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ENINCA Veteran Member
Joined: 13 May 2005 Posts: 185 Location: California
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Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2009 12:30 pm Post subject: Flugel for $300 or Less? |
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I'm looking for a decent-playing flugel for $300 or less (mostly, the "less" part.) I'm having a tough time finding anything I feel comfortable pulling the trigger on. The no-name flugels on Ebay scare me, but there aren't any Yamahas etc. in my price range. I don't need it to be pretty, just functional, meaning valves that don't stick and decent intonation. It can be pretty banged up as long as it still sings.
I know the answer's probably "save your money for a good horn", but just in case there's a secret stash of decent cheap flugals somewhere, I thought I'd ask the great and wise TH! |
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Bill Blackwell Heavyweight Member
Joined: 28 Nov 2008 Posts: 1020 Location: Southern CA
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Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2009 12:47 pm Post subject: Re: Flugel for $300 or Less? |
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ENINCA wrote: | I'm looking for a decent-playing flugel for $300 or less (mostly, the "less" part.) I'm having a tough time finding anything I feel comfortable pulling the trigger on. The no-name flugels on Ebay scare me, but there aren't any Yamahas etc. in my price range. I don't need it to be pretty, just functional, meaning valves that don't stick and decent intonation. It can be pretty banged up as long as it still sings... |
I have seen older Yamahas (and the like) close in the $600 range on eBay (these are the best buy for folks on a budget) - and you are wise not to consider that cheep cr*p - but I would suggest what you are asking is pretty near impossible.
The cheapest new flugelhorn of any consequence is probably an Eastman (around $600) - and IMHO these are just barely worth it. I would rather opt for an older used Yamaha (as noted already).
At your budget I think you'll have to be content with a bucket mute (~$40 bucks) and keep saving. _________________ Bill Blackwell
Founder - Sons of Thunder Big Band Machine
Wild Thing Bb - Copper
Wild Thing Flugelhorn - Copper
Wild Thing Short-Model Cornet - Copper
The future ain't what it used to be. ...
- Yogi Berra |
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ENINCA Veteran Member
Joined: 13 May 2005 Posts: 185 Location: California
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Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2009 12:54 pm Post subject: Re: Flugel for $300 or Less? |
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[quote="Bill Blackwell"]I would suggest what you are asking is pretty near impossible.
[/quote]
Thanks. Unfortunately, I knew that was probably the answer. I'll keep my eyes peeled for used "steals", I guess. |
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Bruin Heavyweight Member
Joined: 21 Mar 2008 Posts: 1346 Location: L.A. area
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Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2009 12:56 pm Post subject: Re: Flugel for $300 or Less? |
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If you want to stay closer to that "or less" than $300, I've seen a few Jupiter flugels on craigslist.org for about $400 that were near-new. I got my near-new Jupiter 846S (silver) on eBay for $525 including shipping - steal of a deal. _________________ '64 Conn Connstellation 38B
Jupiter 846S flugelhorn
CarolBrass Mini Pocket Trumpet
Schilke 17& 17D4d4 trumpet mpcs
Schilke 17F flugelhorn mpc |
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cjl Heavyweight Member
Joined: 11 Apr 2005 Posts: 2421 Location: TN
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Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2009 1:22 pm Post subject: |
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FYI: The Xstream company has 2008 flugels (and trumpets) for $350. Obviously it is a chinese made horn. Is it worth $350? I don't know. Search the Horns forum and see what has been written about the Xstream line.
I don't know if they even have any left.
http://www.xstreammusicproducts.com/specials.htm
-- Joe |
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mpo Heavyweight Member
Joined: 24 Apr 2008 Posts: 577
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Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2009 1:29 pm Post subject: |
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Baptiste without a doubt. Can be found at Sam Ash for around $400 new. They are great playing cheap horns. Some were made side by side with the B and S horns in Germany. |
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ENINCA Veteran Member
Joined: 13 May 2005 Posts: 185 Location: California
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Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2009 4:22 pm Post subject: Thanks. |
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[quote="mpo"]Baptiste without a doubt. Can be found at Sam Ash for around $400 new. They are great playing cheap horns. Some were made side by side with the B and S horns in Germany.[/quote]
Thanks. I've never heard of Baptiste, but for a usable cheapie, this looks interesting. [/quote] |
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Dr. Stu Heavyweight Member
Joined: 03 Jul 2004 Posts: 651 Location: New York, N.Y.
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Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2009 5:11 pm Post subject: |
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If it's the flugel sound you want, you could probably do very well by buying a more conical short model cornet (could get a really good used cornet in the $200+ range) and get a really deep V cup mouthpiece for it. I think Bob Reeves used to have a mouthpiece designed to give a more flugely sound from a trumpet (perhaps they make one for cornet too). There are people on this site who would know much more about this than I do, so perhaps some of them will chime in.
Seems like a really good cornet with the right mp would serve you better than a crappy flugelhorn in the long run, anyway.
-Stu |
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dwindham Veteran Member
Joined: 17 Aug 2006 Posts: 313 Location: TX
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Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2009 5:59 pm Post subject: |
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I may be the exception to this.
I just recently found a 1977 Olds Super Star flugel off craigslist I got shipped to me for $250 in its original case with mouthpiece.
All I had to do was give it a bath and new spit valve corks and was good to go.
I got it from the 2nd owner that got it in 1982 but had not played it since the mid 90s.
