Benge - stuffy?

hazmat · Heavyweight Member Joined: 23 Mar 2003 Posts: 669

OK, I am probably just stirring the pot but I want to know everone's experience with Benge and how open they are. I have played on a few Benges namely a 3X+. I normally play on a Bach 180 ML and I feel as though mine is stuffy. But the Benge's had so much back-pressure I thought I was going to pop blood vessels. All of them were like that. So I figured that maybe Benge's just have a lot more back-pressure than Bachs.

But then I hear about people switching over to Benge because they think Bachs have too much back-pressure. Am I going crazy or something?

maynard-46 · Posted: Wed May 05, 2004 11:12 am Post subject:

There's a VERY fine line between a horn being too resistant (stuffy) and too open. I've been playing for over 35 years and I STILL have a hard time telling the difference!!!

BW
_________________
TRUMPE: YAMAHA Lacq. "Shew Gen II" / Legends .585 "CatMaster" Top / KT "TKO" BB / Reeves #5.75 Sleeve.
FLUGELHORN: ADAMS Custom "F1" / Legends .585 "CatMaster FL.

pfrank · Posted: Wed May 05, 2004 11:14 am Post subject:

Mine is Very freeblowing compared to those Bachs I've tried. It's a 77mlp3X...
SO, just what Benges are you talking about? Has the valve alignment been checked? Are they clean? Was there a big cork in the bell?

NELATrpt · Regular Member Joined: 07 Jul 2003 Posts: 85

I cuurently play a 75 LA Benge 3X+ and it is also very free blowing. However, a friend play a newer UMI 1998 i believe and I have found it to be "stuffy". What models and are they older or one of the newer UMI?

hazmat · Heavyweight Member Joined: 23 Mar 2003 Posts: 669

All of the horns were made 3-8 years ago. I know of the 3Xpluses that I tried. The others I was not ever interested in so I don't really remember what models, sorry. But yes, they were all new models. And they were clean. Didn't check the valve alignment at the time, but it should have been somewhat good since they were brand new.

G-MAN · Posted: Wed May 05, 2004 11:40 am Post subject:

I think that you will find that most of us on trumpetherald who play Benge horns play the LA Benge's or earlier and they cannot be compared with the UMI Benge's. I can really open up on my horn but at the same time blend well with any other horn in my section. Choice of mouthpiece can also make a difference as I have noticed quite a difference in the sound and how open the horn feels depending on which mouthpiece I use. If you are going to try a Benge try to get a hold of an older one and see how it plays. Remember that horns play different for each person so they may or may not be for you.

_________________
Gary

Conductor - North Vancouver Youth Band
1974 L.A. Benge 3X MLP (#13120)
1976 Getzen Eterna Fluegelhorn
1956 Olds Special Cornet
Selmer Bundy Trumpet - Cost me $20.00

[ This Message was edited by: G-MAN on 2004-05-05 14:44 ]

_FELIX C · Posted: Wed May 05, 2004 12:32 pm Post subject:

Hey Friends;
I can talk about this two type of Benges, because I have both. My firts Benge a 3x+ UMI from 1987,its very thight to blow. I have almost never play a High D. The sound Is good but very Thight. In the scale of 1 to 10 its a 6.5. My last Benge, 3x+ Los Angeles model from 1976, when Mr. Kanstul was there, its a change from earth to sky. Warm sound and extremely free blowing. I can hit an D and E with 50% efort if compared to UMI one. I Figure That if this LA were in My hands 10 Years ago, My story will be different. The UMI weight a ton, the LA only weight 2 pounds, the proyection of UMI its limited the LA is too diferent its very easy to feel the bell vibration when you play. Unfortunately UMI have no interest in Improve Benge Name. Their efforts are placed in the V1 and th Legend. Im a Benge fan and its very Terrific to see Mr. Kanstul doing excellent Job with his Chicago and other models. I recomend that UMI Clone a Burbank Benge and make as Fine as it was to get the market again. V1, Legend, and Bachs are not the only alternatives.

Trptbenge · Posted: Wed May 05, 2004 1:29 pm Post subject:

I agree, the LA & Burbank Benge 3X+ are very free blowing. However, I always felt when you compared the 3X (ML .460 bore) to a Strad (ML .459 bore) the Bach generally felt more open but never with the MLP.

Mike

TimBrown · Posted: Wed May 05, 2004 8:22 pm Post subject:

I have an EARLY LA....8280, which has only "Burbank" on the bell. it is a 3x+ and is very free blowing. I wouldn't go back to what I had before...

Tim

Tom LeCompte · Posted: Thu May 06, 2004 8:40 pm Post subject:

Matt-

Those "Benges" were Benges in name only. When UMI moved production out of California, the horn quality went downhill fast. It's a shame, because Benge made some terrific (and highly underrated) horns. I'm surprised that Elden Benge's ghost isn't haunting the halls of the UMI plant in Eastlake, Ohio.

The horn that is the true successor to the Benge tradition is Zig Kanstul's Chicago series - almost the same design, same people building it, same factory in Annaheim. My experience is that the blow of the 2X and 3X is slightly more resistive than a Bach 37, and the 2X+ and 3X+ is slightly more open. Kanstul sells the 3X and 3X+ models as his CHL1000 and CHL1001; the 2X is a special order.

When I say almost the same design, Kanstul has made one change - the valves on the original Benges were quite high. The Kanstul Chicago has valves more like what most people are used to today. I think this is a change for the better.

Cheers,

Tom

hazmat · Heavyweight Member Joined: 23 Mar 2003 Posts: 669

Thanks everyone for clearing up my confusion.