lonelyangel

OK then....
Here are my thoughts on being the first person to play the 2007 prize eclipse.
Firstly - it is a work of art, beautiful to behold - and easy to hold in your hands too btw. The horn is fractionally heavier than the standard MR but is very well balanced - in no way is it a 'heavy horn' but it does have a certain substance and pleasing weight to it. Leigh is getting a lot of orders for horns in polished gold these days - although his signature scratched/polished horns are very eye catching - the simple polished horns look absolutely classic (I think Alex and PH would agree there).

Whoever wins this contest is going to have a thing of great beauty - a unique creation from a master craftsman, a posession to cherish and admire for many years. I am pretty sure that, as with Leigh's other custom jobs - this will be a one off design, certainly not the start of a new line. I think Leigh goes very much by instinct when it comes to the aesthetics of his custom creations - and I must say he has an eye for design. I trust his taste 100% - I don't think he could make an ugly horn.

Now the bracing and extra weight obviously does affect the sound of the horn - even minute changes to any of the elements on the horn or their position do change the tonal properties and response of the instrument. However this instrument is not really pushing the envelope in terms of radical design - all the bracing and 'finger furniture' are well within the acceptable limits of 'standard' trumpet manufacture and of course the internal geometry of the prize trumpet is identical to the standard MR.

However the changes here are certainly more than cosmetic.

This horn plays beautifully - it is slightly warmer, richer, darker than the standard MR - with a bigger core to the notes. And yet... it also has a more open fluidity to the blow than usual. It is very simple to make a gorgeous sound and the greater flexibility means it is very easy to move across the registers and between harmonics. I think the combination of heavier fittings and one piece bracing has worked like a dream to produce a very expressive instrument. Its true nature might be that of a lyric soloists horn - I just wanted to play soaring melodies on it - but it has bags of projection and can certainly light up a room - a very BIG room - when pushed.

The MR is the most popular of the eclipse range -n it is the most versartile horn, finding favour amongst professional classical players, jazz soloists and commercial/ lead players alike. It is also very popular with students and come back players because it affords a kind of instant beauty to the sound because of the balance of components coupled with the fantastic MR bell.

Whoever wins this prize will be a very happy bunny indeed! Now then, off to work on my secret entry for the competition...

All the best. Noel.

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Noel Langley - Eclipse Artist noel@eclipsetrumpets.com

Eclipse Medium Yellow, scratch gold
Eclipse Medium Heavy Red, custom 'Diamond Back' in 24ct gold
Eclipse Red Brass Flugel
Custom Scherzer piccolo with copper Wedgewood bell, finished in scratch gold
Giardinelli 6S, 6M, 6FL Bach 3CW

S-Money

sounds absolutely amazing... I only hope I have the pleasure to take it for a spin!

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Blow your life through your horn

Brekelefuw

Can the $175 gold pro trumpet be the second place prize?


or can it go to the worst entry?

Stile442

As I'm still relatively new here I have no idea what it takes to win this contest, but after seeing that beautiful, amazing, astounding, unbelievable..... I could go on but I cant think straight anymore. I will definitly try to win this contest.

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Bb-Modified Bach Strad 43H
C-Bach Strad Chicago 229
Picc-Schilke P5-4
GR 66M; 66SZ; 63PM

eclipse trumpets

Hi Folks

A couple of folks mentioned copying Jason Harrelsons designs.

I have to say that if he has a similar design then i am not personally aware of it to be honest.
I never go out to copy anyone elses designs as i feel happy with my own thoughts and feelings when it comes to trumpet design.

If anything does look alike then all i can say is that myself and Jason have seperately shared some similar design thoughts, which is kinda cool i guess.

Thing is, these days there are many custom trumpet builders and it is bound to happen when a design is overlapped by someone else.
Indeed many of my own original designs have been used in slightly different ways in the past.

And anyway knowing Jason just a little i am sure that if i have unknowingly designed something similar to him i am sure he would not be upset about it.And if he was then i would be more than happy to redesign that or those parts if he wished.
Out of interest i have done some searches and found nothing similar, i must be missing it so can someone let me know what was similar?

Keep the entries coming in please

Best Wishes to all

Leigh

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Eclipse Trumpets

Eclipsetrumpets.com

Cornet1

I'm a MASSIVE fan of Eclipse instruments but if you look at the top right model, the 'LPR', on the modifications section of the Harrelson site one would assume there was a design connection.

Of course they only LOOK similar.....

Harrelson Trumpets :: Trumpet Modifications - LP, LPR, 907, 908, 909 - The Physics of Efficiency

However, did I not see that the New York Trumpet Company also have a very similar looking model which Jason H apparently DID help to design?

New York Trumpet Company - Stage 1 Model H Trumpet

Here it is...

Eclipsehornplayer

All I can say is this:

I don't care if it's plated in dog-doo, Leigh made it and I WANT IT! That is one sweat looking piece of hardware and I'd love to give it a new home!

Here's to dreaming!

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Eclipse MHY Bb Trumpet with interchangable leadpipes
Bach 229 25A C Trumpet
Getzen Capri Bb Cornet
GR & Monette mouthpieces

Tootsall

John, someone has already used idea that in their entry!

Eclipsehornplayer

Or so it would appear!

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Eclipse MHY Bb Trumpet with interchangable leadpipes
Bach 229 25A C Trumpet
Getzen Capri Bb Cornet
GR & Monette mouthpieces

northerntrumpeter

I know I've covered this in another thread, and am merely echoing what others have already said, but where are all the entries??? I have got to the point where I am really analysing this situation.

Last year it was loads of fun watching the build up to the deadline as folks 'reserved' their spots, posted their entries and then tweaked them. Then there was all the chatter on the boards. I did not know about the previous competitions, but judging by the historic threads it seems like there was a lot of banter. I AM right aren't I? Or is it just me looking at the past through rose coloured spectacles?

I would have thought that as each year passed by more and more people would enter as they realised that they REALLY COULD win a £2000 trumpet. (What's that in dollars?) We should be at record entry numbers by now, but we've only just started page 3, with 21 entries. There are only just over TWO WEEKS TO GO!!!!

Now, having said this I'm thinking "COOL, ONLY 20 PEOPLE TO COMPETE AGAINST". After all I REALLY want to win. So scrub all that...NO MORE ENTRIES ALLOWED!!!!

Seriously though, back to thinking out loud. MAYBE this year is a tactical game, with loads of lurkers just waiting to post that killer of a winning entry at the last possible moment???

Come on lurkers. Let's have a fair fight. Show us what you're made of....

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Give me the time to do one thing well!