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Comeback
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Joined: 22 Jun 2011
Posts: 605
Location: Indiana
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 Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2012 3:01 pm Post subject: Got a Flugelhorn |
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Well, I'd been curious long enough. The Blessing Artist was available at a good price and I "bit". I think its a 1990. Its in good shape, everything works, and its been fun to play, with a new Blessing 3C-FL. I'm not sure the previous owner knew much about flugels - for that matter neither does the buyer! 
Jim
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Bb Trumpets: 2000 Bach Stradivarius 180S37, 1972 Getzen Eterna Severinsen
Bb Cornet: 2008 Blessing XL-CR Shepherd's Crook
Flugelhorn: 1990 Blessing Artist |
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mrsemman
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Joined: 11 Apr 2010
Posts: 485
Location: West Brookfield, MA
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| Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2012 3:10 pm Post subject: |
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Congrats. Looks great! How does it play?
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Flip Oakes Wild Thing
Kanstul G Bugle
Jin Boa Bass Trumpet |
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cheiden
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Joined: 28 Sep 2004
Posts: 3572
Location: Orange County, CA
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| Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2012 3:19 pm Post subject: |
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Looks nice, congrats. Flugel can be a joy to play once you get lined up on it.
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"I'm an engineer, which means I think I know a whole bunch of stuff I really don't."
Charles J Heiden/So Cal
Bach Strad 180ML43*/43 Bb
Yamaha 731 Flugel
Kanstul 920 Picc
Conn 80A Cornet
Bach 3C rim/Bach 1-1/2C underpart |
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Comeback
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Joined: 22 Jun 2011
Posts: 605
Location: Indiana
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| Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2012 4:02 pm Post subject: How does it play |
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| mrsemman wrote: | | Congrats. Looks great! How does it play? |
Ive played some Arban's and an old familiar arrangement of Acapulco 1922 so far, mrsemman. I like the way it plays; sure slotting, nice upper register, good intonation. I'm still getting used to holding it. Its just not the same as a trumpet or cornet. And I'm still experimenting with how to see my music through trifocals while I play it!
cheiden wrote:
| Quote: | | ...once you get lined up on it. |
Is this part something of a challenge, Charles?
Jim
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Bb Trumpets: 2000 Bach Stradivarius 180S37, 1972 Getzen Eterna Severinsen
Bb Cornet: 2008 Blessing XL-CR Shepherd's Crook
Flugelhorn: 1990 Blessing Artist |
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cheiden
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Joined: 28 Sep 2004
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Location: Orange County, CA
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| Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2012 10:14 pm Post subject: |
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It was a challenge for me. When I first stated on the flugel I had significant trouble getting an even sound and reliable intonation. After some considerable flailing my teacher coached me to blow a little lower in the slot and things got way better.
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"I'm an engineer, which means I think I know a whole bunch of stuff I really don't."
Charles J Heiden/So Cal
Bach Strad 180ML43*/43 Bb
Yamaha 731 Flugel
Kanstul 920 Picc
Conn 80A Cornet
Bach 3C rim/Bach 1-1/2C underpart |
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Comeback
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Joined: 22 Jun 2011
Posts: 605
Location: Indiana
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| Posted: Wed Jul 04, 2012 3:05 am Post subject: You got to know how to hold it... |
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cheiden wrote:
| Quote: | | It was a challenge for me. When I first stated on the flugel I had significant trouble getting an even sound and reliable intonation. After some considerable flailing my teacher coached me to blow a little lower in the slot and things got way better. |
Charles,
So far, I've not detected trouble with sound, slotting and intonation. There seems to be much to learn about flugel mouthpieces. My seller knew very little about this topic. I received the horn with a Bach 10 1/2 C FL, which had the wrong size shank for the horn. He also offered me a 7C cornet piece, which would have simply rattled around in the leadpipe! I used the 10 1/2 briefly with predictable poor results. The new Blessing 3C FL I am using has the standard American shank, which fits the horn correctly and seems to play great! My present challenge is just getting used to holding the instrument and seeing around it through my eyeglasses.
