horndevil

Last Friday..17th March (Paddy's day), my birthday!!

I treated myself to a morning out at Eclipse.

Leigh met me and offered me coffee and a quick tour, before taking me into the playing room, where there were around 20 instruments laid out ready to play.

I got to play everything in their playing room. at least 8 different trumpets, all the Flugels and cornets.

I took My Haagston trumpet, V1 Flugel and a Sovereign 928 cornet.

First, I tried out a heap of trumpets, comparing them to each other and to my Haagston. Although I didn't find any that I would give up the Haagston for, I did like 4 trumpets.

MHR
MHY
MR
and a beautiful rimmless bell that came closest to the resonant feeling that I get from the Haagston

Of these four, if I had to choose, it would have come down to the MHR and the rimless.

Every trumpet I tried was excellent, but some were more suited to me than the others.

Leigh was bringing in just finished instrument and adding them to the selection in the room.

Next I tried the Flugels and was very impressed with the Red bell. It had the same flexibility and ease of range as the trumpets and is the first Flugel I have played that out performs my V1. Not by a huge margin, but noticeably easier to play and so comfortable in the high register. I even played one that was still warm from the final assembly.

Finally I got to the cornets, the main reason for my visit. Again, I found the red bell to suit me better than the yellow or copper. I couldn't believe the playability of this cornet compared to the Sovereign. At first, I was overshooting intervals by a 3rd and some lip flexibilities were not controllable....Then I relaxed and let the instrument do some of the work and everything started to happen easier than I have ever experienced on a cornet before (I have been playing cornet at Championship Section level since the age of 9 and this was my 43rd birthday). The tone was clear, yet rich and warm as a cornet should be. Althgether, this was one of the best birthday treats I have ever given myself....then it got better!!!

I got used to the feel and ran through some usual repetoire to test different aspects of the cornet...hymn tunes (always a good test for a cornet's lyrical sound) and a couple of solos.

I just heard the door open as I was playing one hymn tune, expecting that it was Leigh bringing in another Flugel, I carried on playing and continued straight into part of the solo Virtuosity(Kenny Baker).

Then I turned around, only to see that 2 people had been standing there, listening to me playing for several minutes. They introduced themselves as Henry Lowther and Kenny Wheeler. I was astounded when thay said how well I play and thanked me for playing Virtuosity as they both knew Kenny Baker and had played with him.

Kenny Wheeler was there to play the Flugels and chose one of the Red brass ones as his own.

Henry then asked if he could play on my Haagston trumpet and took it through a quick testdrive.

I really couldn't imagine a better birthday trip!!!!

Special thanks to Leigh Mckinney, a true gent and master craftsman.

I hope to return to buy a cornet one day!

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Ian Barnes

Haagston US-3 Bb
Conn V1 Flugel
B&S ChallengerII Cornet
Didgeridoo - lump of wood with a hole in it

bandman

Sounds like a great day! Happy late birthday!

One piece of advice -- go buy that cornet you loved so much! Life is short and you should take advantage of all that life offers you!

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MrLT

omigod! Kenny and Henry - I'd give my right arm for that! wot a birthday party!

I was at eclipse a couple of weeks ago - to get a flugel. I chose one of the red brass ones - maybe you played that. leigh Had 2 there and the one i chose had a slightly warmer sound than the other and a more open blow. I also tried the rimless - an awesome horn, very powerful with enough resistance to keep you going for ages and a fantastic high range. And I also tried the cornet. now I'm not a cornet player - but that was the best and easiest instrument I've ever blown - luckily I had may Arban with me to give it a full workout. If I was in a position ot get one (maybe next yr?) I'd also have gone for the red bell.

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"I was minding my own business when something says to me, "you ought to blow trumpet." I have just been trying ever since." - Miles Davis

Eclipse LR/Warburton 3MD
Olds Custom/Warburton 3M
Eclipse Red Flugel/Bach 1 1/2C
B&H "78" cornet/ DW2B