Would you recommend the horn? Yes |
Price you paid?: $350.00
| Rating: 10
Pros:
Intonation and sound!
Cons:
A little "Straight" sounding compared to classic Yamahas and Benges
This is my favorite flugelhorn after having tried all of them. It's straightforward without any of the "head trip" quirks (Super huge bell, "French" bore, etc.) that other manufacturers pander to. (It's soooooooo DARK....... How DARK is it?????? I.... Gotta.... tell ya...*fade up* laugh track, etc.)
It sounds like a flugelhorn. Which is all it's supposed to do. The rest is you and your mouthpiece.
Intonation and upper harmonic stability are particularly outstanding and the valves (self-customized) are outstanding!
The only caveat I can post is you're going to have to experiment for your own ideal MP.
The instrument (in general) has been the victim of (typical of our instrument, unfortunately)a lot of propagandizing and spin doctoring by proponents of various "true flugelhorn" tone schools of thought.
Chuck Mangione (One of the architects of the instruments jazz tonal signature, like his music or not) has one tone.
Clark Terry has another.
Arturo Sandoval yet another.
Art Farmer yet another.
That having been said: Your sound should be as individual as theirs is. If you like using a trumpet shank mp on it, you can, but you'd better be prepared to pull some slides to adjust intonation. I prefer using a modified deep cornet cup adapted to the flugel shank. I do not prefer the standard (FLUGELHORN, NOT CORNET AND NOT TRUMPET) mouthpiece.
That mp will work if you play in a trio and have a HOT mic. In ensemble work it doesn't project ideally. Thanks to thousands of semi (or in) -competent sound engineers, any kind of work in a "jazz" oriented big band is strictly at "your own risk" of not being heard. That also (Of course) is not the instrument's fault. But it should explain, my MP choices. In short a lot of the subtleties we all thrill over, tend to get obliterated on the "gig".
Just pick it up and play it and stop worrying so much!
It's much easier to darken a bright sound than it ever will be to brighten a dark one.
Unregistered
Review Date: 3/23/2006
Would you recommend the horn? No |
Price you paid?: $2,200.00
| Rating: 7
Pros:
sound
Cons:
intonation
Played many years on this instrument. Prices here in the Netherlands are much too high, i found. Its a very good instrument, but have to say that intonation D2 and higher starting at F2, is not so brilliant. also in the very low register, intonation is difficult.
I chaned to Hub van Laar, model 1, is wold of difference I have to say.
;)
;)
