| Re: Best Flugelhorn
Lots of great Flugels out there ...the Flugelhorn sound I prefer is the Flugel that doesn't sound similar to either a large bore rotary or piston Trumpet. Flugelhorns have to sound different otherwise you might as well use a bucket mute. I found in order to get that soft, rich and melodius sound the French style, using the smaller bore (.413) is the best.
I'm always mystified why some players prefer, or demand large bore and large bell Flugels? Are they planning on playing lead scream flugel chart? Do they want to "cut through with that certain sizzle?" How much back pressure can you generate on a Flugel with a Flugel mouthpiece?
Kanstul makes the most popular and best sounding modern day Flugel---the 1525. The reason ? Price: this horn is cheaper (due the lower dollar) and more bang for the buck, than most Europian/Japanese horns. Kanstul put a copper bell on the horn to mellow the sound and made it with a .421 bore to keep the sound small,soft and centered.
Yamaha started out with a great Flugel and out-sold everyone for some time. I don't know what happened; maybe the were too confident with their sales and cheapened the manufacturing process; maybe the sales of Flugels have dropped and they just don't want to bother ? Who knows. They just don't feel and play right---to me.
Although I'm not a fan of the French they got the Flugelhorn right the first time---the Courtois and Cousenon are the sounds I prefer.
3C
P.S. I play a 1946 Courtois |