Jim
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Bb Trumpets: 2000 Bach Stradivarius 180S37, 1972 Getzen Eterna Severinsen
Bb Cornet: 2008 Blessing XL-CR Shepherd's Crook
Flugelhorn: 1990 Blessing Artist |
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oldblow
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Joined: 19 Apr 2004
Posts: 517
Location: Mitchell, Georgia
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| Posted: Wed Jul 04, 2012 3:34 am Post subject: |
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I hope to catch up with you tomorrow, Jim. I bought the Elkhart flugel that languished in the TH marketplace, and according to the tracking number, it will be here tomorrow. If I can get accustomed to it in a few days and be ready to perform, our music director/organist will be thrilled.
I love the copper bell thing on yours; mine is vanilla silver, and has many miles on it, but Dick Akright put the amado valves on it, which probably led some members of this forum to assume that it was a later Chinese/Bach Elkhart.
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Felton (Butch) Bohannon |
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musicalmason1
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Joined: 08 Apr 2005
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| Posted: Wed Jul 04, 2012 4:10 am Post subject: |
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| I have one of those, except mine is the 100 year anniversary model that was sold at Dillons. I think it is basically the same as yours, except with extra engraving and a trigger. I have been playing on it since 2005, and haven't yet thought about getting rid of it. When I bought it, I went to dillons and tried just about every flugel they had, and didn't ask about the price. I narrowed the field down to this and a Kanstul 1525. I really liked both of them...but in the end I did end up asking the prices, and that made the difference for me. I think I paid about $800 for the blessing, brand new. I remember thinking that the kanstul was a great horn, but not $2000 better. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it, I've been loving mine since I bought it. Really underrated horns I think. |
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RandyTX
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Joined: 25 Mar 2010
Posts: 2734
Location: Texas
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| Posted: Wed Jul 04, 2012 6:38 am Post subject: |
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| Prices must have changed a lot between 2005 and 2010 then on the Kanstul. I paid nowhere near the $3000 your post seems to imply. And yes, I bought mine from Dillon as well. |
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wvtrumpet
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Joined: 15 Sep 2004
Posts: 2860
Location: West Virginia
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| Posted: Wed Jul 04, 2012 2:28 pm Post subject: |
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I own and play this horn in all sorts of professional situations. It is a very fine underrated horn. I do however suggest that you pick up and after market Melk leadpipe. It will greatly improve the blow and intonation of this instrument. I also recommend dumping the Blessing mouthpiece. Pick up a curry, wick or warburton mp and you will also see vast improvements on this horn!!!! Enjoy, not sure what you paid, but sounds like you got a steal!!!! Neil
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Freelance Performer/Teacher WV, PA, MD, and OH http://www.neil-king.com
Adams A4, Adams F1 Flugelhorn, Schilke P5-4, Stomvi Eb/D Elite, Bach C 229 bell 25A, York Monarch cornet. |
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Comeback
Heavyweight Member
Joined: 22 Jun 2011
Posts: 605
Location: Indiana
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| Posted: Wed Jul 04, 2012 2:32 pm Post subject: Novel Flugel |
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| oldblow wrote: | | I hope to catch up with you tomorrow, Jim. I bought the Elkhart flugel that languished in the TH marketplace, and according to the tracking number, it will be here tomorrow. If I can get accustomed to it in a few days and be ready to perform, our music director/organist will be thrilled. |
Butch,
Have you had a flugel before? I played mine quite a lot today. This may not make sense to some, but in many respects it seemed to play more easily than my trumpets and cornets. It particularly seems easier for me to intentionally move around in the upper part of my present usable range (high C). Another thing I appreciate is that the flugel, with its mellow tone, seems easier on my ears. I am just shy of 60 and have spent too much time in noisy environs. Sometimes the unmuted cornets and trumpets are a little uncomfortable when I play them in my man cave. I suppose I'm caught up in the novelty of the thing, but so far the flugel has really been an enjoyable instrument. I hope yours ends up being all you want it to be.
