ABC of 3 Great Horns Just for Fun!

cbtj51

I recently acquired a Yamaha YTR 8335 RGS and have been playing it everyday since I got it back from a PVA at Osmun. After almost 2 weeks, I think the "Honeymoon" excitement of a great, different horn has normalized.
That said, I decided to do a very informal ABC comparison for my practice session today including my trusted Benge 5x, Bach NY7, and Yamaha YTR8335 RGS. I covered the same material including warmup and warm-down on all three horns using the same mouthpiece for all 3.

L to R Benge, Bach, Yamaha

A) Benge 5X (ML). I know this horn very well having bought it new in 1971. It is stock and original in everyway except for a Valve job in 2018 by Jim Becker at Osmun (this improved the usual Benge intonation to a degree and gave this horn a new life, lifetime) and the addition of a Large Bore Benge Main Tuning Slide (this opened the blow up substantially). Of the 3, this is by far the lightest at 35.75 oz., response is awesome and slots are very slippery, especially above the staff! On my side of the bell, it had the least core of the 3, but past experience says that projection is pretty spectacular. I used this horn primarily for Big Band, R&B, Latin and classic Rock'n Roll Horn Bands for years. With mouthpiece considerations, I have used it in Brass Ensemble, Brass Quintet, and Chamber Orchestra. If this was the only Bb horn I had (and it was for a very long time), I could make it work in mostly any situation.

B) Bach New York 7* (L). I bought this horn new in 2016 and it has been my performance horn most often since. It is a stock NY7 in every way. This horn weighs in at 37.625 oz. has very good response and slots well, but not too tight in a very desirable way, at least for me. On my side of the bell, I get the most feedback of the 3 (French Bead?) and the core and color spectrum are very broad. Experience has led me to believe that this is the best all around of the 3. I have used it as a solo horn many times (this is a particular forte), Brass Quintet, Chamber and Symphony Orchestras. If this was the only horn I had, I would need to explore mouthpieces for any other than Classical situations, and the large bore works me a little harder endurance wise (I'm 70 years old and beginning to understand my limitations).

C) Yamaha YTR 8335 RGS. (ML) I've had this horn a little more than 2 months but in my possession for a little more half of that, so I know this horn the least. It is stock in everyway but with a Chem clean and PVA at Osmun a few weeks ago. The PVA has made this a great horn in my opinion. It weighs in the heaviest of the 3 at 38.375 oz. It feels substantial in the hand but the response is anything but tedious. The core is a reflection of the Gold Brass bell, very nice, but a little on the, for lack of a better word, darker side. Slots are predictably tight but that offers a lot of security. Of the 3, this one seems to be the most mouthpiece sensitive. I don't imagine that I would use this horn in many situations other than Classical, but it would fill that need extremely well. Other than supporting the weight, I could play this horn for hours, but I'm glad that it is not the only option I have!

In this limited exercise, I would be hard pressed to choose a favourite, but glad to have been blessed with all 3!

Have you ever done a comparison of your collection and verbalized it? I'm interested to hear!

Mike
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'71 LA Benge 5X Bb
'72 LA Benge D/Eb
'76 Bach CL 229/25A C
‘92 Bach 37 Bb
'98 Getzen 895S Flugelhorn
'00 Bach 184 Cornet
'02 Yamaha 8335RGS
'16 Bach NY 7
'16 XO 1700RS Piccolo
Reeves 41 Rimmed Mouthpieces

blbaumgarn · Heavyweight Member Joined: 26 Jul 2017 Posts: 705

Thanks for the comparo. I had a Benge 5x serial number 10xxx from new for 26 years. Still the stupidest thing I ever did selling it. I would agree with your assessment on sound, too. I felt like I could fill any hall or church I ever played in and that the horn was versatile enough to use in band, orchestra, solo or small group. Other Bach players that I would trade with in municipal band thought the sound was pretty rich too. Now, at 70 I would love trying one of the Getzen Eterna Deluxe trumpets. I can't do justice to the others on your list but they all would be great fun to play. I had extensive time on an Eterna cornet and a Severinsen trumpet way back in the day, so I love the fun you can have with a Getzen. Regards, Brian
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"There are two sides to a trumpeter's personality,
there is one that lives to lay waste to woodwinds and strings, leaving them lie blue and lifeless along a swath of destruction that is a
trumpeter's fury-then there is the dark side!" Irving Bush

