| My personal "first choice" would be the Jupiter 846L or RL. They are a wonderful flugel for a bargain-basement price IMO. About six? years ago Jupiter retooled their entire factory and modelled their horns on Yamaha. Their QC is very good considering their price range (no, they are not up to the standards of Kanstul or UMI but they are decent).
I have never tried one of the others you mentioned. I guess it is really a matter of what sound you are looking for; but if you have the chance you owe it to yourself to give them a try too. I've had an 846L (lacquer, no trigger) for years and I'm quite happy with it. Others have tried the RL (rose bell, 3rd trigger) and say that it is even better. Check out Jim Donaldson's "Schilke Loyalist" website for the links to buying student flugelhorns.
I'd love to try an Eclipse flugel but my "doubling" instrument is a cornet so the flugel is the "trippler" which means it lives in it's case most of the time. |