Posted by Harry Barlow Fan on January 25, 2003 at 10:35:50:
Can I clear an unimportant point which rose from the interesting Jacobs/V-Williams thread.
The small Besson 4 piston-valved compensators which AJ and Phil C used weren't Barlow F's.
Harry Barlow had a number of F's built by the Boosey & Hawkes/Besson company, the last 3 being substantially bigger than the 4vCompers and also thought to be truly great instruments by those who played them (notably Mr John Fletcher). They were non-compers with 5 piston valves. At his request, Barlow had the valves tuned in a non-standard way which suited him. Since Barlow's death the instruments have been converted to more 'conventional' tuning systems to suit subsequent owners.
Thanks...