Cons:
Top and bottom cap threads need to be broken in with light grease
Valves need to be broken in
Summary:
This horn plays better and has better intonation than the Adams Sonic I owned last year. The Sonic cost me over $2000 USD. The Dillon ... $475. The Dillon is very easy to play; the notes speak effortlessly. I haven't been able to put the thing down. An unstamped, generic mouthpiece was included — it actually plays quite nicely. I plan to be gentle with the threads on the caps until they break in. The valves were slow the first day but have improved.
Joined: 11 Nov 2019 Posts: 206 Location: Washington DC
Posted: Sun Jan 22, 2023 7:37 am Post subject:
I don’t recall having problems with the valves, but I offer similar praise for the instrument. I now play on a Yamaha 635T, but I’m keeping the Dillon in case colleague or student ever needs to borrow one. With how inexpensive they are new, I doubt I’d get a good enough return selling it secondhand anyway.
Is there any reason to think it isn't a custom-badged stencilhorn exactly like those that go on eBay for around $350 - $380 these days? The two I've had played great. When I got mine they were going for around $300, they've gone up a bit since then. _________________ Getzen Eterna Severinsen
King Silver Flair
Besson 1000
Bundy
Chinese C
Getzen Eterna Bb/A piccolo
Chinese Rotary Bb/A piccolo
Joined: 26 Feb 2009 Posts: 1352 Location: SF Bay Area
Posted: Sun Jan 22, 2023 9:21 am Post subject:
Robert P wrote:
Is there any reason to think it isn't a custom-badged stencilhorn exactly like those that go on eBay for around $350 - $380 these days? The two I've had played great. When I got mine they were going for around $300, they've gone up a bit since then.
It probably starts at the same factory, but when the shops that resell them (like Dillon) get them they make sure that they actually work (and sometimes do tweaks/cleanup/etc.). The quality out of the factory can vary pretty wildly, so you might get a great deal off ebay, you might get a no-warranty clunker that repair techs won't touch _________________ More than one trumpet
A "few" mouthpieces
Joined: 25 Aug 2007 Posts: 2018 Location: Charleston, SC
Posted: Sun Jan 22, 2023 11:15 am Post subject:
Gotta say, I picked up a used Dillon flugel with rosebrass bell a couple weeks ago and I am VERY impressed. I can't remember a flugel that plays this well in tune. My valves were already broken in, although mine shows very little wear. Where I often struggle tuning notes with previous flugels - I'm just not having these problems with this Dillon flugel. Great thread - glad it was started.
I'll post two vids of this flugel, one video review I did recently just for this flugel, and then another where I also play a CarolBrass Andrea Giuffredi trumpet and a Puje; just to give comparison to tone. I'm not the greatest player here at TH - by a long shot, but sometimes it's nice to hear the subject at hand.
Joined: 25 Aug 2007 Posts: 2018 Location: Charleston, SC
Posted: Sun Jan 22, 2023 12:33 pm Post subject:
Bagmangood makes an excellent point above. I’ve had three of the old Yamaha flugels; two 731’s and one 631. I think there’s always been a copy-cat mentality to manufacturing, and it makes sense; ‘work smart, not hard.’ But Dillon’s flugel, which appears to be a close copy of the old Yammie faithful flugel, well, it just plays better in tune. I’m not sure if it’s the different leadpipe, but whatever they did, to me they’ve solved the traditional flugel intonation problem. _________________ Jonathan Milam
Trumpets: 18043B, 18043*, 18043 Sterling Silver +, 18037 SterlingSilver+, Benge 4x, Olds: '34 Symphony, '47 Super, '52 Recording
Flugle: Strad 182
Puje: American Belle
Cornet: Olds Recording & Super
Is there any reason to think it isn't a custom-badged stencilhorn exactly like those that go on eBay for around $350 - $380 these days? The two I've had played great. When I got mine they were going for around $300, they've gone up a bit since then.
It probably starts at the same factory, but when the shops that resell them (like Dillon) get them they make sure that they actually work (and sometimes do tweaks/cleanup/etc.). The quality out of the factory can vary pretty wildly, so you might get a great deal off ebay, you might get a no-warranty clunker that repair techs won't touch
I guess I got lucky. I got two just out of curiosity to see what two different horns made at different times sounded & played like. One I got used for about $150, it was missing one of the faux mother of pearl valve button inlays and the trigger pivot had been resoldered.
I found the button inlay that had somehow gotten trapped in the fold of the case liner between the halves of the case. Glued it back in place. Other than the solder it was in new condition. There were some minor construction differences, the bell on one was a slightly different diameter - maybe 1/8" difference. Both had fast, buttery smooth bottom-spring valves. I ended up selling the $150 horn because I didn't need two, ended up getting $100 more than what I paid for it. It must put me in a small club, people who've resold a cosmetically flawed Chinese cheapie stencilflugel and made $100 profit - lol.
I was very clear about the issue with the solder, put up clear photos and made sure potential buyers were aware of it. I think what helped was embedding a video with decent audio of it being played, demonstrating that it was capable of sounding nice, eliminating the pig in a poke factor. Someone bought it for their son for jazz band in school. Hopefully they got some good use out of it. _________________ Getzen Eterna Severinsen
King Silver Flair
Besson 1000
Bundy
Chinese C
Getzen Eterna Bb/A piccolo
Chinese Rotary Bb/A piccolo
Joined: 25 Aug 2007 Posts: 2018 Location: Charleston, SC
Posted: Sun Jan 22, 2023 7:20 pm Post subject:
Robert, that’s good luck. Have you had as good a luck with your Chinese C and your Chinese rotary trumpets? _________________ Jonathan Milam
Trumpets: 18043B, 18043*, 18043 Sterling Silver +, 18037 SterlingSilver+, Benge 4x, Olds: '34 Symphony, '47 Super, '52 Recording
Flugle: Strad 182
Puje: American Belle
Cornet: Olds Recording & Super
Robert, that’s good luck. Have you had as good a luck with your Chinese C and your Chinese rotary trumpets?
