Courtois 154V?

blewnote1 · Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2004 8:43 am Post subject:

Hi All-

New member here... first off I wanted to thank you all for the great discussions of various flugels. Read a lot before I headed to Dillon Music on Sat. to try them all out. My thoughts: Kanstul Sig. was very responsive but a little bright. Almost went with the Kanstul Custom (cost = happy), but ended up walking out with the Courtois that just sounded so damn good. BTW, people were right: mouthpieces make ALL the difference with flugels. Sure, the horn is going to play according to how it's built... so intonation and slotting and all that won't really be affected. But the sound difference from mouthpiece to mouthpiece with the same horn is amazing!

Ok, to get to the point. I bought a Courtois 154V. I haven't been able to find any info on this particular model, and normally wouldn't be too concerned except for the fact that it rang up as $200 more expensive than either the 154 or 154R. There's only one place on the internet that seems to sell this model and it's in France. Just wanted to know if anyone had any info on this particular horn and why it would be more expensive.

-Dave

lewis4545 · Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2004 11:01 am Post subject:

I believe that the Cr155V has one additional tuning trigger on the first valve, which separates it from the CR154 flugelhorn. Got that from the Woodwind and Brasswind website (www.WWBW.com). I think they sell that model for about $1179.
_________________
Paul S. Lewis

"This world is a circus, so you have to do serious things with a light heart."
- John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie

blewnote1 · Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2004 11:42 am Post subject:

Thanks lewis... you're right WWBW lists both the 155V and the 154R at $1179. I'm positive that I have the 154, as it is stamped on the instrument and I don't have the 1st valve trigger. However, I am unsure about the 154V designation the store gave me. I don't mind paying more for trying a horn out in person, but $400 more is a little ridiculous (especially when the same store where I bought my horn is selling the 154/154R for $200 less than I paid). Just wanted to make sure there wasn't something amazingly special about the 154V vs. 154/154R before I start complaining to the store owner. It's a beautiful horn and if that's the cost I'm cool with it, just don't want to get taken advantage of...