Amati???

nextbrassguy · Heavyweight Member Joined: 21 Oct 2003 Posts: 1428

I found some of the posts to this thread interesting:

http://trumpetherald.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=24411

While I have never tried any Amati horns, they do not have a good reputation, and I had always assumed I should avoid them. Does anyone out there have any actual experience with Amati horns and with their Eb cornet in particular? I'd like to get an Eb cornet for occasional use in a community band, but I can't justify spending too much on one. It seems that my options are Amati at around $300 or Besson, Yamaha, Kanstul, Lawler, etc. at $1,500 and up (and forget Blackburn at more than $4,000, not that I wouldn't love to have one!!

). Do I have any other options? Should I consider an Amati Eb? Eb's are hard enough for reputable manufacturers to do well.

drtrumpet1 · Posted: Wed Sep 29, 2004 12:32 pm Post subject:

I've got a friend that plays on an Amati short-bell picc, and it's not bad. I'd say it's a couple of steps below the top line piccs (Stomvi Master, Schilke P5-4, etc.). That's the only Amati experience I have.
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Bach Model 37 Bb
Stomvi Mahler C
Reynolds Argenta Cornet

trumpetmike · Posted: Wed Sep 29, 2004 3:57 pm Post subject:

Amati - in short, avoid.

The valves have had a revolution recently, but are still many generations behind all major manufacturers.

I was on tour in Prague last year and visited the Amati-Denak shop, in central Prague. I was there with a trombone colleague and we had our mouthpiece pouches with us (anyone would think we were looking to try things out!!!). They were very accomodating, allowing us to basically play our way round the whole shop. Even with the amazing prices (about $400 for the top end Amatis), we couldn't find a single instrument that warranted a second look.
As a piccolo trumpet specialist, the Amati piccolo is the funniest piccolo I have ever played. The octaves were nowhere near in tune with each other, whichever mouthpiece I tried (I usually carry a selection when trying out new toys), and the instrument responded like a brick. Not recommended from this poster.

If you are looking for a fairly decent Eb cornet, for not a great amount of money, the Besson 700 range has very good intonation and a sound that got me through many concerts whilst at university (at Huddersfield, in the UK - centre of the UK Brass Band movement).
I have a Besson 700 Eb that I might be willing to part with - PM me if you are interested (I currently have 2 soprano cornets and have been looking to sell one for some time - I need to build up my Eclipse fund!!).

GordonH · Posted: Thu Sep 30, 2004 5:38 am Post subject:

Check out the Yamaha student model Eb cornet.
I do not know if they sell this in the USA but we get them in the UK and they are very very good value for money.
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Bb - Scherzer 8218W, Schilke S22, Bach 43, Selmer 19A Balanced
Pic - Weril
Flugel - Courtois 154
Cornet - Geneva Heritage, Conn 28A
Mouthpieces - Monette 1-5 rims and similar.

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