rowuk

THAT is a loaded question!

There is a blonde that lives around the corner from my house and a brunette in the next town. Which one would you rather marry?

xcrunner: they are both amazing instruments, none of the "factors" (repair, warranty...) apply in this decision as they are practically equal. Felix gives you INDIVIDUAL service - that is pretty tough to get out of Yamaha. At the end of the day, it is your face and wallet.

To be honest, the brunette is looking better by the minute..........

Call Felix, ask HIM what is good, then try the same thing with a Yamaha dealer. Spend your money where you get the "warm fuzzies"! We have success stories in both camps here!

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Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again.

BrassMonkey34

I agree with rowuk that these instruments are both great but very different animals. I have played a Bach 180S 43 forever and wanted to get something different. I recently bought a Phaeton 2030. I really love the way it plays and sounds and it is definitely different from anything I have played before. As for the Yamaha comparison, I have a student who recently bought a Yamaha YTR8335RG which is an excellent horn. I know it is not the same as the YTR-8310Z but they are of a similar quality and both have gold brass bells. The 8334 has more traditional bracing, is silver, has a reverse leadpipe, and is not lightweight. It plays and sounds great and there are some similarities to my Bach, but with less resistance in the high register. The Phaeton is generally darker than most horns but can brighten up when you want it to. It has a heavier feel to the valves (not slow at all though) which takes a little getting used to. It is very flexible, has great slotting and blows freely and consistently in all registers. The look is stunning, if that is they style that you like. So again, it comes down to what you are looking for. As for the warranty and support issue, I agree that the Phaeton is definitely difficult to get info on. It does come down to a certain trust in your dealer. I have not had any doubts about this horn since I bought it.