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High end modern trumpet suggestions


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herpderp
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 12, 2023 7:36 am    Post subject: High end modern trumpet suggestions Reply with quote

I got my brand new Thane big bell trumpet delivered, and it has ruined me for anything else that I have owned. The Thane is more even, more in tune, easier to play softly, loudly, it's all just easier, and sounds great doing it. It's hard to explain how much easier and more fun having the best tool makes my practice.

If you on the fence about a Thane trumpet, don't be. It blows away all the Yamahas, Kanstuls, Conns, Bachs, Selmers and Olds, that I have played fairly extensively over the years.

Does anyone else have some suggestions for trumpets that might not have the mainstream pedigree but just are plain better than anything made at Bach and Yamaha?
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Brassnose
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 12, 2023 8:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

https://www.martin-schmidt-potsdam.de/instrumentenbau/drehventil-instrumente/b-trompeten/x-serie-excellence/

I have played (tested, that is) almost the entire range of the Schmidt instruments (including variants not on the site, except the round flugels and the piccoli) and the eXcellence is what I ended up with. They are all wonderful instruments. If I needed something for a large orchestra I’d go with the Weite Mensur, my other favorite (but much more bold and dominant than the eXcellence; it would bury the woodwinds and strings in my current orchestra).

Things have gotten even better after I paired mine with an AR piece - but that is true for all my horns except the flugel (that I rarely use, so no current need for an AR )
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Dayton
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 12, 2023 9:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
Does anyone else have some suggestions for trumpets that might not have the mainstream pedigree but just are plain better than anything made at Bach and Yamaha?


There are lots of great horns being made now on a much smaller scale than Bach or Yamaha. Blackburn comes immediately to mind, as does Van Laar, Ken Larson, Edwards, Harrelson, Fred Powell and Del Quadro. And many more that I know of by reputation but have not played.

Having said that, I don't think any of them make horns that are "just plain better" than the Bach 1937 and 19043, or the Yamaha 9335NYIII and the 8335LAII. Those small manufacturers build great horns that are fully worthy of comparison with the best from Bach and Yamaha. What players prefer is a matter of personal preference not the empirical superiority of one builder of top-level professional instruments over another.
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Brassnose
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 12, 2023 9:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I agree with the above statement. My Schmidt IS the better horn (for me) but my Bach is a great horn, too (else I would not have kept it for over 30 years); the Schmidt is just special.
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2019 Martin Schmidt eXcellence
1992 Bach 43GH/43
1989 Kühnl & Hoyer Model 15 flugel
1980/2023 Custom Blessing Scholastic C 😎
1977 Conn 6B
1951 Buescher 400 Lightweight
AR Resonance, Klier, Curry
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Irving
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 12, 2023 10:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

[quote="Dayton"]
Quote:


Having said that, I don't think any of them make horns that are "just plain better" than the Bach 1937 and 19043, or the Yamaha 9335NYIII and the 8335LAII. Those small manufacturers build great horns that are fully worthy of comparison with the best from Bach and Yamaha. What players prefer is a matter of personal preference not the empirical superiority of one builder of top-level professional instruments over another.


+1
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chef8489
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 12, 2023 10:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I really leve my vintage King and Bach horns, but really enjoyed when I got to audition a Mike Del Quadro horn and a Martin Boheme horn. I really think after I get my next few Bach and a Selmer K modified I will be getting a Martin Boheme custome horn.
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kehaulani
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 12, 2023 10:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm happy for you guys. I've never had a horn I could outplay.
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herpderp
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 12, 2023 10:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have an Excellent Mt Vernon 37 sitting in my closet, and have played half a dozen other trumpets from a wide variety of manufacturers both new and vintage.

All of them are great in their own way, but typically have intonation challenges, evenness issues, and playability problems. It wasn't obvious to me until I tried my excellent Thane trumpet.

Yes, my Mt Vernon would be the trumpet I would take to land a job in a symphony orchestra, and yes it is a timeless design. I know that Yamaha and Bach make wonderful trumpets and are played by the best pros all around the world.

Can we be charitable about my question and perspective for a moment?

I'm specifically looking for suggestions about trumpet designs that improve upon playability, intonation and evenness issues of some older more established designs. The best pros probably don't need as much help overcoming the issues of playability and intonation that I struggle with.


Last edited by herpderp on Sun Mar 12, 2023 10:42 am; edited 1 time in total
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herpderp
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 12, 2023 10:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

chef8489 wrote:
I really leve my vintage King and Bach horns, but really enjoyed when I got to audition a Mike Del Quadro horn and a Martin Boheme horn. I really think after I get my next few Bach and a Selmer K modified I will be getting a Martin Boheme custome horn.


I think Thane uses the same valves as Martin Bohme's trumpets. What model Bohme did you end up trying?
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chef8489
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 12, 2023 10:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

herpderp wrote:
chef8489 wrote:
I really leve my vintage King and Bach horns, but really enjoyed when I got to audition a Mike Del Quadro horn and a Martin Boheme horn. I really think after I get my next few Bach and a Selmer K modified I will be getting a Martin Boheme custome horn.


