King Silver Flare

Bach Man 1X · Posted: Sun Nov 30, 2003 1:18 pm Post subject:

What do some of you guys thing of the king silver flare in a Classical setting

fuzzyjon79 · Posted: Sun Nov 30, 2003 1:25 pm Post subject:

I played a Silver Flair a couple weeks ago and still can't get over how well it played. It was dark, but had an edge to the sound, and it played so easily. If I had an extra 500 bucks at the time, I would have bought it without thinking twice.
_________________
J. Fowler
"It takes a big ole' sack of flour, to make a big ole' pan of biscuits!"

oneeyedhobbit · Posted: Sun Nov 30, 2003 1:39 pm Post subject:

Was that an old flair you played, or the modern UMI one?

I used to play a UMI Silver Flair, and while it was all in all not a bad horn, I got a very pinched sound out of it. This was probably due more to me than the horn, but I haven't had the problem on my V1.

bgwbold · Posted: Sun Nov 30, 2003 4:07 pm Post subject:

My old Flair would be a little bright for classical with my regular mouthpiece, but probably would pass with a larger one, like a Bach 2 or 1 1/2.

Mike

fuzzyjon79 · Posted: Sun Nov 30, 2003 4:28 pm Post subject:

Yes, I played an older flair. Made in the mid 70's.
_________________
J. Fowler
"It takes a big ole' sack of flour, to make a big ole' pan of biscuits!"

DaveH · Heavyweight Member Joined: 20 Nov 2001 Posts: 3861

I used to have a King Silver Flair - 1965 vintage - really wish I still had it. NEVER sell a horn like that - you will wish you didn't eventually...I didn't realize then that I should have kept this horn and have lived to regret it. That's the problem with hindsight...

Anyway, the Silver Flair is an excellent horn. I am sure that it can be made to sound the way you want it to sound, especially with the appropriate mouthpiece. You might find that a Bach Strad or similar horn might be a little more suited for the classical setting, but the Flair is a good, all purpose horn.

Many years ago, the Silver Flair was the top of the King trumpet line. Eventually, along came the King Legend, which is the top of the King line today and occupies the position that the Silver Flair used to occupy in the line up. Today, the Silver Flair occupies a position below the Legend in the King trumpet line up.

I'll not try to offer an opinion as to whether the older or newer Flairs are preferable or different, because I do not know for sure. However, if I were looking for a trumpet in that price range, I'd certainly give the Flair serious consideration...and I'd definitely give an eBay Silver Flair a try - if I wasn't afraid of eBay and the uncertainty of a sight unseen transaction...

trumpetmike · Posted: Sun Nov 30, 2003 11:52 pm Post subject:

The reason I don't play my Flair is that I found I could get a bigger sound with my Yamaha, although the Flair does come out quite often.
At this precise moment in time it is waiting to have major repairs done to it - after about 16 years of abuse it is need of some rather serious work.
I have tended towards using the Flair for the lighter side of playing, I just love the feel on those sort of pieces. The Yamaha gives a sound that I find easier to blend within orchestral sections, who tend to be playing more Bachs.
All the way through university it was my only Bb trumpet and served me very well - 1st trumpet in the wind band, the orchestra and the brass ensemble.
The reason I purchased my Yamaha was that the Flair was getting to the stage where if I played it too much it was going to fall apart on a gig! It is currently being held together using string and elastic!
It has been waiting for my finances to sort themselves out for a couple of years now, it will happen soon - full works, repairs, gold plating - it deserves it!