Heavens2kadonka

Recieved this horn today via Fed Ex. Raw brass, removable leadpipe and bell option. First horn I've ever played that does this. Very neat!

I havent really had enough time at the moment to give a good, in-depth review, but it IS a good playing horn. Very broad, open, "ringy", but not "zingy," if that makes sense (It is late, so I apologize for weird words).

Just wanted to post this, and get some interest going. This is a very rarely-heard of brand, and a VERY rarely-seen horn around here, to say the least.

Van

Larry

Cool. I'm looking forward to hearing about the Alpha.

Larry

tpter1

Look forward to it. I've heard of these. Can you post a photo?

PhatmonB6

Van, I hope you dont mind me posting this link but those horns have always intrigued me. http://www.inderbinen.com/alpha-e.htm
http://www.inderbinen.com/trumpets-e.htm

pwillini

Hey Felix,

Can I give it a try?!?!?

It looks like something that may go well in my stable of horns, another unique sound!?

htono

I want to hear more about it. I've been playing a Callet for a few years, but all the time I've been eyeing the Inderbinens as the ideal horn for my tastes.
I've seen Roy Hargrove play a couple of times (one in Minneapolis and one in DC) the first time on a Silver Art and the second on the Alpha. Different sounds, both marvelous.

NYTC

It may absolutely go well in your stable of horns,unique sound and all,but I honestly think that it will be a little too costly to just put it on your stable.

Heavens2kadonka

About $4200 new for this horn. Blackburn Bb trumpet price. $700 more than the price of an Eclipse, and around or a little below the price of the Monette 993, for comparisons sake.

First off, the pics dont show it very well. The bell is HUGE. 51/4 inches, if I am not mistaken (I dont have the handy-dandy ruler on-hand, but it looks like it, lol).

The tuning bell is really neat, though it isn't as cool as Eclipse. A bit more of a hassle to tune the bell, with a dial on the valve block and screw at the crook to work with.

The leadpipe finger ring is something I have to jump in and compliment on. Its the most comfortable piece of bent metal I've ever rested my pinky finger on!! Rounded completely, no edges.

VALVES.

The valves look a lot like B&S valves, with the felts on the bottom, and that look. I cringed, of course. I have never liked B&S valves....

After some work on them, my LORD, how smooth the action was!

That little "silky" sound when the valves go down, no metal clang. I *LOVE* that. There was no "reactive" feel to the valves, like Phaeton or other heavy-recessed cap horns. There was not that "sticky" feel like the rubber top caps, found on Strads or Kanstuls.

Felt-topped horns also tend to feel "cheap" to me when I work them, sluggish as heck, that little fuzzy feel when the valves make contact. NOT THESE. The valve action, in my most humble opinion, feels almost exactly like an Eclipse. *sigh*

Something else that I need to mention, the bottom caps, when you screw them on, CONTINUE to rotate clockwise. That is the absolute NEATEST little thing I've ever seen on a trumpet!



ABOUT SOUND. VERY THICK. This horn is by far the heaviest horn I've ever played. The sound is broad, present. I think it would be nigh impossible to out-blow this horn.

One thing I am noticing. I get winded VERY quickly on this horn. I was using my 5B piece, so I may start playing with my other pieces. I'll keep you guys posted.


**UPDATE**

I just looked it up. The bore is .470. This diffinitely proves I'm a doofus. I can never get a great sound with a B cup on large bores. Adding all this extra weight means I may have to do some finaggling to find which piece works best.



Very impressive horn. I'll try and get some pics. Anyone open to host?

Van

Heavens2kadonka

This is interesting. I get to play on my student's Olympus every week (I always give him a longer lesson time so I get about five minutes to jam out on it, lol). The horn would remind you a WHOLE lot of an Olympus on some major steroids!! The bell and bottom caps (Felix got them heavy, of course ) would remind you a whole lot of the Olympus.

And about light bracing, THERE ARE NO BRACES ON THE FRONT AND REAR BELL! One brace on the 1st slide, and two braces on the 3rd, very small.

The one big (HUGE) difference is sound. The olympus is lightweight, ringy. The Alpha, simply, IS NOT. The bell itself is about as heavy as an Olympus!!!

Maybe thats a bit overboard, but the bell is VERY thick, very solid-feeling. The valve casings are as well.

I wish I could play on this thing some more now writing about it, but the house is asleep...

Will keep you guys posted.

Van

Heavens2kadonka

This evening has been very interesting. Met with a local trumpet player who I got in contact with for a baroque trumpet (Music History project). I now have two baroque trumpets in my possession (strangest danged things I've ever played, lol).

He is a pretty big collector, though his thing is specialty horns (Schertzer rotary picc, Schilke Bb/A picc, G large bell picc, Benge Eb, among his collection of era horns, haha). I brought my collection along for some jamming.

He was amazed with the Inderbinen, and of the hour and half we played, he spent the ENTIRETY on the Inderbinen, continually playing against his Bach and pelting with questions like "Does this sound dark enough to you?" and "Man, wonder how they get the bell so solid?"

He noted something I hadn't discovered yet on this horn: The intonation is about as good as it can be. Even the alternate fingerings seem to want to lock! He was especially amazed by that.

I will not continue with my thoughts until tomorrow, just wanted to update. I DO like the horn better with a 5B piece...

Van