rdt1959

Never again. I have purchased two horns over the internet, one with a return policy (My Benge) and one without a return policy (my flugelhorn). Both were learning experiences. Basically, I learned that I do not yet know enough about the technical aspects of trumpets to make a good purchasing decision without actually playing the horn.

And next time, I intend to move a step up anyway, which means more of an investment.

And for the record, in both cases, I was extremely pleased with the sellers.

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Dick Taylor
Georgia
Comeback Player
Benge 65B

bebopnblu

Yes! In my mind the best horn for you is one made for you. Each horn is different and i preffer to try it but i have to agree with Clarence, Felix knows his stuff. I have on order a Phaeton. But December i'll be flying to Portland to place my order for a Prana Ajna... thats one horn I WILL try before I buy. I can be sure though that the following December i won't be able to tell the difference between the horn i played and the horn i own.

GordonH

The issue with custom instruments is that they should be building it to match the way you play and the way you want to sound.
I have had two instruments made for me and this involved quite a lot of discussion.
Its not possible to play on them until they are finished really.

rowuk

Both, but never with Bach!
I bought my Monette Ajna 2 without trying one before ordering (very happy-have ordered a Prana3). All 3 Bachs were picked out of at least a group of 10. the same with my Selmer instruments. Getzen 4-valve Flugelhorn from eBay(very good). My piccolo is a never ending project (own design) so also no. The rest are historical instruments (at least 30 years old some over 90) where I have been lucky.
My colleagues students have had only positive experiences with Schilke and Yamaha, good and bad with B+S and Jupiter, mostly bad with Bach.
I am not bashing Bach instruments - just play it before you lay cash down.

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Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again.

Veldkamp

I bought a goldplated Bach Mt.V through eBay a couple of years ago. It is one of the best horns I ever played. My colleague did the same, he has also a very good Bach Mt.V.

I bought more horns on unseen, some were very good, some were less good as I thought. I also bought a Monette B993 from Trent unseen a couple of years ago.

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www.erikveldkamp.com
http://trumpetkings.blogspot.com

trpt2345

I bought a horn once without trying it. But it was from Brasswind and they had a great return policy, at the time they would even pay shipping to return it if you weren't happy. But generally I like to try 'em out first.

Michael McLaughlin

Style is not something applied. It is something that permeates. It is of the nature of that in which it is found, whether the poem, the manner of a god, the bearing of a man. It is not a dress.
Wallace Stevens

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Chicago MM

ldwoods

Yes, I do it more than too often. It's really no big deal if you go into it with the right attitude. What's the worst that can happen? If you don't like it, just sell it.
Case in point, I just got a beautiful Eb/D Bach Strad today. I bought it off ebay, the lister had zero feedback, ad said they would not take paypal, and the lister was not the owner of the horn. I know, sounds like risky business. I established contact, worked with the owner, and finished the deal. We ended up agreeing to use paypal. I've only played the horn for about 10 minutes, but so far I could not be more happy with the transaction. The horn is pristine, as good as brand new!

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Larry Woods

music matters

I think we would all agree that it is much better to try before you buy. Circumstances don't always make this easy to do.

I live in Dubai and the only chance to test horns is when I visit the UK. I bought my 6335HS2 Yamaha (my first pro horn) untested and was happy with it and wish I had never sold it! - it played identically to my friends so certainly our two horns were very consistent.

I bought a Schilke B1 from Dillons untested - great horn just not for me so that has been sold.

I tried Eclipses and they are all great horns but remember they are hand made so they all do play slightly differently - the two MR's I tried were different (and similar - blow identical) but both great so I am glad I play tested them and chose the one I prefered.

I recently tested three Bach Strads and they all played well but all had very different blows and sounds and I found one that just clicked with me so I am glad I play tested them.

I bought a Yamaha Eb/D 6610 and bought it untested as it had to be a special order for me so I had no option.

I would always recommend trying a horn if at all possible. I do think that yamaha and Schilke are more consistent from my experience than some other makes. However when I tested the Strads they all played very differently but I prefered every one of them to the very consistent yamaha Xeno so that's food for thought too!

Graham

ilikethetrumpet

This thread is messing with my head! I just paid for an ebay horn this weekend that'll be shipping from the Netherlands, and the price was pretty much right for an Eb. I liked the bore size and the overall design of the horn. It's a selmer from '66, and it seems that's a good time for the company in terms of craftsmanship. I don't really connect to the longbell Eb Bachs, and, while I have no problem E3Ls (they're wonderful horns!) for some reason I can't put my finger on, I just don't connect to it. Maybe it feels too much like my C (a small-bore Schilke) and if I get almost the same sound and feel, while that's good in some sense, I don't a much wider pallette of sound options. I don't know. That and a good E3L would run me about twice the 800 I'm paying for the selmer.

I bought the C blind with good results, but risky payment (Poland doesn't have paypal)... I guess the calculus is, what's it's potential resale value? For instance, I have played--and really clicked with--a Selmer Radial Eb, but if I don't like it, what is this horn going to go for? Don't answer that, I'm still sweating this purchase until it comes at least.

GordonH

Don't worry about it. If you don't like it you will probably be able to sell it and get most or all of your money back.