That Chinese C also has fantastic valves. The one issue was it played a bit low when I first got it, with the tuning slide all the way in it played *almost* in tune. I reamed out the mouthpiece receiver to move it in on the leadpipe and shorten the horn a tad and it's fine now - plays in tune with the tuning slide out a "normal" amount. Worked out for me because it was a good project to learn to solder on. Soldering the receiver wasn't a problem but my first attempt at reattaching the brace was a blobby mess - lol. I re-did it with refined technique and it came out much nicer. Someone who didn't want to do that might have regarded it as a lemon. But for $298 and a little work I got a nice playing, nice sounding horn. I think it was a QC issue - originally the mouthpiece gap was huge - I just moved the receiver to where it was supposed to have been put in the first place. Maybe someone grabbed a wrong receiver out of a bin?
The rotary picc sounds fine, the main problem is that it's a rotary. I find the rotary valves more cumbersome than my Eterna 940 picc. It's the only rotary I've ever played. Admittedly I've never played a high-end rotary picc to compare the valve action. I've had -0- actual performance need for either, got them just for giggles but who knows. _________________ Getzen Eterna Severinsen
King Silver Flair
Besson 1000
Bundy
Chinese C
Getzen Eterna Bb/A piccolo
Chinese Rotary Bb/A piccolo
I'll post two vids of this flugel, one video review I did recently just for this flugel, and then another where I also play a CarolBrass Andrea Giuffredi trumpet and a Puje
Many thanks, Jonathan. It was your review of this horn that prompted me to purchase one.
Joined: 25 Aug 2007 Posts: 2018 Location: Charleston, SC
Posted: Mon Jan 23, 2023 10:37 am Post subject:
My pleasure! I’ve benefited SO much from TH and the wealth of knowledge here. It’s great to be able to pay back some.
And I’m glad you started this thread. Great value horns help us all. _________________ Jonathan Milam
Trumpets: 18043B, 18043*, 18043 Sterling Silver +, 18037 SterlingSilver+, Benge 4x, Olds: '34 Symphony, '47 Super, '52 Recording
Flugle: Strad 182
Puje: American Belle
Cornet: Olds Recording & Super
Joined: 28 Sep 2004 Posts: 8914 Location: Orange County, CA
Posted: Mon Jan 23, 2023 11:43 am Post subject:
I love the one I bought for my son. It's an interesting comparison against my Yamaha 731. I like them both for different reasons.
edit: Scratch that. It's the ACB doubler that I have. I don't have experience with the Dillon horn. _________________ "I'm an engineer, which means I think I know a whole bunch of stuff I really don't."
Charles J Heiden/So Cal
Bach Strad 180ML43*/43 Bb/Yamaha 731 Flugel/Benge 1X C/Kanstul 920 Picc/Conn 80A Cornet
Bach 3C rim on 1.5C underpart
Last edited by cheiden on Mon Jan 23, 2023 2:44 pm; edited 1 time in total
Joined: 25 Aug 2007 Posts: 2018 Location: Charleston, SC
Posted: Mon Jan 23, 2023 5:02 pm Post subject:
I haven't played an ACB Doubler's Flugelhorn, although I've read good things about it.
I purchased the Dillon Rosebrass flugel a couple weeks ago from a local seller (used but very good condition), and have been very pleasantly surprised with it. Intonation (my primary concern with ALL flugels) has been shockingly good, valves have a very good feel and the third slide trigger works easily and well.
I think you can see why the Dillon flugel is attracting some attention. _________________ Jonathan Milam
Trumpets: 18043B, 18043*, 18043 Sterling Silver +, 18037 SterlingSilver+, Benge 4x, Olds: '34 Symphony, '47 Super, '52 Recording
Flugle: Strad 182
Puje: American Belle
Cornet: Olds Recording & Super
I've been learning Line For Lyons as recorded by Gerry Mulligan and Chet Baker. The main line has some tricky [for me] fingerings that I had some trouble with on my trumpet. My third/ring finger was the problem. But the first time I played the line on the Dillon, I nailed it. It was suddenly easy.
Just curious, but what morse mouthpiece does this flugelhorn take - Dillon's website doesn't list much info at all on the $475 one. The Opus one at $895 says small morse (Bach) taper.
Joined: 25 Aug 2007 Posts: 2018 Location: Charleston, SC
Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2023 8:42 pm Post subject:
I'm not home at the moment, but I believe it takes a Bach type.
Having said this, Mark Curry is only making one taper now - and it's supposed to fit all. I've got flugel mouthpieces by about 7 different makers, and several fit and offer good intonation with this. Surprisingly, the best fit I have is with a Marcinkiwiscz (sp?). _________________ Jonathan Milam
Trumpets: 18043B, 18043*, 18043 Sterling Silver +, 18037 SterlingSilver+, Benge 4x, Olds: '34 Symphony, '47 Super, '52 Recording
Flugle: Strad 182
Puje: American Belle
Cornet: Olds Recording & Super
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