|
Author
|
|
|
Unregistered
|
|
Review Date: 8/9/2004
|
Would you recommend the horn? Yes |
Price you paid?: $1,300.00
| Rating: 9
|
|
Pros:
|
valves, slides, looks, tone quality
|
|
Cons:
|
the finish shows every scratch
|
|
This is one of my favorite ML bore horns. The sound has a very focused core, yet it can really sizzle.
The extra bracing does not add much to the weight, but it really adds to the rich sound.
This horn is very attractive, and sounds as good as it looks.
I would pick this horn over any of the 4 Bach Strads that I have owned.
|
|
|
|
|
admin
Administrator
Registered: December 2005
Location: Pittsfield, MA
Posts: 700
|
|
Review Date: 9/1/2004
|
Would you recommend the horn? Yes |
Price you paid?: Not Indicated
| Rating: 0
|
|
as seen in JAZZ TIMES
“The trumpet is the instrument of the gods,” said master musician Marcus Belgravein a recent interview about his Detroit Jazz Festival trumpet summit (which I took part in this past summer). Now if these gods happened to descend from the heavens in an ornate spaceship, complete with all the trimmings out of a sci-fi movie (imagine Close Encounters or Men in Black), and brought with them a horn in its likeness, they might have given us PJLA Music’s Phaeton trumpet. The instrument need not leave the display case for you to know the Phaeton ain’t your daddy’s Martin Committee. The Phaeton 2000 series of professional horns is available in five stylish finishes: gold lacquer, silver plating, eye-catching rawbrushed brass, black-onyx matte and 24- karat gold plating.. The aesthetic standard referenced here is definitely Monette, but the Phaetons have their own look. They feature wide, swooping braces, thick, heavy valve caps and pomo-style finger holds. The curves are extended, graceful and sexy, and the edges seem thick. Overall, it looks “big,” which screams dark, heavy, flugelhorn-esque sound. The trumpet certainly fits in with the standards of a beautiful light fixture or perhaps a vase in a hip SoHo pad, but the question any prospective professional buyer will be concerned with is: Does it play? In terms of the more substantive qualities of a musical instrument, the marks are fairly good. Chicago trumpet guru Wayne Tanabe largely designed the trumpet, and it does play nicely. It is intended to look like a heavy horn—which is all the rage— but to play and feel lighter. This is accomplished to an extent. The horn feels very solid and supportive of the air when blowing. It is sturdy and substantial but is, in fact, remarkably light. Like a heavier horn, you can get a nice, full, resonant vibration when you push the volume and airflow. It is a typically modern-sounding horn, without a whole lot of edge and a great deal of roundness. The horn also features heavy gold valve caps designed to provide some gravity to the finger-stroke. After working them in they do feel good, though you do have to prefer that weighted-valve feel, as opposed to featherlike, Dizzy Gillespie/Clark Terry-style valves. Last, in favor of the horn, it plays very well in tune. The low D below the staff and the A right on pitch.
I tested two of the finishes mentioned: the raw brushed brass and the bright silver-plated Anniversary model. The main difference in sound was, as expected, the brushed brass added a mellowed darkness to the sound. I actually found the silverplated version easier and freer to play, and it cut as well as any good horn should; it also worked well for an acoustic set and also sounded good through a microphone. The main qualm I had with both horns was that they did not feel nearly as responsive at medium to soft volumes as when played loud. While the strength of the horns’ playability was in their richness of sound at full volume, softer playing did not yield the same resonant canon of overtones. In other words, to experience the depth of these instruments’ timbre, you really need to blow. These horns would best suit the small group soloist who wants to be able to really blaze without coming across as brash or excessive. So the Phaeton paradox is a success: make a horn that’s fairly light, looks heavy and sounds dark. With a few small limitations, the 2000 series does just that—and it looks hot! In a market that is dominated by old giants of the trumpet industry, only time can tell what is in store for the relative newcomer. Pete LaPlaca at PJLA Music is quite proud of the trumpets and that they are made mostly in America. He has every reason to be satisfied. GREG GLASSMAN
|
|
|
|
|
Unregistered
|
|
Review Date: 4/27/2005
|
Would you recommend the horn? Yes |
Price you paid?: $1,300.00
| Rating: 10
|
|
Pros:
|
very nice centered tone...excellent intonation, fastest pistons i ever experienced
|
|
Cons:
|
non
|
|
after hearing enough good things about the horn and seeing one in person being played by a notable artist who i respect....i decided to make the purchase...and have been totally satisfied.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Unregistered
|
|
Review Date: 6/16/2005
|
Would you recommend the horn? Yes |
Price you paid?: $1,600.00
| Rating: 10
|
|
Pros:
|
nice package
|
|
Cons:
|
none
|
|
as a professional player & teacher in the St Paul area I was taken by this new trumpet. The finish was flawless and 24 carat gold trim was gorgeous.