Jim
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Bb Trumpets: 2000 Bach Stradivarius 180S37, 1972 Getzen Eterna Severinsen
Bb Cornet: 2008 Blessing XL-CR Shepherd's Crook
Flugelhorn: 1990 Blessing Artist |
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Comeback
Heavyweight Member
Joined: 22 Jun 2011
Posts: 605
Location: Indiana
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| Posted: Wed Jul 04, 2012 2:49 pm Post subject: 100 Year Anniversary Horns |
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| musicalmason1 wrote: | | I have one of those, except mine is the 100 year anniversary model.....I hope you enjoy it, I've been loving mine since I bought it. Really underrated horns I think. |
Interesting, musical mason1. I have a 100 year anniversary ML1, and it is a terrific horn. I've certainly been enjoying my flugel so far. It is encouraging to know that you like yours.
Jim
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Bb Trumpets: 2000 Bach Stradivarius 180S37, 1972 Getzen Eterna Severinsen
Bb Cornet: 2008 Blessing XL-CR Shepherd's Crook
Flugelhorn: 1990 Blessing Artist |
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Comeback
Heavyweight Member
Joined: 22 Jun 2011
Posts: 605
Location: Indiana
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| Posted: Wed Jul 04, 2012 3:21 pm Post subject: A Steal |
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| wvtrumpet wrote: | | I own and play this horn in all sorts of professional situations. It is a very fine underrated horn. I do however suggest that you pick up and after market Melk leadpipe. It will greatly improve the blow and intonation of this instrument. I also recommend dumping the Blessing mouthpiece. Pick up a curry, wick or warburton mp and you will also see vast improvements on this horn!!!! Enjoy, not sure what you paid, but sounds like you got a steal!!!! Neil |
Neil,
I paid a little less than $400 for the horn, a Bach 10 1/2C FL, a leather gig bag, and a flugel stand. The new Blessing 3C-Fl was another $28.50. I do not know if it was a steal or not, but I am happy. Your satisfaction is certainly encouraging. I do not know if I would be able to appreciate the difference a Melk leadpipe might make, but I will look into it. Have you played a Blessing 3C-FL? The reason I ask is because I think they are made by Warburton. Thank you for your suggestions.
Jim
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Bb Trumpets: 2000 Bach Stradivarius 180S37, 1972 Getzen Eterna Severinsen
Bb Cornet: 2008 Blessing XL-CR Shepherd's Crook
Flugelhorn: 1990 Blessing Artist
Last edited by Comeback on Thu Jul 05, 2012 3:00 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Bruin
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Joined: 21 Mar 2008
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Location: L.A. area
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| Posted: Wed Jul 04, 2012 4:21 pm Post subject: Re: How does it play |
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| Comeback wrote: | I like the way it plays; sure slotting, nice upper register, good intonation.
Jim |
Jim, sounds like you did VERY WELL with this purchase. Congrats! Glad you got a nice horn at a good price, and are happy with it.
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'64 Connstellation 38B*
Kanstul 700S**
Jupiter 846S flugelhorn***
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oldblow
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Joined: 19 Apr 2004
Posts: 517
Location: Mitchell, Georgia
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| Posted: Wed Jul 04, 2012 4:32 pm Post subject: |
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Have I ever played a flugel? I'm not even sure I've ever seen a flugel! I spent my youth in early Athens, GA rock bands, and was working on a Hammond, with an Olds on top of the Hammond for giggles.
These days, I'm strictly a Sunday morning guy who tries to blow the back of the bell ringers heads off. I turn 70 this December, so Tom Turner's comment about "old men's horns" in another thread stung a little.
I thought I got a great flugel sound out of a Bach 310 with a Boston mouthpiece, but my wife and the church music director thought differently, so what the heck. She paid for the flugelhorn and I had to find some hustle money and reimburse her. I expect to find a new learning curve, and to begin it with great optimism. Domestic support is important at my age!
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Felton (Butch) Bohannon |
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oldblow
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Location: Mitchell, Georgia
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| Posted: Wed Jul 04, 2012 5:17 pm Post subject: |
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Sorry I lost your thread of thought, Jim. I have read other posts about a certain ease in the upper register for some new flugel players, and hope that is true for me. My French horn range is easier than on trumpet or cornet, but the cornet and trumpet range is getting better with consistent work. At the moment, however, my real performing range is stuck at high C or D. The mental aspect of range still haunts me at crunch time.
