MUSICandCHARACTER

It seems to me that Holton is a well-kept secret. They have the Maynard Line which is a great horn at a very reasonable price. The MF Admiral is only $750 street price. They have the Martin Committee, which is the only "colored" trumpet on the market that is any good at all, and the upper end Committee seems to be a good horn.

What about the Firebird trumpet?

You cannot overlook the Arturo Sandoval trumpets and fluegelhorns either.

The T650 seems like the only real competition to the Jupiter pocket trumpet.

Am I missing something, or is LeBlanc just a good horn series not talked about much?

Jim

mheffernen5

I saw one on Ebay for 917.00 and the silver one is 1,000...

musicalmason

I agree, a band teacher I know playes an MF ml bore horn, not sure what model, but it plays and sounds almost like a bach, for the price its very very reasonable. I recently play tested both the artuo sandoval horn and the committe (in silver) and for the prices found the sandoval horn to be extrodinary and the committe, which was slightly more expensive and didnt play as well as the sandoval, to still be decent. If anything trajic were to ever happen to my callet the leblanc sandoval horn would be at the top of my shopping list. I have heard that leblanc is the most inconsistent manufacturer out there today, moreso that bach, so I would certainly try before I buy. for the price I think leblanc makes some very good horns.

MUSICandCHARACTER

That is interesting. I have never heard that. I think the whole Bach thing is overblown anyway. All of LeBlanc's horns are made in one factory in (99% of units sold are manufactured entirely at Leblanc/Holton facilities in Wisconsin).

That doesn't mean a bum one doesn't come out once-in-a-while, but certainly a fairly small company with all of its production in one spot should have a grip on the quality control. Selmer-Conn is so big now under Steinway that it should be a challenge, but Steinway isn't known for making junk!

Jim

musicalmason

well like I said, Ive never played a bum one, but thats what Ive heard. it doesnt matter to me anyway, Id try before I buy weather I was buying a holton or an eclipse or an amati(hypothetical), it wouldnt matter. Ive already learned my lesson to try before I buy, when I was looking for my lead trumpet I had planned to order a used yamaha from dillons, but my parents wanted to drive down and play test, while I was there I played my callet, needless to say it played way better than the yammie for an almost equivelnt price, I didnt even like the yamaha I was going to order, Im sure glad my parents were wise enough to make me try before I bought, caue now I always know to do the same.

mheffernen5

the MF550 looks great

trptbenge

They have some pretty nice horns. Though, I have to admit I do not lik the Admiral horn. It is more of an intermediate version of the MF horns. The MF (both the ML & L bores) are excellent horns. The Sandoval trumpet is a a great horn but I have played 5 or 6 and really only liked two of them. One of them was outstanding. The Sandoval flugelhorn is rumored to be a copy of the Kanstul 1525 and is a great playing flugel tht falls a little short of the 1525. The new Piccolos are supposed to be very good as well.

The new Martin Committees do come in colors (there are a couple of other manufacturers that have horns lacquered in different colors) and are very good horns. The people at LeBlanc have studied Chris Bottis 1939 Martin Committee and they are trying to copy it. That would be great if they did.

Holton has had some very nice horns for a while. They bought the tooling from the Mt. Vernon Bachs and their 101 model was a copy of the MT. Vernon Bach. I have played a couple of the model 101's that were excellent horns.

For anyone that is interested in vintage horns LeBlanc Paris trumpets - including the LeBlanc Al Hirt were amazingly good horns. Holton also put out some other horns in the 50's like the Holton Stratodyne that were also great playing horns.

Holtons are somewhat overlooked but they have some great horns.

Mike

MUSICandCHARACTER

Mike, while doing some poking around on the Admiral, it seems that what you have said is true, it is SUPPOSED to be an intermediate trumpet. But because of the refinements made the the rest of the MF line, it plays way above that. It may not be a Vintage One, or an Eclipse. But for intermediate money, most have been saying you get a horn with professional qualities. Add something besides the stock 7C and you might have a horn that inches up towards the Strad in sound and quality (some might say it would be better, but I still believe in Bach) but at half the price.

Jim

DCB

I will have to say... try the T101 (Symphony). I just bought a used one from a trumpet player that has retired and it is the best playing trumpet I have ever played! I have played many different horns and owned many (Callet, WildThing, French Besson, Benge etc..) so I have played enough to know a little. It has the best valves I have ever pushed and it feels good in the hands. The intonation is spot on and slots very well even over double C. It has a nice and smooth sound until pushed. A simple mouthpiece cup depth change in either direction and you have a lead horn or Symphonic horn.... very flexible!

I am very happy and think I have found "the" trumpet for me... now the mouthpiece thing..... oh well. :wink:

bigaggietrumpet

Well, I have two stories.

One is my good ole buddy Fred (trust me, I have enough stories with him to fill up a LOT of bandwidth). He had an old, and I mean OLD Holton. When it was new, it had been a nickel body with lacquer trim. Don't know what model, as after middle school he never played it (switched to the LA Horn). We called it the Civil War. Pretty solid little horn, good tone.

My Holton T602, however, isn't as good in my opinion. It's not very open, and the valves are not as good as my Bach's. But, then again, it is the collegiate and I may be expecting too much.