Jimi Michiel

AT-

If you happen to be driving around Wisconsin, you might want to stop by the Edwards factory. I haven't been there in person, but I have heard great things about how they basically build you an instrument piece by piece, having you test out many combinations of leadpipes, bells, valve clusters, etc until you find the perfect combination. I've played a few of their instruments and have really liked them. I like what I've got, but if I didn't, I'd look more into Edwards.

-Jimi

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40cal

Trent you are a TEASE

you get me all excited......

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“If there must be trouble, let it be in my day so that my child may have peace.”

Thomas Paine 1737-1809

“That’s all the bullets we had, or we would have shot him more,” Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd

BudBix

OK. I'll give you the conventional wisdom. Since this sounds like your first C trumpet, buy a Yamaha (xeno or artist series) or a Bach 229/25H. It's a hell of a lot less money and not likely to raise eyebrows with your teacher.

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Men govern nothing with more difficulty than their tongues, and can moderate their desires more than their words. - Baruch Spinoza

Spleeyah!

My C trpt is a Bach strad 239, I dig it. However, in my experiences, the Yamaha Xenos have been pretty damn consistant. Probably a safe bet to check into testing a few of those too. Good luck!

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"Take care of your fundamentals and your fundamentals will take care of you"

"Don't practice for 'something', practice 'everything' and you'll be ready for ANYTHING"

Bb-Bach Strad 43
C- Bach Strad 229 25H
Picc - Schilke P54 Gold Plated

brian moon

Right on Dylan!

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Revelation 3:20

ilikethetrumpet

I was just there not two months ago since I live close to elkhorn. Didn't get to playtest at all, but first of all, I was impressed with the craftsmanship on even the student horns. You'd think a company like that (I'm speaking Getzen now, not Edwards) would just kind of throw out horns haphazardly from prefab parts, but so much of the operation is still from hand--that is, all of it.

But yeah, Edwards has a low-profile in the trumpet world, but the one's I've played--at conventions, so they're probably the pick of the litter promotionally--were very stable, quite interesting horns.

VINTAGEBRASS

I agree with the others who suggest waiting to get a C, but it might not hurt to try the Eclipse and the Monette. I go out to Omaha to Thompson's Music a couple of times a year to try horns and mouthpieces. Mike is really great to work with and can give you some sound advice when you are trying out the various horns. For Eclipse, check with Felix at New York Trumpet Company. He sent me an Eclipse to try and he also is easy to work with.

brian moon

Play and listen to everything that you can.

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Revelation 3:20

rowuk

I play Monette, bought it blind-no regrets! There are many posts of Eclipse players that have done the same and nobody has ever posted receiving a "bad" one from either company.
The remark "You could buy a whole set of perfectly good horns (C, Eb/D, piccolo, flugel) for what you are going to spend on a Monette." is something that ALWAYS seems to come up when the word Monette is mentioned. For that money, finding all of those instruments "perfectly" good would involve a great deal of luck, maybe finding just adequate would be a safer bet. Finding THE C, THE D/Eb, THE piccolo is not so easy.
I think many people have an issue with the price - it seems to disqualify an expensive horn (not the same as "overpriced") as an alternative or even a first choice. If somebody is looking for the very best horn for themselves - it is their choice. Monette does do some unique things that do not appeal to everybody (the same applies to Yamaha, Bach, Courtois and probably every other brand). I am happy that we all have that choice - our choice. I wish people would just let go of the price issue when it concerns other peoples money. I can have 3 garages full of Neos for the price of a Corvette too. They all do the job getting me from here to there and all are capable of reaching the speed limits. Most of us buy our horns as an extension of our musical soul - not just to show off. I had to save a long time for my horn and believe it was worth it - so much that I have ordered another one. I have a D/Eb and flugel among others, that I hardly ever play.
The original post was an aspiring trumpet player thinking about a C, and Eclipse and Monette are on the short list. I live near Frankfurt, Germany - if you are in the area, you are more than welcome to try my Monette, Bach or Selmer Radial 2 Degrees. Trent made a good offer, maybe there are other Monette/Eclipse users not far from you willing to let you try out and/or give you insight why they made the decision that they did! One thing I can say is, if you spend the time, make the right choice(for you), you will play the horn more because you WANT to. It will become part of your total playing concept, part of you. If you buy a C just to get by, you will not have anywhere near as much fun with it! Money has nothing to do with it.
Speaking of Thompson Music - check the resale price on the Monettes (even in eBay) - they hold their value - obviously Dave does something right.
Good luck!

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Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again.

dizzyizzy

As you're not yet in your major 4-yr school...I agree that you might wait until your music prof gives you some input. At the same time, IF you can make it to the next ITG annual conference, (MA this coming year, Jun.)...just about every vendor was there last year...and while Monette wasn't...some of his horns were still available to at least try. That was my primary reason for going this past Jun...to try as many C's as possible...now having done that...I'm going from now on...as its just a blast!

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70 Burbank Benge MLP
69 Olds Recording / 60 Mendez /66 Opera / 79 A6-ST Cornet
49 Martin Committee Cornet
46 NY Bach Strad Cornet
10 York Pro Model Cornet
34 Conn 80-A / 33 22-B, New York Symphony Special / 32 40-B, Vocabell
79 38-B, Constellation / 27 2-B, New World Symphony (gold)
07 Harrelson Custom 909
06 Bach Strad VBS196 piccolo
82 Bach Strad 72/43
50's Courtois Balanced Model
06 Edwards Gen III (C)
06 Courtois 155-R Flugel
08 Destino-3 Star
Donald Getzen Pocket Cornet