Here's a quick shot of it
_________________ IT Security Professional
Comeback Trumpet Player
1939 Holton Revelation Model 45
1985 Bach 37 Strad
1984 Yamaha 6335S |
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Thumper Veteran Member
Joined: 03 Jul 2008 Posts: 244 Location: Indiana
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Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2009 2:14 am Post subject: |
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remember that you rarely don't get what you pay for. |
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trmptz Heavyweight Member
Joined: 17 Sep 2004 Posts: 791 Location: St. Louis "Blues"!
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Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2009 5:20 am Post subject: |
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cjl wrote: | FYI: The Xstream company has 2008 flugels (and trumpets) for $350. Obviously it is a chinese made horn. Is it worth $350? I don't know. Search the Horns forum and see what has been written about the Xstream line.
I don't know if they even have any left.
http://www.xstreammusicproducts.com/specials.htm
-- Joe |
I believe the Xstream line comes out of Taiwan. I have one of their trumpets which I feel is a pretty nice horn. I imagine the flugels are just as nice. Give 'em a try. John Eth who runs Xstream is a great guy to deal with. |
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rolling360 Heavyweight Member
Joined: 29 Oct 2006 Posts: 1346 Location: Belfast, Ireland
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Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2009 6:03 am Post subject: |
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Dont cut yourself short, just wait a bit and save a few more dollars and look for a nice used Getzen Flugel. The Capri or even some of the Eternas sell in the 400 to 600 range. Why waste the money for something that may not last and you will never get your money out of when you go to re sell it. |
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westview1900 Heavyweight Member
Joined: 09 Aug 2005 Posts: 1617
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westview1900 Heavyweight Member
Joined: 09 Aug 2005 Posts: 1617
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Rich G Heavyweight Member
Joined: 06 Sep 2004 Posts: 2998 Location: Connecticut
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Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2009 8:39 am Post subject: |
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mpo wrote: | Baptiste without a doubt. Can be found at Sam Ash for around $400 new. They are great playing cheap horns. Some were made side by side with the B and S horns in Germany. |
Great suggestion!!!
The Jean Baptiste flugels look like a much more expensive horn (with vertical slides) and play very well. They are a small bore, like Couesnon's, with a 6" bell.
Right now my email is being clogged with sales pitches from Sam Ash with 20% off on any item over $299.
You will not do better for $400 than this, and you're getting a new horn for $399.99.
If the 20% discount is available to you, it can be had for around $320.
A steal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! _________________ "I tried practicing for a few weeks, and ended up playing too fast." Paul Desmond |
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ChopsGone Heavyweight Member
Joined: 20 Dec 2008 Posts: 1793
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Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2009 10:13 am Post subject: |
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For that kind of money, I'd vote for the Xstream. I talked to John Eth about them, found they were made in the same factory that makes Jupiter and many other brands. He checks them out individually before shipping. For $350, it seemed worth trying. And it turned out to be pretty good - better than you'd expect for that price. It doesn't have the same tonal quality as a pro flugelhorn, but careful mouthpiece selection can improve it. It's definitely several steps above the Nom-du-jour Chinese and Indian stencils on eBay (can you say "POS"?). OK, I only bought it as my granddaughter's take-to-school flugel, to save wear and tear on a pro-grade Besson. She'll take a better horn for concerts, but even if she only had the one, she'd be satisfied. _________________ Vintage Olds & Reynolds & Selmers galore
Aubertins, Bessons, Calicchios, Courtois, Wild Things, Marcinkiewicz, Ogilbee Thumpet, DeNicola Puje, Kanstuls.... |
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Thumper Veteran Member
Joined: 03 Jul 2008 Posts: 244 Location: Indiana
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Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2009 1:24 pm Post subject: |
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that exstream site is wacked! they can't even post real pictures of their horns just some fancy drawing. At least with Sam Ash you can go there and touch and feel and play them. |
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Archie Sawyer Heavyweight Member
Joined: 16 Apr 2004 Posts: 668
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Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2009 4:08 pm Post subject: |
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Rich G wrote: | mpo wrote: | Baptiste without a doubt. Can be found at Sam Ash for around $400 new. They are great playing cheap horns. Some were made side by side with the B and S horns in Germany. |
Great suggestion!!!
The Jean Baptiste flugels look like a much more expensive horn (with vertical slides) and play very well. They are a small bore, like Couesnon's, with a 6" bell.
Right now my email is being clogged with sales pitches from Sam Ash with 20% off on any item over $299.
You will not do better for $400 than this, and you're getting a new horn for $399.99.
If the 20% discount is available to you, it can be had for around $320.
A steal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
I just posted about this on another thread but currently, the photo shown on the Sam Ash site, appears to be a Chinese model, not a B & S Challenger stencil. If someone knows differently, please say so. I would be definitely curious to know.
Archie |
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ndelson Veteran Member
Joined: 05 Dec 2004 Posts: 245 Location: Doylestown, PA
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Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2009 4:15 pm Post subject: |
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I hate to put down a brand on the open forum, but the few Jean Baptiste trumpets (and other instruments for that matter) have been unplayable. Neither trumpet played up to pitch, even with the tuning slide pushed all the way in. The clarinets and saxophones were worse.
As for the others, I cannot really say. How about a Curry TF/TC mouthpiece for your B-flat trumpet? That's a nice compromise for less than $100. |
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Mr.Hollywood Heavyweight Member
Joined: 14 Dec 2002 Posts: 1730
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Posted: Sun Jan 11, 2009 12:24 am Post subject: |
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I've got a Blessing Artist Model you can have for 200.00 + shipping.
The horn is a little beat but nothing serious. It was my only flugel for a long time. I played it on lots of shows over the years.
Anyway, its just sitting in my garage.
Chris LaBarbera |
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