Geneva Brass Instruments

Louise Finch · Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2014 3:09 am Post subject: Geneva Brass Instruments

Hi

At my brass band last night, the Geneva rep brought a couple of cornets (one with standard bottom valve caps, and one with three heavy bottom valve caps), a tenor horn and a Euphonium for us to try amongst ourselves for the duration of the rehearsal:

http://s434355904.initial-website.co.uk/

I had an inital blow on the cornet with the standard valve caps before the rehearsal and it played well, was free blowing, and had a nice sound according to my colleagues.

I heard another player saying that it was stuffy and narrow slotting. That wasn't my impression, and then I realised why he was saying it.

I handed the cornet with the standard caps to another player, then the Geneva rep gave me the other one during the rehearsal.

Forgetting that the other one had three heavy bottom valve caps, I immediately gave it to another player, who passed it on to two other players. No one spent long on it. I was surprised because I had liked the one I tried. I then asked for it back for my When you wish upon a star solo, and I was confused. Suddenly this cornet was stuffy and had very rigid slotting, and was very heavy in the hand. It then suddenly dawned on me, I had the heavy valve capped one.

I had another go on the one with the standard bottom valve caps, and it is a nice cornet in my opinion, and another option to consider for someone looking for a Brass Band cornet. I didn't spend enough time on it to really compare it to a Maestro/Xeno or Neo, or a Sovereign or Prestige.

Has anyone else tried these, and for interests sake only (I am definitely not looking for another cornet), what did they think of it?

Many Thanks

Lou
_________________
Trumpets:
Yamaha 8335 Xeno II
Bach Strad 180ML/37
B&H Oxford
Kanstul F Besson C
Yamaha D and D/Eb
- James R New Custom 3Cs
Flugel:
Bach Strad 183 - Bach 3CFL
Cornets:
Yamaha Neo + Xeno
Bach Strad 184ML
B&H Imperial
- Kanstul Custom 3Cs

Louise Finch · Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2014 4:26 am Post subject:

Hi

Just wondering whether any of the Brits on here have any thoughts on this range of Brass Band instruments.

Surely Chelmsford Silver Band (non contesting local town band), cannot be the only UK Brass Band who the Geneva rep visisted with their range of instruments.

As I said in my previous post, I didn't play on the cornet long enough to really decide how it compared to a Besson or Yamaha cornet, but it seemed to play well with a good sound.

All the best

Lou
_________________
Trumpets:
Yamaha 8335 Xeno II
Bach Strad 180ML/37
B&H Oxford
Kanstul F Besson C
Yamaha D and D/Eb
- James R New Custom 3Cs
Flugel:
Bach Strad 183 - Bach 3CFL
Cornets:
Yamaha Neo + Xeno
Bach Strad 184ML
B&H Imperial
- Kanstul Custom 3Cs

Rapier232 · Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2014 6:28 am Post subject:

I was told, by a band that had been visited, they don't think much of them generally. But that's just hearsay, so inadmissible in evidence.
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Louise Finch · Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2014 7:19 am Post subject:

Flugelnut · Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2014 4:21 am Post subject:

Louise: you raised my curiosity sufficiently to go and have a look at the Geneva website.
Among the people endorsing their cornets is a certain David King.
Now if that is THE David King, it must say something about their cornets, wouldn't you agree?

Louise Finch · Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2014 9:31 am Post subject:

Dale Proctor · Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2014 10:07 am Post subject:

It's funny how those heavy caps can really muck up some instruments, isn't it? I had a set for my Bach 184 and the cornet took more effort to play when they were installed.
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dstdenis · Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2014 4:46 pm Post subject:

I saw that the Georgia Brass Band announced on August 25 that their cornet section is playing Geneva Symphony cornets. They offered a few remarks about the cornets in the comment section next to this announcement.

https://www.facebook.com/georgiabrassband

I took my family up to the University of Georgia last October to hear a concert of the Georgia Brass Band with Phil Smith, who played on a few selections and conducted a few others. The GBB sounded great, including the cornet section, as did Mr. Smith, who played flugelhorn on His Eye is on the Sparrow and his Getzen Eterna cornet on Quicksilver, a duet with Doug Lindsey. Great concert!
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Louise Finch · Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2014 12:33 pm Post subject:

bach_again · Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2014 2:01 pm Post subject:

I tried one of their flugels once. Caveat: I think it was an old one too - a friend brought it to a gig. I don't think it is that new.

Very unimpressed. Granted I play jazz, not brass band, but I have a good flugel sound. I really take care to have such. I have played flugel in brass band on a few occasions and I hated doing so - though that is a damnation of the bands as much as the seat itself. Having to project over an ugly and loud band - no thank-you!!! Flugel is a very unique and delicate voice. Force is the enemy. Anyway....

Fit and finish very sub par.
Valves were poor.
Tuning was everywhere.
The sound. I just couldn't like it!
The blow was terribly uneven between registers and between different valve combinations.

I'm awfully sorry that my opinion is as strong, and I wouldn't write all their instruments off, but I wouldn't choose to play their flugels. Granted I maybe got a 5pm Friday or 8am Monday morning after a weekend boozing model, but the fit and finish wouldn't sway me so much as the sound and tuning would. I have to love the sound, and I really didn't.