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Felton (Butch) Bohannon |
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Goldplate
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Joined: 14 Sep 2004
Posts: 69
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| Posted: Wed Jul 04, 2012 7:20 pm Post subject: |
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| wvtrumpet wrote: | | I own and play this horn in all sorts of professional situations. It is a very fine underrated horn. I do however suggest that you pick up and after market Melk leadpipe. It will greatly improve the blow and intonation of this instrument. I also recommend dumping the Blessing mouthpiece. Pick up a curry, wick or warburton mp and you will also see vast improvements on this horn!!!! Enjoy, not sure what you paid, but sounds like you got a steal!!!! Neil |
That is a very interesting comment Neil. I think I have a four valve version of this horn and it plays very badly with the Yamaha and Bach mouthpieces I have tried on it. Several times I thought about getting rid of it, and then I play with the Blessing mouthpiece that came with it and it plays pretty well. It is great for working on pedal tones. I just don't like the mouthpiece all that much. Maybe I'll look into the Melk leadpipe for mine. I think the model number is B155. |
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wvtrumpet
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Joined: 15 Sep 2004
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Location: West Virginia
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| Posted: Wed Jul 04, 2012 7:27 pm Post subject: |
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| Goldplate wrote: | | wvtrumpet wrote: | | I own and play this horn in all sorts of professional situations. It is a very fine underrated horn. I do however suggest that you pick up and after market Melk leadpipe. It will greatly improve the blow and intonation of this instrument. I also recommend dumping the Blessing mouthpiece. Pick up a curry, wick or warburton mp and you will also see vast improvements on this horn!!!! Enjoy, not sure what you paid, but sounds like you got a steal!!!! Neil |
That is a very interesting comment Neil. I think I have a four valve version of this horn and it plays very badly with the Yamaha and Bach mouthpieces I have tried on it. Several times I thought about getting rid of it, and then I play with the Blessing mouthpiece that came with it and it plays pretty well. It is great for working on pedal tones. I just don't like the mouthpiece all that much. Maybe I'll look into the Melk leadpipe for mine. I think the model number is B155. |
You will love the Melk leadpipe. It's funny, the Blessing mp never worked well for me at all. It was and epic impact from the minute that I switched to a Curry mp. I have to be honest, I am not a big equipment guy. I am a fellow that believes a lot of people made a lot of money just picking up a stock horn and a stock mouthpiece and practicing. But I do also know that equipment plays a factor in our results.
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Freelance Performer/Teacher WV, PA, MD, and OH http://www.neil-king.com
Adams A4, Adams F1 Flugelhorn, Schilke P5-4, Stomvi Eb/D Elite, Bach C 229 bell 25A, York Monarch cornet. |
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musicalmason1
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Joined: 08 Apr 2005
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| Posted: Wed Jul 04, 2012 8:06 pm Post subject: |
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| RandyTX wrote: | | Prices must have changed a lot between 2005 and 2010 then on the Kanstul. I paid nowhere near the $3000 your post seems to imply. And yes, I bought mine from Dillon as well. |
Yeah, my memory of numbers is probably way off. maybe the kanstul was about 1800 back then? Im not sure. It wasn't 3000 though, you are right about that. |
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Comeback
Heavyweight Member
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Posts: 605
Location: Indiana
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| Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2012 3:32 pm Post subject: Pure Fun! |
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| oldblow wrote: | | Sorry I lost your thread of thought, Jim. I have read other posts about a certain ease in the upper register for some new flugel players, and hope that is true for me. My French horn range is easier than on trumpet or cornet, but the cornet and trumpet range is getting better with consistent work. At the moment, however, my real performing range is stuck at high C or D. The mental aspect of range still haunts me at crunch time. |
Butch,
Did you get your flugel? I am practicing with mine right now, reading TH posts while resting in between exercises. Concerning that range thing; perhaps you will experience something similar to what I am enjoying. The mental aspect seems to diminish for me with the flugel. My high D tonight was strong and sustained; pure fun! I detected a bit of sharpness on a few notes earlier this evening. I moved the leadpipe out 3/8" and voila! Gone!
Jim
_________________
Bb Trumpets: 2000 Bach Stradivarius 180S37, 1972 Getzen Eterna Severinsen
Bb Cornet: 2008 Blessing XL-CR Shepherd's Crook
Flugelhorn: 1990 Blessing Artist |
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