Also sometimes the composer will transpose the score incorrectly so you need to accomodate for that. There are lots of reasons to transpose - If you are asked to play at a church function often times at the last minute they want you to play out of the hymnal with the choir. Transposing becomes so easy that when you find yourself doing it you're having such a blast that when you go back into F horn you still WANT to transpose and it's hard not to transpose. The only thing I don't like about transposing is when you have to play in F again. And you think you've done every key until the penultimate page turn he throws in the high B. I recall it changes like every 3 pages or so. Transposiing is part of the French Horn package. Playing an oboe with only a single reed, playing Bassoon with any thumbs. It would be like getting married to no one or cutting up a tree for a fire place you don't have wearing scuba gear to snow skiing. Playing French Horn and not transposing is like jumping out of plane without a parachute - you just don't do it. But French Horn? If you're not going to transpose there will be very little for you to do. Anyone who is going consider making money or playing at a 'Pro/Am' level you need to be able to transpose no matter what instrument you play. If you are not goign to learn to tranpose then pick another instrument, seriously. If you are going to play French Horn you do really need to know how or learn how to transpose.

Heck I have a French Horn in the key of C but surprisingly I hardly ever use it to play a french horn part that's in C. If you have lots of money to throw around and you want a nice little trick then do it. So, I think there is enough to pull out for the Eb attachment(s). I know lots of players who get them cut shorter.

On the Farcus model I believe the 3rd slides are too long already anyway.

E flat alto horn