Adams A1 Gen 1 vs 2

[gtownlead]

Hi all,
Has anyone had any experience comparing the Adams A1 gen 1 vs 2? Or just any general experience with either?

[Goby]

I haven't tried the Gen II, but the Gen I is a fantastic horn. It has a vintage flavor with modern mechanics and build quality. I think Trent said the A1 Gen I was based on a Selmer K-Mod and Bach Vindabona, but I might be wrong. Nice big bell and a really rich sound.

[kehaulani]

I have a colleague who swore by her first generation A-1 but was waiting for the new one to come out so she could compare/trade them. She's still got the first generation.

(FWIW, I had an A-1 and traded it in for a Schilke B-1 and I have no regrets.)
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Yamaha 8310Z Bobby Shew trumpet
Benge 3X Trumpet
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[bebop]

I have never played the Adams A2 so I can't comment on it. But, I do own and an Adams A1. I got the horn last December. My first thought when I played it was it felt a little tight for me. I was playing on an open 72 style flare horn before the Adams. The horn also sounded small to me. But it had more focus than my 72 style horn. The slots also felt smaller than my horn.

Pros
solid slots with good core
plays very in tune from note to note
short valve stroke
fast valves
quick response
plays with a puff of air
very good projection for a lightweight horn

Cons
very mouthpiece sensitive
conical slide works well for legit and small group but not for big band (for me)
smaller slots than my old horn
takes time to find the right mouthpiece for each tuning slide
3rd slide dump that could fall out
left hand position on the horn fells strange

So, I think the horn (with the conical slide) works very well for the light player that doesn't push their air a lot. The 460 slide works much better for a large group like a big band where you might be playing at FF. But, you have to find the piece that works with that slide.

If I go back and play my 72 flare horn I'm all over the place on it. I think it does take some time to get used to focused feel and sound on this horn. In conclusion the A1 is easy to play and plays very in tune with a sound that projects well but does take time to get used to.

[Roel]

Yes, I played both the gen I and the gen II A1. The gen I is a nice sounding trumpet with great resonance (like all Adams, in my opinion) but with more resistance then any other Adams. Therefore, it's not really my kind of trumpet. The gen II plays and feels much more middle of the road, like a 37 Strad or an 8335 Xeno, despite the modern and (in my opinion again) beautiful design, much like the A4 LT. Its playing characteristics are nothing like the A4 LT's, it's a totally different beast.
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