French horn · Japan

The Yamaha YHR-871 is a Custom-series full double horn in F/B-flat built on a traditional Geyer-style wrap. It has a 0.476-inch (12.1 mm) bore, a solid yellow brass body, nickel-silver valve casings, four rotary valves, and a hand-hammered bell. A detachable-bell version is offered as the YHR-871D. It is valued for clear, deep, resonant tone in professional and orchestral playing.

Model

Ricco Kühn W 297

Germany

A professional F/Bb double French horn from Ricco Kühn of Oederan, Germany, offered alongside the W 293 with the workshop's customizable bell flares and hand-built valve sections.

Model

Ricco Kühn W 283

Germany

A double French horn by Ricco Kühn of Germany, part of the W-series of handmade professional horns and recommended with the workshop's universal ML2 bell flare for even response across the range.

Model

Holton H378 Farkas

French horn · United States

The Holton H378 is a Farkas-model full double horn in F/B-flat (reversible) built with a yellow brass bell, branches, and slide crooks, giving a brighter, more compact sound than the all-nickel-silver H179. It has a 0.468-inch bore, a 12.25-inch hand-hammered yellow brass bell, tapered rotary valves, and string linkage, and is offered in clear lacquer.

Model

Engelbert Schmid Triple Horn

Germany

The Engelbert Schmid Triple Horn combines B-flat, F, and a high-F or high-E-flat side in one handmade instrument. Schmid is noted as the only maker to offer an F/B-flat/high-E-flat triple, and the horns are built as compensating or full triples, optionally with a stopping valve.

Model

Engelbert Schmid Descant Horn

Germany

The Engelbert Schmid Descant Horn is a handmade descant horn, usually built as a double with a B-flat side and an E-flat alto side pitched an octave above the F side of a standard double horn. It is intended for high, exposed repertoire such as Baroque and Classical works.

Model

Engelbert Schmid Vienna Horn

Germany

The Engelbert Schmid Vienna Horn is a handmade single F Vienna horn with the traditional Viennese pumpenvalve mechanism and a detachable crook. It can be converted to a B-flat Vienna horn within minutes by removing intermediate valve-slide pieces and fitting the B-flat crook.