Models

Fidelio, Eroica

The Fidelio and Eroica horns were developed during George McCracken’s King Company period and were mass-produced. They represent the earliest major chapter in the McCracken story and help connect the custom instruments back to their production-line beginnings.

Model 7

The Model 7 was one of George McCracken’s most widely used and recognizable designs. These instruments are also represented in the Horn List, which gathers surviving examples, owners, and identifying details in one place.

Known Model 7 associations mentioned so far:

• Rick Solis — Horn 6
• Alan DeMattia — Horn 8
• Howard Howard — Horn 7
• Ron Beitel — Horn 12
• Judy Thompson — Horn 24
• Jonathan Parrish — Horn 40
• Bill Holcombe — Horn 46

Piston Change

This section serves as a visual record of a piston-change design project, showing the kind of problem-solving and handwork behind these instruments.

Piston Descant

Piston descant instruments and player examples.

Ron Beitel and Ralph Lockwood are among the players connected with these piston-descant designs. Their horns reflect George McCracken’s interest in practical custom solutions for players looking for different response, color, and configuration options.

Custom Horns

Custom horns and design variations often reflect very specific musical needs, from unusual crooks and valve layouts to one-off experimental builds.