Inexpensive Cornets in Australia

John Pereira · Posted: Tue Jun 11, 2019 6:35 am Post subject: Inexpensive Cornets in Australia

I'm in Australia and would like to know whether the following dealers/suppliers have actual premises where real people and the products advertised can be seen:
I & K Music
Wessex-Brass Australia & NZ

I have an I & K baritone that I bought on eBay. Being a beginner, I am not in a position to assess the competence of this instrument overall but it does seem to me to have a pleasant tone and is not difficult to sound. If this is any indication of how their cornets sound I start out favourably predisposed. Of course, I appreciate that a pleasant tone is not the only consideration and if the harmonics are not in tune the instrument is not much good. If anyone has any experience of this brand of cornet I should be grateful to have their impressions.

Also, has anyone owned or played the Fontaine FBW 465 Bflat Cornet and if so what do they think of it?
_________________
John Peel
". . . the sound of his bugle brought me from my bed . . ."

stumac · Posted: Tue Jun 11, 2019 3:08 pm Post subject:

I and K have a warehouse in Altona where instruments can be tried, ring first.
I have only had experience with 2 I and K trumpets, an older one, very solidly built and a C that was not in tune, turned out to have been built with Bb valve loops.

Wessex and Fontain I do not know.

Regards, Stuart.

etc-etc · Heavyweight Member Joined: 19 Jan 2008 Posts: 6177

For a very good selection of everything brass, including cornets, contact Ozwinds Coburg or another Ozwinds branch that is located closer to you.

John Pereira · Posted: Tue Jun 11, 2019 8:00 pm Post subject:

Thanks, Stuart, for the info about the Altona warehouse.
I think I would have to ring first as I have not found a street address.

I gather that the Bflat trumpet has been satisfactory as regards tuning and mechanically?

One would think that the C trumpet could be rectified by substituting the appropriate valve loops - or am I in my ignorance overlooking something?

Their prices look good and if there is an actual address to which one can have recourse to real people it would appear that this business might be the answer I am looking for.
_________________
John Peel
". . . the sound of his bugle brought me from my bed . . ."

trumpethead · Posted: Tue Jun 18, 2019 7:44 pm Post subject:

I & K horns have been accepted by many Pro players I know of and have worked with.

I have owned and played several of their horns and for the money, are typically very good. (But there were a couple that were just plain awful.)

I & K stands for Isaac and Katrina, and I could play their horns at their unit in Altona. Make an appointment with them.

I owned one of their top-of-the-range cornets a while ago and it was very good.

Worth a try as they have a refund policy.

BraeGrimes · Posted: Tue Jun 18, 2019 9:09 pm Post subject:

John Pereira · Posted: Tue Jun 18, 2019 10:52 pm Post subject:

trumpethead · Posted: Tue Jun 18, 2019 11:14 pm Post subject:

Andy Del · Posted: Wed Jun 19, 2019 11:41 am Post subject:

I have seen exactly one of this brand of instrument. It was a trombone and truely awful to play and sounded exactly like that. It was in the hands of an amateur player who though it was a professional horn.

Sorry to rain on parades, but if it looks too good to be true, then it is. These are stencil instrument, made in China (I guess) DOWN to a price point, imported en-mass and sold as high as the market can bear.

See where the bargain is? This is the same as other store's 'house brand', not high quality, but enough to get over the line.

There are always good buys out there in the second and market, even down under. One just needs a little patience and to look.

cheers

Andy
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so many horns, so few good notes...

stumac · Posted: Wed Jun 19, 2019 3:46 pm Post subject:

What is your budget? I will ask around my contacts. Does it have to be a Cornet?, lots of reasonable student and other trumpets on Gumtree.

Regards, Stuart.

Zman · Posted: Wed Jun 19, 2019 7:30 pm Post subject:

Also wondering what Budget you might have, or perhaps what style of playing you might plan to do?

I have shipping setup for Australia (it's set up using tracked postage as a default - I can also do the less expensive option manually) and have a small selection of good used cornets (Martin Imperial, Indiana as an example - and a lot more in the works).
I also have an ex demo CarolBrass cornet that I could sell for a reasonable price. (not on the site)

If you are after something for Brass Band - my options are currently limited in the Cornet department. (perhaps not forever - as I have been playing in one for the last 7-8 months and have a much better idea on what to look out for now).
If you're looking for solo, combo, dixie, jazz style horns - I can assist you straight away as an option.
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John Pereira · Posted: Thu Jun 27, 2019 4:48 am Post subject:

My immediate objective is private diversion, my motivation to experiment with brass instruments, mainly curiosity. My budget is very limited but then so are my ambitions.

I am in possession of a trumpet made in Taiwan with the Boosey & Hawkes name on it. Initially, I was quite sure it is fake. Now, after finding a thread on TH dating back to 2004, I'm not so sure. I can only obtain second and third partials on it but, of course, that's my limitation. The mouthpiece is fixed in place which is a pity as I would like to try other mouthpieces. I regarded this as establishing beyond doubt that the instrument is fake but it occurs to me now that maybe a previous owner Araldited the mouthpiece in place. If anyone can advise how to soften Araldite I should be most appreciative.

I should like to compare this trumpet, such as it is, it for ease of playing with a cornet - if such a thing exists any more.

A few days ago I found I had bought an American cornet on eBay, having made a low bid which I felt sure would be overbid. It wasn't. The model has not had kind things said about it but we will see how it compares with the Taiwanese B&H trumpet. It might serve for a first comparison of trumpet with cornet. I won't be doing anything more until I know how this one - a Reynolds Medalist - shapes up, and perhaps not then as I am transferring to a baritone on which I can get sixth partials and even some eighth partials.

Thanks to everyone who has posted. I am better informed than I was on a number of aspects of the topic.
_________________
John Peel
". . . the sound of his bugle brought me from my bed . . ."