TrumpetMaster - View Single Post - Eclipse owners, I would appreciate your advice.

Still Trying · 01-30-2004, 03:42 PM

As most of you may know by now, I am the very fortunate winner of the Eclipse trumpet contest. Since, in all likelihood, this will be the only Eclipse I will ever own and the only trumpet I ever play for the rest of my life, I want to be as certain as possible that I order a horn with the playing characteristics and sound, which suite my needs and style of playing. My soliciting advice from any Eclipse owner, who is willing to help me, is in no way meant to be disrespectful to the people whose advice I have already received. It's just my nature to research something to death, before I make a decision. Besides, now that I have essentially been given the keys to the candy store, shopping for just the right flavor is intoxicating fun. So please bare with me.

I prefer the sound of a vintage Bach Strad to a Martin Committee. To me the Committee is just a little too dark. I prefer the sound of a vintage Bach Strad to a Doc Severinson Getzen. The Getzen is too bright for my tastes. So I guess you could say I prefer a tone that is right in the middle of the dark to bright spectrum.

I prefer a larger sound to a more focused one. I also prefer a horn that projects without being over powering. The best horn I have ever played up to now is a Callet Jazz, but I would be afraid to try to play one in a small church for example. From the brief experience I had with one, it just doesn't seem like a very subtile horn.

I need a horn that is equally at home in a dance band or in a symphony. I play in something called a traditional jazz band, but that's really a misnomer. Because we play mostly orchestrations that date from the 30's all the way through the 40's and 50's. When I was a kid, we would have called it a dance band. It's a totally different kind of music than Rich Willey and Trent Austin play. The jazz solos are more like what Clyde Hurley would have played in Glenn Miller's Band than what Rich and Trent play. (OK, so I'm OLD. It's still fun, and it's what I do). I split the lead and jazz books with the other trumpet player in this group.

I also play lead in our local community band. This group plays traditional concert band music and "pops" orchestral stuff usually. Every once in a while it branches out some. Last year I got to play lead in the pit band taken from this group for a production of Man of LaMancha. But the point is, I need a horn that sounds as good playing legit music as dance music. And it needs to be able to blend with a section of Bachs, since that's mostly what the school kids in the band play. I am playing a French Besson Classic right now, but the sound is too focused (small) for my tastes in this group. I would like to get a bigger concert sound.

I also play solos in church from time to time. And I would like a trumpet that can get a very sweet, lyrical sound for that.

I play a GR G66*** mouthpiece mostly for nearly everything. Since my sound on the Besson is a little smaller than I like for solos in concert band, I fall back on a Mount Vernon Bach 1 1/2 C frequently in the community band. I have learned to adjust tone quality by changing mouthpieces, but I do still play the 66*** about 90 % of the time.

Now, all you Eclipse owners, please chime in here and offer your opinion based on the playing experiences you have had with your respective instruments. You can PM me also, if you don't want to post your advice here. The content of any private messages will be kept confidential, if you so desire. I do not wish to spark a debate of any kind. I am merely trying to develop a data bank for making a decision about a horn choice.

Thanks to all ahead of time. I really appreciate your input.

01-30-2004, 03:42 PM	#1 (permalink)
Still Trying Pianissimo User Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Lake Jackson, TX USA Posts: 164	Eclipse owners, I would appreciate your advice. As most of you may know by now, I am the very fortunate winner of the Eclipse trumpet contest. Since, in all likelihood, this will be the only Eclipse I will ever own and the only trumpet I ever play for the rest of my life, I want to be as certain as possible that I order a horn with the playing characteristics and sound, which suite my needs and style of playing. My soliciting advice from any Eclipse owner, who is willing to help me, is in no way meant to be disrespectful to the people whose advice I have already received. It's just my nature to research something to death, before I make a decision. Besides, now that I have essentially been given the keys to the candy store, shopping for just the right flavor is intoxicating fun. So please bare with me. I prefer the sound of a vintage Bach Strad to a Martin Committee. To me the Committee is just a little too dark. I prefer the sound of a vintage Bach Strad to a Doc Severinson Getzen. The Getzen is too bright for my tastes. So I guess you could say I prefer a tone that is right in the middle of the dark to bright spectrum. I prefer a larger sound to a more focused one. I also prefer a horn that projects without being over powering. The best horn I have ever played up to now is a Callet Jazz, but I would be afraid to try to play one in a small church for example. From the brief experience I had with one, it just doesn't seem like a very subtile horn. I need a horn that is equally at home in a dance band or in a symphony. I play in something called a traditional jazz band, but that's really a misnomer. Because we play mostly orchestrations that date from the 30's all the way through the 40's and 50's. When I was a kid, we would have called it a dance band. It's a totally different kind of music than Rich Willey and Trent Austin play. The jazz solos are more like what Clyde Hurley would have played in Glenn Miller's Band than what Rich and Trent play. (OK, so I'm OLD. It's still fun, and it's what I do). I split the lead and jazz books with the other trumpet player in this group. I also play lead in our local community band. This group plays traditional concert band music and "pops" orchestral stuff usually. Every once in a while it branches out some. Last year I got to play lead in the pit band taken from this group for a production of Man of LaMancha. But the point is, I need a horn that sounds as good playing legit music as dance music. And it needs to be able to blend with a section of Bachs, since that's mostly what the school kids in the band play. I am playing a French Besson Classic right now, but the sound is too focused (small) for my tastes in this group. I would like to get a bigger concert sound. I also play solos in church from time to time. And I would like a trumpet that can get a very sweet, lyrical sound for that. I play a GR G66* mouthpiece mostly for nearly everything. Since my sound on the Besson is a little smaller than I like for solos in concert band, I fall back on a Mount Vernon Bach 1 1/2 C frequently in the community band. I have learned to adjust tone quality by changing mouthpieces, but I do still play the 66* about 90 % of the time. Now, all you Eclipse owners, please chime in here and offer your opinion based on the playing experiences you have had with your respective instruments. You can PM me also, if you don't want to post your advice here. The content of any private messages will be kept confidential, if you so desire. I do not wish to spark a debate of any kind. I am merely trying to develop a data bank for making a decision about a horn choice. Thanks to all ahead of time. I really appreciate your input. __________________ S.T. What do we have that we did not receive, and if we received it, why do we glory, as if we received it not?