Heavens2kadonka

I have played the Olympus several times, and had a student own one. Great horn.

And yes, Alex at Zachary music is a jerk. He is what turned me away from owning one years back.

Good horn, though! And I did own the Guarnerius C for a year or two....

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Stage 1 California Light
'94 Bach Strad 37
1900 Eb Cornet

LOUD Steve Patrick 10 1/2 C
LOUD LM93

bigaggietrumpet

If you look somewhere around here (or it may still be on Flip's website) you'll find a review, probably a little over the top, that I did of the Wild Thing when they had one touring the country. Awesome horn, and if I'd had 3 grand laying around I'd have gotten it instead of my Kanstul 1537 (though I love my baby, don't get me wrong).

There's also a guy in our jazz band who plays a Zeus Olympus. Very lightweight horn, didn't feel as solid as the WT, but very quick valves. Didn't really feel like I could do what I wanted on it as easily as I could with the WT, but I only played it for a few minutes, so it may have been me. But just on that impression I take the WT over the Olympus.

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Michael Smith
Hullabaloo: The official band of Texas A&M Basketball
Kanstul 1537/ Schilke 14
LA Olds Studio

Bear

Well,
Here goes nothing. I do own a ZO and had played the WT for a year or two before I switched. They are both good horns in their own repects. For me, the ZO worked better. In my opinion, every body is of a different makeup. I would not suggest buying anyting because someone else sounds good on it. Go get a WT and a ZO and spend some time on both and see what works better for you.

Tim

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Of what value would it be to make a prosperous living unless you know how to live?! - anon.

Stan Harrison

Thanks to all for your input. I am no greenhorn, I've been playing for 39 years and have owned 8 trumpets and tried hundreds of horns and mouthpieces. I played Large bore for many years then went with a Schilke B1 which is an open ML bore. After trying a Callet Jazz I got the large bore fever all over again. I investigated both the Olympus and the Wild thing and have been in communication with Alex (Zeus) and Flip (Wild Thing). I was leaning towards the wild thing, then something new crossed my path. The Austin Stage470Lt trumpet, looks like a great horn and is less expensive than both of these. A former M.F band member traded his Wild Thing for a Austin470lt with the copper bell. I am leaning towards the Bronze bell. It looks like a great horn, its getting great reviews, its built by Ziggy Kanstul and it is less expensive than the Zeus and the wild thing. Peace and light

tatakata

I keep hearing about these austin trumpets.

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Stan Harrison

Tatakata, Check out Welcome to Destino Trumpets - your source for professional Brass instruments and accessories. I've been talking to Douglas Mains at Austin Winds. These guys are very helpfull, much like Flip. Doug and David McClure play the horns themselves and have compared them to both the Olympus and the Wild thing. They can tell you the differences in playing and tonal characteristics and they don't criticize the other horns like Alex at Zeus does. They just give you unbiased information. Peace and light

drdoct

I'm not sure about the Olympus, but I do know that the WT is a really nice versatile horn. The slides do cost $$$$, but the difference is very noticeable and not a gimmick. Me, I'm not a good enough player to warrant owning a horn of that caliber. I wouldn't mind a nice Kanstul WB though. I hope you understand how awful a thread title like this for people who have been around quite a while. If I remember right, this place was built because of the whole Alex thing. But he did succeed in getting people to question whether his horns were as good as a WT. My advice is for you to try any horn before you buy or at least try someone else's horn and make sure where you buy has an awesome return policy. If I had plenty of money and no starving kids, then I'd probably just spring for the WT with all the slides and be done forever. But the thread title sure gives me the willies.

bilboinsa

Stan:

The Austin Stage470LT is a great horn. Here is a link to a review I did on it when I was shopping for a new horn about a year ago at TMEA convention: http://www.trumpetmaster.com/vb/139/...n-32812-3.html (TMEA Convention--Feb. 14-17 in San Antonio)

I saw Doug at this year's show, and he said that indeed a lot of good reviews were coming his way. Get the lightweight springs and Al stems--amazing touch! Doug is going to set me up with some for my Kanstul 1525 Flug, as I find the valves a bit stiff. Welcome to Austin Winds - your best source for high end brass equipment.

Have fun!

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Doug Walsdorf

Schilke B2
Kanstul 1525
1927 Conn 22B New York Symphony

"In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort."

satinbrass

I owned a WT for a couple years, good horn. It just doesn't fit in w/ other horns in a section, in my opinion. The mute problem finally led me to sell it. The bell is so big that you have to have a 2nd set of mutes. If you know how, you can sound like a flugel on it. For a solo horn it is great. Others may not agree w/ me but if they did wouldn't it be a boring world ?
Roger

derekkress

The horn that works in a section and has all the qualities of a great solo horn is Flip's Celebration. It is so versatile from lead, to solo , to quintets etc.. I have no blending problems and my peers are envious since it is such a great sounding horn!

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Celebration Bflat by Flip Oakes
Early Yamaha Flugel prototype(Guido Basso)
GR and Stork mouthpieces