Ready to purchase first Flugelhorn need some advice...

Phatmon · 10-23-2004, 05:40 AM

Ofcourse I started off looking at the Kanstuls, Taylor, Yamaha, and narrowed it down to two The Blessing B154RT Artist model and the Olds NF13MRT. WWBW has them both and both are appealing to me. If anyone plays or has played either of these I would like to hear your experience with them and what would be the best choice for a first time flugel buyer. Thanks much :?

Tootsall · 10-23-2004, 09:57 AM

My personal "first choice" would be the Jupiter 846L or RL. They are a wonderful flugel for a bargain-basement price IMO. About six? years ago Jupiter retooled their entire factory and modelled their horns on Yamaha. Their QC is very good considering their price range (no, they are not up to the standards of Kanstul or UMI but they are decent).

I have never tried one of the others you mentioned. I guess it is really a matter of what sound you are looking for; but if you have the chance you owe it to yourself to give them a try too. I've had an 846L (lacquer, no trigger) for years and I'm quite happy with it. Others have tried the RL (rose bell, 3rd trigger) and say that it is even better. Check out Jim Donaldson's "Schilke Loyalist" website for the links to buying student flugelhorns.

I'd love to try an Eclipse flugel but my "doubling" instrument is a cornet so the flugel is the "trippler" which means it lives in it's case most of the time.

MUSICandCHARACTER · 10-23-2004, 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HoltonMFhorn

Of course I started off looking at the Kanstuls, Taylor, Yamaha, and narrowed it down to two The Blessing B154RT Artist model and the Olds NF13MRT.

Wow, quite a different between a Taylor and a Blessing

First, you might want to know that Blessing makes the Olds line. Olds has no manufacturing of its own -- just a label. BTW, the lower level ZeuS Fluegel horns are made by Blessing too.

So not a lot of difference between the Olds and the Blessing. Olds has a better warranty and is usually a bit more expensive. The better warranty is a big appeal to schools.

Actually Blessing makes a pretty decent low end Fluegel. Tootsall is right about Jupiter -- they retooled a few years ago and the quality of the horns has greatly improved.

It is really hard to beat the Kanstul 1525. Many, many players play that Fluegel. But it is a bit pricey. But the Kanstul KFL 725 competes in price with the Blessings. I don't think any new Yamaha does and certainly not a Taylor.

Depending on how much you plan on playing it should determine at what level you buy. If you are going to play it a lot, you may want to step up from the lowest level. If not, perhaps the a good quality low level fluegel would fill the bill, Olds, Blessing, ZeuS, Jupiter or Kanstul.

JIm

Phatmon · 10-23-2004, 08:59 PM

I appreciate all the advice from you guys, thanks alot. Financial reasons and my level of playing (comeback player after 20 years) is why I went from Taylor and Kanstul to Olds and Blessing. I will look into the Jupiter from what you all have told me it sounds like a nice horn or is it axe...like I said I've been away for awile. I did look at the Zeus Flugels and they are nice but a bit out of my price range. Again thanks for all the info.

Greg5850 · 10-28-2004, 09:18 AM

I'm not sure on availability anymore but I have a Courtois Flugel that plays great! You don't read too much about Courtois here but Russian virtuoso Sergei Nakariakov plays them-if you haven't heard of him check him out. I recommend his "No Limits" CD, there is some incredible flugal playing on it!

Greg5850 · 10-28-2004, 09:19 AM

I'm not sure on availability anymore but I have a Courtois Flugel that plays great! You don't read too much about Courtois here but Russian virtuoso Sergei Nakariakov plays them-if you haven't heard of him check him out. I recommend his "No Limits" CD, there is some incredible flugal playing on it!

trickg · 10-28-2004, 03:35 PM

I'll edit this later and add more to it, but for the moment, I'm going to suggest the Kanstul Custom Class 925. It's what I have. I play tested it against a bunch of different flugels and it came out on top in a "best bang for the buck" perspective.

Edit: Ok, I'm back. I posted about my flugel purchase on the Trumpet Herald (gasp!)

If you want to read that post, it can be found here:

http://www.trumpetherald.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6531

I said in that post that the Kanstul was maybe a bit brighter than the Yamaha 631. Nah. It's a darker flugle, but with the mouthpiece that I was using, a Kanstul 5C flugel piece, yeah, it was a little brighter. It's just a really nice looking, nice blowing, nice sounding flugel. I thought about getting the Kanstul Signature, but for my needs, this one is perfect.

Good luck in your flugel search.

cornetmike · 11-14-2004, 04:40 PM

The local music store had a used Courtois flugel for sale about a year ago. It was in mint condition. $900. 3rd valve trigger. I spent about a half an hour with it. Finish and workmanship were 1st class all the way. Played beautifully! I borrowed the money from my dad two days later. Alas, it had sold. :(

warm regards, cornetmike

trumpetpimp · 11-14-2004, 11:28 PM

I hate to be the one to make the shameless plug but I'm sure you'll all forgive me...some day.

I'm selling my courtois flugel. It's a good horn but the blow is too tight for me. I didn't like the Bobby Shew very much either and it's built in a similar way with a very small bore. There's nothing wrong with the horn. I just bought a Yamaha 731 that matches me better as a player and want to move this flugel along. The link is at the bottom of my signature.

trumpetpimp · 11-15-2004, 07:34 AM

Cornetmike just told me that the link to my flugel wasn't working. I just fixed it. Thanks Mike!

