I and K flugelhorns

tom pennell · Posted: Sat Dec 07, 2019 6:49 pm Post subject: I and K flugelhorns

I appreciate that questions around I and k trumpets have been addressed in the past, however, my interest is in knowing if anyone, especially here in Australia, has any first hand knowledge of their Flugelhorns.
Yes they are made in China, and yes they are astonishingly affordable, but these things do not necessarily mean they are complete junk.
I have no compelling need for a flugel, but at the price point I have seen one advertised, I have developed an itch that may just need scratching!
Thoughts, comments,observations would be appreciated, but please, no diatribes.

Dennis78 · Posted: Sat Dec 07, 2019 8:00 pm Post subject:

Sorry, I cannot post on this particular brand but......

I’ve played and own quite a few budget friendly Chinese made horns. I’ve not had one bad experience yet. I say go for it!

Others will most definitely steer you away but I say any instrument is a gamble. And I’m more the kind of guy that’s going to buy a $1 scratch off over the $5. Potential pay is better the more money you spend but not necessarily
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a few different ones

stumac · Posted: Sun Dec 08, 2019 1:40 am Post subject:

Hi Tom,
If you are buying new from I and K you have a 14 day return, if secondhand I would be a little wary, the Bb trumpets I have seen have been of a reasonable quality and played quite well.

An I and K C trumpet a friend bought secondhand the open notes were fine, any valved notes were flat. We determined that it had been built around a Bb valve block, I shortened all the valve loops to the correct length and it was fine.

Regards, Stuart.

Dennis78 · Posted: Sun Dec 08, 2019 6:18 am Post subject:

I can say that by looking at their website that their compensated baritone look out of proportion to all that I’ve seen. So much so that it real stood out to me.
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a few different ones

Andy Del · Posted: Sun Dec 08, 2019 10:15 am Post subject:

There were a couple of I&K instruments in our store room. I sent them to hte art department, they are astonishingly terrible to play. 1 trumpet and 1 baritone.

Junk is the term I would use.
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so many horns, so few good notes...

trumpethead · Posted: Sun Dec 08, 2019 1:51 pm Post subject:

Well, there will always be differing opinions and you should try them for yourself, because the return policy allows you to do that at no risk.

I have done this with I & K several times.

Flugelhorns IMO, seem to be more forgiving when buying a cheap Chinese made one, as opposed to a trumpet.

I played on an I & K professionally for a period and it played very well and no-one knew it was a $300 horn. I did however pick this one out of the few I tried at their house. One of the Flugelhorns was astonishingly terrible!

My advice is always give it a go and find out for yourself.

tom pennell · Posted: Sun Dec 08, 2019 2:54 pm Post subject: I and K flugels

Sage advice all, many thanks. I spoke with the seller last night. He is a trumpet teacher who bought it out of curiosity, as much as anything else. His professional opinion was that it played well, especially given it's price point. He is only selling because he was offered a Bobby Shew flugel at a very reasonable price.
My inclination is to go with it. Fingers crossed.
Regards Tom