sublmbadfish

Ok so now that I finally have time again I will write my review…again (this time in word.)

My first impressions of this horn were great. The look of this trumpet is very, very cool. The brushed silver is absolutely beautiful especially being the first one I have ever seen in person. The recessed finger caps are a good style feature also along with the large finger buttons. The polished silver parts offer a nice contrast to the brushed finish. I also love the rings, from the pictures I didn’t think that I would like them because I thought they looked like just solid pieces of metal but on closer inspection they have a cool “wave-like” design (one of the others may be able to explain that better, but that’s the best visual I could come up with.)

Now to the playing of this horn,
I thought at first that this horn was very difficult to play because it is much tighter than my F. Besson MEHA but after playing it a few days that went away and I am now more accustomed to it. The slotting on this horn is many times better than my Besson and it is really a different experience playing this horn and not having to hold pitches so tightly with my lips. The intonation is also very good, not perfect but again better than my Besson. To answer trickg’s question the notes can bend but the sound dies very quickly when you do and it gets airy, my besson can keep relative good tone in a bend a little longer. The horn responds very well but not quite at the level that my Besson does but still is a responsive horn. The blow is very even throughout from low C to high C and is great in the upper register. The slotting makes playing easier because I push a valve and the note is just there, no playing around with it.

The sound on this horn is great for certain situations like a jazz combo or playing lower parts in a big band but I feel that sound is not quite brilliant enough and a little reserved for high power, cutting lead playing. I do love the sound though and me and my teacher both agree that it has a very pleasant sound to listen to. The sound is also more focused than I like, I would like it to ring out more when I put some air into it. We were playing the Arutunian in my lesson today I felt that I could be more passionate with my horn and play in more of a Russian style sound and be brighter when I needed it. The horn has a good feedback and sounds the same from both places (I had my teacher explain the sound to me and our feelings of it matched.)

Everyone who I have let play this horn has asked where they can get more info on the horn and has liked it. I feel that it is a very very nice horn and if I had the money to keep a few Bb’s I would definitely try and pick one up but it just doesn’t have the right classical sound that I need and I need a very flexible horn to play in all my groups.

It anyone has more questions please ask…I also have lots of pictures from many angles if someone could teach me to post them.

Thanks,
Steve