Double Horns

In the early days of French horns, the key of F was the name of the game. But the design had a drawback, which was that the horns would lose accuracy above third-space C. Solving this problem required a new design, and this led to the birth of Bb horns. But these had their issues as well, namely that they struggled with the lower registers. So instrument makers had a challenge: to find a way to combine the F horn's accurate high-end with the Bb horn's rich low-end... and the solution was the double horn. Designed to give players access to excellent performance across the instrument's entire range, double horns quickly became the style of choice, which they remain to this day.

As far as overall design goes, the European heritage of double horns can easily be seen in any instrument here - especially in the use of rotary valves as standard equipment. They're available in a variety of materials and finishes depending on the model, such as nickel silver in the Holton H179 Farkas Series Fixed Bell Double Horn and your choice of rose or yellow brass bell in the Conn 11D Symphony Series Fixed Bell Double Horn. Interested in an instrument that stands out from the usual? Maybe you'll like the Kanstul 325 Series Compensating Double Horn; it's the only domestic production-model compensating double horn, a design that reduces weight and delivers fantastic playing feel.

Double horns range from student to professional level, so it's easy to find the best fit for your needs and budget. Start by figuring out a general idea of what style and features you want in your horn, then you'll be ready to narrow down the options using the sidebar filters. Once you've done that, the instruments that make the cut are the ones to put on your short list, and deciding from there could be as easy as comparing reviews or just picturing yourself playing each horn until you find the one that looks right in your mind's eye.