|
Author
|
|
|
Unregistered
|
|
Review Date: 9/2/2008
|
Would you recommend the horn? No |
Price you paid?: Not Indicated
| Rating: 3
|
|
Pros:
|
ok horn
|
|
Cons:
|
overpriced!
|
|
would NOT buy this horn
|
|
|
|
|
|
Unregistered
|
|
Review Date: 10/1/2008
|
Would you recommend the horn? No |
Price you paid?: $1,000.00
| Rating: 1
|
|
Pros:
|
The silver plating is good
|
|
Cons:
|
Stuffy tone, poor response, sounds like pure shit.
|
|
Yep this horn plays like pure shit. I bought it off of a another pro who needed cash due to a taxevasion biid. It's the only way I would ever spend money on this level of garbage. Sounded OK when I first played it, but, on the job, I had to go back to my Leblanc T357, which is awesome. I've played mostly Bach, Schilke, Wild thing, and this is the biggest waste of metal, time and money there is. Do youself a favor, Buy Bundy, go on a nice vacation with the rest.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Unregistered
|
|
Review Date: 11/16/2008
|
Would you recommend the horn? Yes |
Price you paid?: $4,500.00
| Rating: 9
|
|
Pros:
|
made to fit the person, good projection, tone, etc.
|
|
Cons:
|
is a little expensive, but you get what you pay for
|
|
Who ever said they didn't like the horn there is a good reason, its because these horns are hand made to fit one person. That person will play differently.So if you buy one of these horns from someone other than the owner, Blackburn himself, then don't expect it to play to your specs. I don't know many companies that will make a horn to how you play. This is that last Bflat anyone will ever need.
|
|
|
|
|
WJB
Junior Member
Registered: May 2009
Location: Lansing
Posts: 10
|
|
Review Date: 5/23/2009
|
Would you recommend the horn? Yes |
Price you paid?: Not Indicated
| Rating: 0
|
|
Pros:
|
He hopefuly got it at a good price!
|
|
Cons:
|
Resale should be good
|
|
That is pure non-sense about it being built for jsut one person. Everytrumpet on earth was designed to play best for one particular person....It might have been the designer or a specific artist but they all designed around one person.... Any Bb trumpet that is worth it's weight in scrap brass should be easily playable by anyone that can play a Bb trumpet. I am not saying it is going to be the best match for you as it normaly takes 3-10 trumpets over a coure of a life time to find one that really rreally fits you unless you go to a large convention and get to play 3-4 models froma llthe big companies then it can be done rather quickly. Most shop's push what they have on hand or that gives the best return. If they have to keep stock on hand they go witht he most popular model. Try getting a Bach 72 Bell Strad at the typical mid western Music Store!!! Sure they can get but they will have 10 Back 180S37's sittingon display. That is why it takes a while to find what fits you best.
On top of that when you get into this price range even if you do not like the way it plays it shouldnot be a piece of junk either! You expect a pro-model to be top notch.
Blackburn Trumpets are just like all the rest you pick a bore size from a chart,bell from a chart, leadpipe from a chart and the slide shape you want from a chart...He is not custome makeing each leadpipe for one person each time he builds a trumpet etc....
|
|
|
|
mmtrumpetguy
Junior Member
Registered: April 2010
Location: Anderson, IN
Posts: 3
|
|
Review Date: 4/13/2010
|
Would you recommend the horn? Yes |
Price you paid?: $2,850.00
| Rating: 10
|
|
Pros:
|
Great projection/response, good intonation, clear tone
|
|
Cons:
|
a little pricey new, requires a fairly strong player
|
|
In partial response to a couple of the previous reviews, in which there was no mention of the configuration of the instrument, I would like to clarify that mine was purchased used, but with pretty much the configuration I would have ordered new. It has a 19-348 leadpipe, 213A24 (24-gauge ambronze bell) and is set up with a removable bell, in silver plate. Yes, these do cost more than most trumpets new, but not as much as some others. As always, there is a trade-off between performance, price, and personal preference.
At this price point, I agree that a player should feel comfortable with the horn and the way it plays. I previously bought a used Blackburn with a different bell and leadpipe combination, which played very well, but had a sound that was too dark for me and was too tiring to play - just not a good choice for me. However the person I sold it to was thrilled with the sound and the way it played. There are dozens of possible combinations available and perhaps only one or two that will suit a particular player. For example, in the Schilke line some players love the B1, but don't like the B6 and vice-versa. This does not mean that one is bad and the other good, just that each player is suited to a different combination of bell/leadpipe/bore size. This is why John Faddis trumpets, as excellent as they may be, are not for everyone. One person will sound good, while another may struggle. So, I think it is unfair to label any horn of this caliber with a 4-letter word.
I have found this horn to have overall excellent slotting and response, good intonation, a ringing tone with great projection, and good fit and finish. I have also found that it encourages good habits, such as better breathing and support, relaxing into the pitch, and not forcing the tone. The 24-gauge ambronze bell provides a stable core to the sound and will not break up at loud volumes, meanwhile it is still very responsive at softer volumes. I would suggest that there are bell materials, thicknesses, and shapes available to fit most playing situations. If the trumpet does not play right "at the end of the show," perhaps the combination is too heavy, or the player is pushing too hard.
Another variable is the mouthpiece. No mention was made of mouthpiece choice in the negative reviews. I have played many trumpets in the past (Bach, Schilke, Getzen, Kanstul, Yamaha) and found that most of them sounded best when I used the right mouthpiece for the type of horn. Of course, some horns are more sensitive to mouthpiece choice than others. For example, if one plays a Monette instrument, it seems to me that it would be unwise not to use a Monette mouthpiece. Any other mouthpiece would be likely to degrade the fine performance of his instruments. Likewise on any of the more expensive horns, the player might need to find a good (perhaps more expensive) mouthpiece to help the horn sound its best. I use GR mouthpieces, but I think there are a number of others on the market that would sound good with a Blackburn. That said, the player might find that an "old favorite" mouthpiece may not be optimal, given the bell/leadpipe/bore size specs of the horn. Simply put, there are good and bad match-ups, and a bad match may sound "stuffy" and/or not respond very well.
So, to wrap this up, my opinion of Blackburn Trumpets is quite positive and has been so for a long time. Like anything else, I'm sure there are a few examples that are not as good as others. I'm also sure that not every player is suited to every configuration. The best way to purchase one is to contact Cliff Blackburn and discover what works best for you. Otherwise, you might have to wait a long time to find one on the secondary market that has the specs you want.
I think there are a few trumpets on the market that actually encourage the player to improve (the Blackburn website says, to "realize your potential"). The Blackburn trumpet lives up to this claim much more often than not and should therefore be given the respect it deserves in the marketplace.
|
|
|
|
|
|
;)