Again, I don't mean any harm to the company name, but this is my honest experience. Gerard Presencer uses/used them. It clearly works for him, and he is one of the best players about - in my opinion!!

When I first started playing flugel I tried a Blessing of some sort. I sold it so fast you wouldn't believe. Large bore with terrible tuning. I then got a Thomann silver-plated Yamaha-copy horn. I used that for 3/4 years. It was far superior in tone to the Geneva. Fit and finish weren't great, mind. I play a 1525 and that is the standard I set for flugels. The tuning isn't perfect, but the sound. That sells me.

Sorry to ramble, but from a jazz player with previous banding experience (6 years on solo cornet/rep and a little sop/flugel experience) the Geneva flugel wasn't for me.

As for heavy caps - never tried them on anything besides trumpet. I use 1 heavy cap on 3rd. It makes the slots more defined. All 3 heavy and the horn loses vibrance - on my Jupiter 1600i XO at least, all 3 light is very good, but that slight extra click on slots with the 3rd heavy I like. I will experiment further. 3 standard caps really resonates well.

Mike
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Landrewp · Regular Member Joined: 07 May 2012 Posts: 45

A lot of top players are now using them (I think Grimethorpe is the latest cornet section to switch) . I played on one briefly at band and I found the sound to be good and the upper register to be particularly easy. It didn't cope with louder dynamics as well as my Prestige. Our back row said it played low notes well. It's certainly worth a look if you are in the market for a new cornet.

Louise Finch · Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2014 2:56 am Post subject:

Louise Finch · Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2014 2:58 am Post subject:

Louise Finch · Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2014 3:14 am Post subject:

GordonH · Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2014 5:01 am Post subject: Re: Geneva Brass Instruments

They visited my former band and I had a go on it.
I felt it was a good "honeymoon" cornet. It felt more responsive than the sovereign I was playing on at the time, but was definitely tighter, but also a bit inconsistent across the range. It also felt a bit trumpety to me. I wouldn't definitely rule it out as a choice, but I would want a longer loan of one to see if it felt as good later on.
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Louise Finch · Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2014 5:52 am Post subject: Re: Geneva Brass Instruments

GrahamB · Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2014 5:51 pm Post subject:

I've had the privilege of playing 2 Bb Symphony Cornets, and both of them were LOVELY.

The weight is quite heavy, but after a while you get used to it. The "targets" on each note between high and low registers are very easy to hit, and the instrument plays extremely easily.

On both of these cornets, I've found that they play very securely and they instil me with a sense of confidence as I play. Easy high register, and they respond nimbly to multiple articulation as well.

All in all, I'm very impressed with these, but please note that I've only played 2 of these.
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Louise Finch · Posted: Thu Dec 18, 2014 2:10 am Post subject:

Brassnose · Posted: Sat Feb 01, 2020 10:08 pm Post subject:

Resurrecting an old-ish thread, I know. I came across the Geneva website recently (again) and thought they had some interesting horns. I am particularly intrigued by their Ulysses trumpet with the nickel silver bell.

Not to focus on this one but rather generally speaking: is there anyone who played recent Gemeva instruments and cares to comment? Playability, intonation, valves, workmanship?

Pricewise they seem rather interesting, especially considering the fact that some other builders sell e.g. nickel silver bell horns in the 6000 EUR range (which I clearly cannot afford - but you can tell I like those bells

).
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Louise Finch · Posted: Sun Feb 02, 2020 5:31 am Post subject:

Hi

I've played the Geneva Oldroyd Cardinal cornet and the Geneva Symphony cornet, albeit both fairly briefly.

https://www.bandsupplies.co.uk/cardinal-cr-product/

A Geneva rep visited my previous brass band a few years back and brought the Symphony. It was passed along the cornet line during the two hour rehearsal, and we all spent a while on it. I thought that it was a nice enough cornet, a little more open blowing than my Yamaha Xeno, and I liked it more than the Besson Sovereign and Prestige, but I was happy to switch back to my Yamaha Xeno.

A couple of years later, a player joined who loved her Geneva Symphony cornet. Whilst it went back to the retailer for a service, she had a go on the Geneva Oldroyd Cardinal and liked it so much, she traded her cornet in on the spot for the Oldroyd Cardinal.

I've had a reasonable go on her Oldroyd Cardinal, and it plays a lot more a long the lines of my Yamaha Xeno. I liked it to be honest, and this is one cornet I'd be happy to play long term. I didn't necessarily like it more than my Xeno, but I was perfectly happy with it, and if I was made to switch to the Geneva Oldroyd Cardinal for any reason, I would be perfectly happy.

I hope that this is of some help.

All the best

Lou
_________________
Trumpets:
Yamaha 8335 Xeno II
Bach Strad 180ML/37
B&H Oxford
Kanstul F Besson C
Yamaha D and D/Eb
- James R New Custom 3Cs
Flugel:
Bach Strad 183 - Bach 3CFL
Cornets:
Yamaha Neo + Xeno
Bach Strad 184ML
B&H Imperial
- Kanstul Custom 3Cs