40cal

I don't know jack about flugelhorns.

Since I seem to need one every so often, I figured I would start searching. (it takes me a 1/2 hr to spend 30 bucks on a pair of jeans so this is a long process for me).

Bore size? Any difference? What is standard?
Bell size?
Brand?

Any advice or suggestions are appreciated.

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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

trumpetmike

Try everything you can and choose the one that allows you to sound like the flugel player you want to be.

Like you, I imagine, I have had to play flugel on shows and big band gigs, but it wasn't part of my regular playing for many years - I knew what I wanted to sound like but the equipment I was using just didn't match with me.
Then I tried an Eclipse.
Suddenly I heard the sound I had been looking for and I needed one. Since I got it (copper bell, simply beautiful) I have found that I am using flugel a great deal more - it has even appeared on my recital programmes, something I had NEVER thought I would do.

I am not a believer in "this bore is best" or "flugels should only have this size bell" - it is all a question of finding what works for you. If I had my way, when testing instruments you shouldn't know the manufacturer, the bore size, the bell size or anything that would enable you to determine what you are playing (including and especially - who else plays on that brand) - aside from the sound, intonation and feel. It is the only way to choose an instrument.

mike ansberry

The Jupiter 846RL is a really nice and inexpensive horn. It is a little bright for my tastes. I play an Olds copper bell and it is REALLY dark. I played a lot of flugels last summer. The Jupiter was far and away the best responding, best feeling horn. It has nice slots and plays evenly from the low register to the high register.

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"Music is a fire in your belly that has to come out of your mouth, so you'd better put a horn in the way before someone gets hurt" (paraphrase of Bleeding Gums Murphy)

Deecy

Here's a nice flugel! I think what's attached to it is prettty impressive too!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnSYHzyjZcM

What a performance!!! A tour de force!

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Tom//

rowuk

picking a flugelhorn is like picking a girl or boyfriend - there are more important things than figure, weight and hair color.
Figure out what you can spend (as with a girl or boyfriend) and try everything out that you can get your hands on(no comment). Sleep over any decision that you think you have made. Quite often we have a different opinion the next morning........

For your first horn, you can't really be too far off if it is a known manufacturer, in tune and plays easy. Like with trumpets, when you get better you end up with something else. The goal for the first horn is less getting it right and more not getting it wrong.

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Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again.

bandman

Quote:

Originally Posted by 40cal Any advice or suggestions are appreciated.

You and I should go shopping together -- I spend lots of time looking and very little at checkout!

My suggestion would be for you to play everything you can get your hands on before buying, but when you play a horn that is sweet you will know it and forget the brand name. I currently play a Kanstul ZKF1525 and I love it. Prior to this horn I played a Bach Strad for 20+years. I have played dozens of Bach Flugels and most of them were not very good, but when I played my old Bach I knew it was the horn for me. It played different (much better) than any Bach I had ever played.

I switched to the Kanstul because there was a specific sound I was after because my playing has changed over the years. My usual gig in the past was with an 8-piece or a big band. Now my normal gig is solo work in church. The Bach was great in both venues but when you play more in church like I do you want that real dark prayerful sound.

In the past month I had a chance to play on a Getzen Flugel. That horn was super nice! I don't know if they are consistent, but that horn was one of the very finest I have ever played.

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40cal

Thank you to everyone for the suggestions. I do realize that I should go try some flugels out, just making the time for it can be a pain in the "you know what".

I wish money were no object, but for a horn that I would play in a very limited fashion I'm thinking the less expensive the better. This is not to say that I would pick up a piece of junk but you guys know what I mean.

I think I may look for a =a yammie on ebay. My impression is that they seem to be pretty consistent as far as the trumpets I have played of theirs, I can't imagine that the flugels are any different.

__________________


“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

Deecy

I found an old Getzen Eterna that was so beat up that it looked as though someone had dropped it out of an airplane. The valves were worn and the lacquer was almost non-existent. But when I blew it I could feel the resonation in my hands and the tone was pure joy. I think it looked so lousy because it was played so much. Good recommendation IMO, so I bought it. It's still as pleasurable as ever to play.

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Tom//

Heavens2kadonka

You could get a B&S for around $1000.00 if you look in the right places. I *LOVE* my Challenger I.

In the lowest price range, I suggest the E.M. Winston. Solid performer, though the silver plate is butt-awful (Guessing the lacquer work is no better).

Van

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'94 Bach Strad 37
1900 Eb Cornet

LOUD Steve Patrick 10 1/2 C
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mike ansberry

Some of my students have had Winston trumpets and had massive problems with the valves.

__________________
"Music is a fire in your belly that has to come out of your mouth, so you'd better put a horn in the way before someone gets hurt" (paraphrase of Bleeding Gums Murphy)