10-23-2004, 05:40 AM	#1 (permalink)
Phatmon New Friend Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Forest Lake, Mn Posts: 47	Ready to purchase first Flugelhorn need some advice... Ofcourse I started off looking at the Kanstuls, Taylor, Yamaha, and narrowed it down to two The Blessing B154RT Artist model and the Olds NF13MRT. WWBW has them both and both are appealing to me. If anyone plays or has played either of these I would like to hear your experience with them and what would be the best choice for a first time flugel buyer. Thanks much :? __________________ Football, golf,videos, Jazz

10-23-2004, 08:59 PM	#4 (permalink)
Phatmon New Friend Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Forest Lake, Mn Posts: 47	I appreciate all the advice from you guys, thanks alot. Financial reasons and my level of playing (comeback player after 20 years) is why I went from Taylor and Kanstul to Olds and Blessing. I will look into the Jupiter from what you all have told me it sounds like a nice horn or is it axe...like I said I've been away for awile. I did look at the Zeus Flugels and they are nice but a bit out of my price range. Again thanks for all the info. __________________ Football, golf,videos, Jazz

10-28-2004, 09:18 AM	#5 (permalink)
Greg5850 New Friend Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: WI Posts: 47	Courtois are nice I'm not sure on availability anymore but I have a Courtois Flugel that plays great! You don't read too much about Courtois here but Russian virtuoso Sergei Nakariakov plays them-if you haven't heard of him check him out. I recommend his "No Limits" CD, there is some incredible flugal playing on it!

10-28-2004, 09:19 AM	#6 (permalink)
Greg5850 New Friend Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: WI Posts: 47	Courtois are nice I'm not sure on availability anymore but I have a Courtois Flugel that plays great! You don't read too much about Courtois here but Russian virtuoso Sergei Nakariakov plays them-if you haven't heard of him check him out. I recommend his "No Limits" CD, there is some incredible flugal playing on it!

10-28-2004, 03:35 PM	#7 (permalink)
trickg Forte User Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Glen Burnie, Maryland Posts: 2,054	I'll edit this later and add more to it, but for the moment, I'm going to suggest the Kanstul Custom Class 925. It's what I have. I play tested it against a bunch of different flugels and it came out on top in a "best bang for the buck" perspective. Edit: Ok, I'm back. I posted about my flugel purchase on the Trumpet Herald (gasp!) If you want to read that post, it can be found here: http://www.trumpetherald.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6531 I said in that post that the Kanstul was maybe a bit brighter than the Yamaha 631. Nah. It's a darker flugle, but with the mouthpiece that I was using, a Kanstul 5C flugel piece, yeah, it was a little brighter. It's just a really nice looking, nice blowing, nice sounding flugel. I thought about getting the Kanstul Signature, but for my needs, this one is perfect. Good luck in your flugel search. __________________ Patrick Gleason email me at: trickg1@hotmail.com "What we do in life echoes in eternity" "At my signal, unleash hell." - Maximus Decimus Meridius

10-23-2004, 09:57 AM	#2 (permalink)
Tootsall Fortissimo User Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Yee HAW! Posts: 4,641	My personal "first choice" would be the Jupiter 846L or RL. They are a wonderful flugel for a bargain-basement price IMO. About six? years ago Jupiter retooled their entire factory and modelled their horns on Yamaha. Their QC is very good considering their price range (no, they are not up to the standards of Kanstul or UMI but they are decent). I have never tried one of the others you mentioned. I guess it is really a matter of what sound you are looking for; but if you have the chance you owe it to yourself to give them a try too. I've had an 846L (lacquer, no trigger) for years and I'm quite happy with it. Others have tried the RL (rose bell, 3rd trigger) and say that it is even better. Check out Jim Donaldson's "Schilke Loyalist" website for the links to buying student flugelhorns. I'd love to try an Eclipse flugel but my "doubling" instrument is a cornet so the flugel is the "trippler" which means it lives in it's case most of the time.

11-14-2004, 04:40 PM	#8 (permalink)
cornetmike New Friend Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Hemet, California Posts: 14	The local music store had a used Courtois flugel for sale about a year ago. It was in mint condition. $900. 3rd valve trigger. I spent about a half an hour with it. Finish and workmanship were 1st class all the way. Played beautifully! I borrowed the money from my dad two days later. Alas, it had sold. :( warm regards, cornetmike __________________ Waitress: What are you rebelling against? Brando: Whaddya got?

11-14-2004, 11:28 PM	#9 (permalink)
trumpetpimp Piano User Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Toronto Posts: 268	I hate to be the one to make the shameless plug but I'm sure you'll all forgive me...some day. I'm selling my courtois flugel. It's a good horn but the blow is too tight for me. I didn't like the Bobby Shew very much either and it's built in a similar way with a very small bore. There's nothing wrong with the horn. I just bought a Yamaha 731 that matches me better as a player and want to move this flugel along. The link is at the bottom of my signature. __________________ For sale: Courtois 154 flugel http://www.trumpetherald.com/marketp...detail&id=5375 Kanstul 1500 Bb copper bell http://www.trumpetherald.com/marketp...detail&id=7504

11-15-2004, 07:34 AM	#10 (permalink)
trumpetpimp Piano User Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Toronto Posts: 268	Cornetmike just told me that the link to my flugel wasn't working. I just fixed it. Thanks Mike! __________________ For sale: Courtois 154 flugel http://www.trumpetherald.com/marketp...detail&id=5375 Kanstul 1500 Bb copper bell http://www.trumpetherald.com/marketp...detail&id=7504

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