tom turner

Hi all,

The tour horn is getting ready to leave NYC to head to Pennsylvania for a couple of stops.

I'm sure we'll hear from our ninth reviewer, right under my post here, once this takes place! We all look forward to his "take" on the "Thang!"

Tom

rafterman

To start, I'm a comeback player with about two years of return under my belt. I play in two bands: one doing community-oriented work and the other a big band that does a lot of regular work - especially in the summer parks. I play Kanstuls: 1504 Bb, 1525 Flugel, and 1530 cornet. Recently, I shifted to a Warburton 5 deep cup #10 backbore on the Bb for a darker sound.

I thought the 1504 was working well with the new set up - and it is. However, the WT is a very high performing horn. First, the sound is veryrich. As Robert Frost says about the woods, "lovely, dark, and deep." I really didn't want to hear the difference, because it could cost me money. But the difference was there. The low and mid range felt teriffic. The high Cs and Ds also rang out. I could hear a little more of my air on the high notes, but it's a poor workman who blames his tools.

Playing softly, the WT responded with immediacy. Of course, the big bored thing took everything I could blow and made it sound wonderful.

The slotting was outstanding. Maybe it was the honeymoon, but things felt easier and smoother on the WT.

As for fit and finish, the silver is - well, its about the same as my Kanstul in silver - very good.

Tom sent me some great advice for running the horn thru it's paces. I suggest folks on the tour ask him for his test routine, especially if they don't regularly try out horns against some standard procedures to take an instrument and player thru the paces.

Please contact me with specific questions if you have them. To help me think about this horn, I've been checking out the boards, using private e-mails and telephone to check the opinions of other players. I haven't found or heard any objections to the WT from anyone - except for regrets or hesitation on the price. A couple of pro players I know play beautifully and stand behind their beliefs in mastering off-the-shelf Bachs, etc. They wonder about spending extra for the craft horns. However, I can't ignore the qualities I felt with the WT.

The horn is off to PA tomorrow.

Regards to all - and a big appreciation to Tom for the chance to try this horn. It has me thinking.

BrassClass

rafterman,

Thanks for the great post. You bring up a good point about how to test a horn. I usually try to warm up on the horn I usually play and then play the new one to see the differences in a new horn but that may be all wrong.

I'm enjoying reading all the good comments. I'm on the list about 4 or 5 names down and looking very forward to my ride on the WT.

__________________
"Brass Ain't Nothing But Class"

rafterman

WT is in PA. I think two folks will have at it. Looking forward to their comments.

King High

the WT arrived safely. It came as I was going in fro a college lesson. so I took it. I actually let the student play it first. We were in the auditorium and she normally plays some King tempo or something. her sound was as expected -- 1000 times richer.
I've just brought it home and gave it a good upper range test - it plays great up to the Bb so I'm sure if I had double c and beyond that they are in the horn. It slots real well - but still has some flexibility which is what I want. and plenty of power up there too. Articulation is easy on the horn. I't s very repsponsive.
I played it at the lesson with a Kanstul W3MD & S D backbore. here at home I used a B3D/ S 72 backbore. It seems to be a versatile horn which I think people have been saying. the large bore doesn't kill me so far but I played a CG 470 for 12 years. And at this point I only have 15 minutes on it.
this is a great week for me to have it as I've got rehearsals & concerts through all week.
I told one of the trumpet players last night about it. he is anxious to play it as well . the funny thing if you want to talk pros and cons of a horn, the one issue that comes up freuqently is the bell throat and mute fit..I wouldn't let it keep my from buying a horn - but can you tell me,
Why is it so difficult to find replacement corks for the harmons? And is it advised to replace the corks or to build them up?


thanks for the chance to play this thing Tom.

I am going to try to pass it off to next person here in PA sometime this weekend.. will post more after we get some more miles on it.

PC

BrassClass

Hi PC,

I would be very interested in hearing your final thoughts and comments on the WT when you get some time to post.

Thanks

__________________
"Brass Ain't Nothing But Class"

Tootsall

Priscilla, I had a similar cork issue when I purchased the B1. Not as severe as the WT probably is.... but enough that I needed to build up the corks or suffer the mute "clinking" the bell rim. I went to our local automotive parts store and purchased a sheet of thin (1/16") cork that is used for making up custom gaskets (about $4 for more than you need). There is a type of double-sided tape you can buy that is used to "hang" signs and things....extremely sticky stuff (much like carpet tape but thinner and stickier). Just roll the mute on the cork sheet while tracing with a pencil, cut to fit. Then, after test fitting it, apply the tape to the mute and trim the tape.

Roll it onto the existing mute corks and *bingo*; you just added 1/8" to the diameter of the cork on the mute. The gasket cork sticks in the bell; no problem for a Jo-rall to "hang in there". For a WT you might need two layers of cork but that's not a big deal.

gzent

Also, I have used a product called Funky Foam to recork my
Harmon and Solotone mutes. The stuff is great and cheap!

Greg

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