40cal

The thread on Pic's got me to thinking. I think a Pic may be my next purchase.

I have always been under the impression the Schilke p5-4 (??) was the "industry" standard. I owned a Selmer Paris many years ago....nice horn after I put the Blackburn leadpipe on it.

Any other recommendations?

Thanks

-Dave

tpetplyr

Don't forget the Kanstul piccolos. I am playing the custom now and I really like it. I prefer the sound, and they feel nice and are well in tune on both the Bb and A sides.

Stuart

40cal

oh, I forgot about those, thanks! My teacher in grad school played on one and he loved it. (Of course, he went to prison too so.....)

Anyone know what some of the going rates on the above mentioned horns are?

trumpetmike

On every "what should I buy" thread my advice is the same - play them before you buy them. This is ESPECIALLY true with piccolo trumpets, in my experience.

What to buy is going to be a very personal choice - what works for one player quite possibly won't for another. As you have said, the Schilke P5-4 is probably the current industry standard, yet I can name quite a few players who don't use them. For me, I just couldn't make the instrument sound how I wished for. I have borrowed one for quite an extensive period of time, yet I wouldn't swap my F Besson for it, even if there was a financial incentive to do so. I found it to be a very thin, brittle sounding instrument, regardless of what mouthpiece I tried (I even tried my cornet mouthpiece!) Saying that, I have heard other players using them and sounding fantastic.

As for what other makes you should consider - the list is practically endless and every time I compile one I always miss somebody out - my apologies now.
These are not in any real order.

Yamaha
Blackburn
Kanstul
Schilke
Getzen
Bach (yes, Bach - I really liked the new one when I tried it at ITG)
Selmer
Stomvi
Scherzer
Galileo
Thein
B&S

Something I would mention about Schilke - don't stop with the P5-4, having tried the P7-4 at ITG I was seriously impressed with the latter one.

If I was buying a new one at the moment (which I am not doing - I love my F Besson, sadly no longer produced) I would almost certainly be heading towards either the Blackburn or Galileo. I have been very, very impressed by many of the other piccolos out there, but these two were a step above the rest, for me.
What I am actually waiting for is the Eclipse piccolo, when those Luton guys finally produce one - but this could be a while yet (it has been "in development" for about a year and shows no signs of moving beyond this at the moment - hopefully 2007 will see some advances). Having played the prototype a few times it is already showing signs of being very impressive - by the time it is finished it will be a world beater.

hornblatt

I got my Kanstul piccolo 2 years ago at Chuck Levin's in D.C. I think mine might have been an exceptional deal but it was only $1300. I don't know how much they go for now but mine at least is an amazing horn.

Tromba1030

I would agree with others and say to try as many as you can get your hands on. I play a Schilke P5-4 but I have tried Kanstul, Stomvi, and the old bachs too. I would have liked to try out the rotary horns like Scherzer but my teacher explained to me that if I were to use it in orchestra, I might want to get a piston picc instead. The Kanstul for me, had a very easy, free blowing high range but a sound that was a bit to brittle for me. The Stomvi was a very close second. It has a very light feel and sound and a very comfortable instrument. I chose the Schilke becuase I felt the same comfort with a touch of a darker sound with a wider mouthpiece.

I am not very experienced with the Piccolo Trumpet but that is my take on the situation.


-Jacob

kadleck

I don't play piccolo every day, and therefore wanted a horn I could just pick up and play with very little adjustment. I owned a Schilke, but unfortunately it was not that type of horn.

I've had great luck with a Stomvi piccolo. A great "doublers" horn, but it can also hang in with the Schilke.

If you'll be playing it often - Schilke. If not, some of the other brands mentioned here are worth a try (many being much cheaper too).

Tony

bandman

I play Schilke and I LOVE it. I was very impressed with the Kanstul, but I hated the Yamaha I owned. I played a Bach and A Selmer and I thought they were both pretty nice, but not as good as the Schilke or Kanstul.

Overall, I bought the Schilke because I found the intonation and overall ease of blow to be the very best of all the pics.

rowuk

????????????
The rotary piccs are also great in the orchestra. The valves are not the determining factor for sound.
The rotary valves are more precise that the piston types. If you push a piston valve down VERY slowly while playing, you discover that about 3/4 of the travel ist stuffy and without a clear tone. With the rotary valve is is only about 1/2 of the throw. I find that trills sound cleaner with the rotary valves and I do trill more with my picc than with my other horns. Fast 16ths also come out VERY clearly. Worth considering!

B15M

When I play Picc. It's at a church service or a Wedding or something like that. I think I played it maybe twice in a band.

When I bought mine I went to Dillon because they have a lot of them. The first one I tried was a Shilke because, it's the one.

It played well, probably better then me. One other I tried was a Scherzer and that is the one I bought.

Here are the reasons:
It's different and looks cool. Every time I play it people comment.
Everybody here will say that's a stupid reason but if they admit it, they would like the attention too.

Here is the main reason:
It has a more mellow sound, or as mellow as it can be on picc. I didn't like the edgy sound on the Shilke although I was going to get it because a lot of people have it and it does play well.

Another reason is what someone said above. the feel is more like a big trumpet and it's easy to just pick up and play. When I have a job coming up I have to play it a few days before but it's an easy change.

Once you get used to holding it and the rotary valves it's great. Trills are quick and snappy. It's almost like a click between notes on a trill. No half valve.

Some day Monette will make a two key 4 valve and I'll get that one.