Voltrane · Posted: Sun Mar 28, 2021 11:34 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the review.
I love my Xeno 8335RGS and I agree with your opinion but as it is on the « dark side », I mainly use it in... Jazz combo! For classical I use my rotary Weimann as I do not have a « classical piston ».
You say the Xeno is mouthpiece sensitive, so what mouthpieces do you use for classical?
Thanks
Oh, by the way , I am 74 and I have understood my limitations a long time ago

_________________
S’il n’en reste qu’un je serai celui là (Victor Hugo)
Je m’empresse d’en rire de peur d’avoir à en pleurer (Beaumarchais)

cbtj51 · Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2021 4:47 am Post subject:

Voltrane · Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2021 5:28 am Post subject:

Ok, thanks and if (or when) you find the Graal, please post!
Regards
_________________
S’il n’en reste qu’un je serai celui là (Victor Hugo)
Je m’empresse d’en rire de peur d’avoir à en pleurer (Beaumarchais)

Nos Mo King · Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2021 10:06 am Post subject:

Terrific review! I have owned the 3x+ and, looking back, wish I hadn't sold it to finance what was to be the beginning of a trumpet safari. I enjoyed it, and it served me well for all venues at the time.

I am planning a trip to Thompson music sometime this year, and hope to try a NY Bach 7 (and 7*). Reading your review makes me envious I haven't tried it sooner. I know shofarguy has recommended this horn as well..or maybe it was the 7/7??

Most of my playing is on the 9335 vs (Vizutti) model...the main slide is interchangeable with a standard Xeno..Which surprised me to no end....But have also tried different slides, notably those from M/K drawing..these lighten up the tone and blow considerably. Need a bit more zip with less energy. The RGS would be interesting to try.

Leaning towards the smaller bores too, due to wind issues the older I get.

Thanks for the post!
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Russ Chapman

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cbtj51

cbtj51 · Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2021 12:15 pm Post subject:

Yamahaguy · Heavyweight Member Joined: 09 Dec 2004 Posts: 3992

cbtj51

cbtj51 · Posted: Fri Dec 24, 2021 12:48 pm Post subject:

kehaulani · Posted: Fri Dec 24, 2021 4:08 pm Post subject:

Thans for the interesting reiew. Mike. You compared your Bach to the other horns. I wonder if you had a chance to play the Bach 190 Series, like the Anniversary Model or the Commercial Model? Thanks.
_________________
"If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn." Bird

Yamaha 8310Z Bobby Shew trumpet
Benge 3X Trumpet
Benge 3X Cornet
Adams F-1 Flghn

cbtj51 · Posted: Fri Dec 24, 2021 6:52 pm Post subject:

yourbrass · Posted: Fri Dec 24, 2021 7:23 pm Post subject:

Very interesting comparison. I have a number of good trumpets, and my approach, given the isolation we are all enduring to one degree or another, is to play one only for a couple of months without much switching. It allows me to get into the instrument.

I've had many Benges and have played hundreds more because of my repair business. The Chicago ML I have now is one of the best I've ever played. It was a lengthy overhaul but the result was worth the time spent. There's something about the "dead" bell (no ring when struck) that has something to do with the response.

Enjoy your time playing!
-Lionel
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"Strive for tone." -John Coppola
Edwards X-13
ACB MV3C /ACB A1/26 backbore
https://yourbrass.com/

Voltrane · Posted: Fri Dec 24, 2021 7:33 pm Post subject:

cbtj51,
thanks for the review.
Merry christmas.
_________________
S’il n’en reste qu’un je serai celui là (Victor Hugo)
Je m’empresse d’en rire de peur d’avoir à en pleurer (Beaumarchais)

kehaulani · Posted: Fri Dec 24, 2021 10:09 pm Post subject:

I've only played the 190 series, 'Anniversary' and 'Commercial' models. Have never been a Bach guy (Severinson, Constellation, Benge, Committee) but really liked these "new" Bachs.
_________________
"If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn." Bird

Yamaha 8310Z Bobby Shew trumpet
Benge 3X Trumpet
Benge 3X Cornet
Adams F-1 Flghn