Peter McNeill

Anyone own or has experience with these horns?
What were the problems with them?

I know pre-UMI seem to be preferred, but not sure what the problems were with the quality of these horns, or playability.

Any comments welcomed.
Cheers

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Peter
Stopped Counting horns,
But just 1 more will be perfect...

Wlfgng

I have a Flair from '95 that I bought second hand. I have had zero problems with it, all i have done is just regular maintanance like I would with any other horn.

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Olds Ambassador(only one left, need more)
King Silver Flair - main horn
Selmer Cornet

Amatuers practice till they get it right, Professionals practice till they can't get it wrong.

rdt1959

I play on a Benge 65B. I am not sure what year it was made...probably 2000-2002 time frame. When I bought the horn used it was 1 - 2 years old. I have been been playing on it for 5-years or more now. (note: I am a comebacker and play primarily in church and community orchestras).

It is a good playing horn in my opinion. Good enough that I would have trouble justifying the expense of a new horn even if I had the money! I am not sure how a professional would rate the 65B, but it is certainly enough for an amateur comebacker like me! I have yet to attempt anything where I felt like the horn was holding me back.

It produces a nice tone for all the playing I do, and through my entire range too. I play a wide range of styles, and have yet been in a situation where my tone was not appropriate for the music (mind you...I might change mouthpieces once in a while. For instance, I might use my Bach 1C for working with the choir at church, and my Bach 5C if I am doing a solo with a jazz/swing passage).

The only problem I have had with it is the laquer finish on all the slides came off about a year after I bought the horn. I initially thought I had the water too hot when I gave it a "bath" one time. But a repair technician once told me that probably was not what happened because the finish is still good on the rest of the horn (lead pipe, valve casings, bell, etc).

Construction of the horn seems to be very good. It has held up to being knocked over by the dogs ($100 to fix the crinkled bell...$250 for materials to build an OUTSIDE kennel!) and various inquisitive visits by the 3-year old grand-daughter. The horn is starting to show it's age. Aside from the finish on the tuning slides, the laquer is starting to wear off in areas where I rest my fingers while playing. But I am sure that, after 5-years of being played almost every day, that would probably be happening with any horn.

In summary, on a scale of 1 to 10, I would give the 65B a 7.5.

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Dick Taylor
Georgia
Comeback Player
Benge 65B

Peter McNeill

Hi Dick for the reply,
Any chance of some pics ...it sounds like one robust horn, child-proof and dog-proof. And you bathe and sauna it as well

Thanks for the replies; I suppose there seems to be opinions against the UMI horns, and I am trying to find a cross section of replies of experience with them. It sounds like a re-badging job, but that does not necessarily mean poor quality. Perhaps a relative thing, or opinions from some who want to hang onto the old horns (and this I admire as well); but would like to understand why they are not so good.

I believe the Benge 65B, King Silver Flair, and Conn The Pro Connstellation horns were the same in the late 1990's...?? not sure if any others were included as well.

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Peter
Stopped Counting horns,
But just 1 more will be perfect...

Al Innella

I had a Benge 3X that I bought in the mid to late '80's , I traded it in for a horn that was freer blowing above G above high C ,but I wished all my other trumpets were built as well as that Benge.

Peter McNeill

Hi Al Innella,
I have a Benge 3X as well, and it is a really nice horn.
The 65B (UMI) is a different horn, in that it is heavier, valves are different and it has a brighter tone. The 3x is a horn I do not often play, but enjoy it every time.
Thanks

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Peter
Stopped Counting horns,
But just 1 more will be perfect...

gglassmeyer

I had played the 65BS (silver plated) along with the the heavier Lenore 90's once upon a time in a music store. The 65bs was much brighter sounding than the 90's and they didn't have a 3x to try along side. If I recall the 65BS was reguarded by the maker as a pro horn, but it is a 2 peice bell and some folks think pro horns should have a 1 peice bell. I thought it played well and seemed well made. The King Silver flair, i have no recollection of playing one.

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Greg Glassmeyer