They matched a 3c mouthpiece to this horn which made it play extremely well.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Unregistered
|
|
Review Date: 7/4/2005
|
Would you recommend the horn? Yes |
Price you paid?: $1,250.00
| Rating: 0
|
|
Pros:
|
BEST LOOKING HORN IN A LONG TIME
|
|
Cons:
|
NONE
|
|
was totally blown away with this new model..blk onyx with 24 carat gold trim top & bottom caps, slides, finger buttons....beautiful package.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Unregistered
|
|
Review Date: 11/16/2005
|
Would you recommend the horn? Yes |
Price you paid?: $1,450.00
| Rating: 10
|
|
Pros:
|
LOVED THE APPEARANCE...REAL NICE!!
|
|
Cons:
|
CAN'T FIND ANY
|
|
horn played great...centered tone...fast& easy piston action...felt well balanced
|
|
|
|
|
|
Unregistered
|
|
Review Date: 11/29/2005
|
Would you recommend the horn? Yes |
Price you paid?: Not Indicated
| Rating: 9
|
|
CAN ANYONE TELL ME WHERE I CAN BUY ONE OF THESE??
NO DEALER HAS ONE IN STOCK.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Unregistered
|
|
Review Date: 1/23/2006
|
Would you recommend the horn? Yes |
Price you paid?: $1,600.00
| Rating: 10
|
|
Pros:
|
very pleased
|
|
Cons:
|
none
|
|
i waited over 3 months for my dealer to receive this horn from the manufacturer...which was a real pain. But it was worth it...the horn is magnificent...and meets all my performing needs.
Love it!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Unregistered
|
|
Review Date: 3/18/2006
|
Would you recommend the horn? Yes |
Price you paid?: $1,550.00
| Rating: 10
|
|
Pros:
|
best black finish i've seen
|
|
Cons:
|
didn't find any
|
|
play tested 3 of them at Schmitt music in Minneapolis....all were outstanding.....loved the bracing styles
|
|
|
|
|
|
Unregistered
|
|
Review Date: 7/21/2006
|
Would you recommend the horn? Yes |
Price you paid?: $1,400.00
| Rating: 10
|
|
Pros:
|
centered tone
|
|
Cons:
|
none
|
|
this horn replaced my old Bach without any problems...love it!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Unregistered
|
|
Review Date: 11/17/2006
|
Would you recommend the horn? Yes |
Price you paid?: $1,700.00
| Rating: 10
|
|
Pros:
|
superb piston action
|
|
Cons:
|
none
|
|
when our group was on tour in the US...I played a phaeton at a dealer's store and was amazed with the sound...projection....and ordered one the following week. I put my Yamaha away permanently.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Unregistered
|
|
Review Date: 4/3/2007
|
Would you recommend the horn? Yes |
Price you paid?: $2,000.00
| Rating: 10
|
|
Pros:
|
magnificent instrument
|
|
Cons:
|
absolutely none
|
|
the horn I tested and purchased was the new FX model with removable braces and totally new design....still not listed on this site.
Most advanced design.. best performance of any trumpet I have ever played. these guys know what they are doing!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Unregistered
|
|
Review Date: 8/2/2007
|
Would you recommend the horn? Yes |
Price you paid?: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
|
|
Pros:
|
my play test was flawless
|
|
Cons:
|
none
|
|
I cannot believe how well this horn performs...free...easy....outstanding projection. I made a deposit on one and waiting for delivery.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Unregistered
|
|
Review Date: 4/8/2008
|
Would you recommend the horn? Yes |
Price you paid?: $1,600.00
| Rating: 10
|
|
Pros:
|
Well centered horn outstanding sounding horn
|
|
Cons:
|
Can't get this horn just anywhere which may be a good thing
|
|
I was a Bach man from way back and when it was time for a new horn i started test driving all the shelve brands. I tried them all from Benge to Bach I even test drove a V-Raptor, and i found them all lacking. Well i ran across PJLA music and saw what i wanted the 2040 model. I bought it without ever playing it hoping it was as good as the other reviews i had read about it. When i got my horn i open the case and was stunned by the style and the lines of this instrument. I told myself if it plays half as good as it looks then i am in heaven. I picked up this surprisingly light horn and again to my surprise this horn out preforms any horn i have ever played! The intonation and the way this horn plays is just outstanding. It is the most well centered horn i ever put my lips on. As a front man and a soloist you want a horn that looks as good as it plays, and thats why i chose the 2040 black it is a beautiful horn that plays beautifully!
|
|
|
|
|
|
;)
;)