I think Thane uses the same valves as Martin Bohme's trumpets. What model Bohme did you end up trying?
I tried a Tumultus on Martin recommendation. He even said he could put a 1st trigger on for me as that is something I truly need on my horns. I need to try a flugel when I get a chance as well as the C trumpet, but no one had them in stock when I was trying them.
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1966 H.N. White King Silver Flair
1965 H.N. White King Super 20 Sllversonic Symphony 1st trigger
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Irving
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 12, 2023 10:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Herpderp, If there were a horn that is obviously superior than all the rest, then all of the pros would already be using it. Being that this isn't the case, they use a variety of horns. The classical players use mainly Bach and Yamaha. I don't know what commercial and jazz players use. Now let's say that there is a horn that offers better intonation than a Bach. Then there might be something that it doesn't offer, like a better sound. So each individual must decide which horn offers the best package overall. That's why you see different horns being used.Everybody doesn't agree which horn is the best.
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JayKosta
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 12, 2023 10:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

A big part of the equation is how well the instrument is 'set up' as part of the final production and inspection.

Getting the 'details' adjusted for best results: valve alignment, gap, interior solder clean-up, water key seal, final metal anneal, etc.
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Brassnose
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 12, 2023 11:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hey Chef, I tried the Böhme horns a while back and while the Tumultus is a nice horn, I really liked the Clarus. Much easier to play for me and closer to the sound profile I’d be looking for in a piston horn. And I *think* I could prefer a DQ horn over a Böhme, but it’s been a while since I sampled those. They felt even easier for me to play (but DQ is at the wrong end of the globe for me ).
_________________
2019 Martin Schmidt eXcellence
1992 Bach 43GH/43
1989 Kühnl & Hoyer Model 15 flugel
1980/2023 Custom Blessing Scholastic C 😎
1977 Conn 6B
1951 Buescher 400 Lightweight
AR Resonance, Klier, Curry
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spitvalve
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 12, 2023 11:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

My 2 cents, recently devalued due to inflation:

I think most classical players, especially orchestral players, gravitate toward Bach and Yamaha because of a certain sound standard; they have to try and blend and get that orchestra's characteristic sound. Jazz players, on the other hand, are more likely to gravitate toward boutique horns because they don't want to sound like everyone else. There are exceptions across the board, but if you want to make a generalization, I think this is a valid thought.
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Halflip
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 12, 2023 11:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

No mention of Monette? I would think Monette equipment would certainly qualify in this discussion.
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spitvalve
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 12, 2023 12:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Halflip wrote:
No mention of Monette? I would think Monette equipment would certainly qualify in this discussion.


I'm not rich enough to talk about Monettes.
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Bryan Fields
----------------
1991 Bach LR180 ML 37S
1999 Getzen Eterna 700S
1979 Getzen Eterna 895S Flugelhorn
1969 Getzen Capri cornet
Eastlake Benge 4PSP piccolo trumpet
Warburton and Stomvi Flex mouthpieces
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chef8489
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 12, 2023 12:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Halflip wrote:
No mention of Monette? I would think Monette equipment would certainly qualify in this discussion.

Could buy a Martin Boheme, dq custom, Adam's and a lotus for the price of a Monette.
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Current horns
2023 Bach 19072G/43 pipe with 1st trigger
1966 H.N. White King Silver Flair
1965 H.N. White King Super 20 Sllversonic Symphony 1st trigger
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Halflip
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 12, 2023 12:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

spitvalve wrote:
I'm not rich enough to talk about Monettes.

chef8489 wrote:
Could buy a Martin Boheme, dq custom, Adam's and a lotus for the price of a Monette.

Fair enough -- price wasn't mentioned as a constraint earlier in the thread.

I guess I'd better zip over to the 'AutoGarage' forum and withdraw my Pagani Huayra suggestion from the thread discussing niche alternatives that drive better than a Honda Accord.
_________________
"He that plays the King shall be welcome . . . " (Hamlet Act II, Scene 2, Line 1416)

"He had no concept of the instrument. He was blowing into it." -- Virgil Starkwell's cello teacher in "Take the Money and Run"


Last edited by Halflip on Sun Mar 12, 2023 12:39 pm; edited 1 time in total
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delano
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 12, 2023 12:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

There is no real discussion here. We have an OP who is VERY pleased with is new Thane horn and I suppose he has all the right for that.
Maybe a little bit too enthusiastic but who cares?
And of course there are, certainly nowadays, a lot of very good horns.
In the end I still play most of the time my 1993 Yamaha 6345, never found a better horn. (Only my MG Twister TARV trumpet comes close but that's a complete different instrument).
The most impressive horns I played were the Selmer Concept TT and the Yamaha Artist 9335 NY and CHS. But the first one could not give me the sound I really liked, the Yammies are ridiculous good orchestral horns IMO, they are frightening good but the very tight slotting is too much for me.
And Thane is of course unknown territory here in Holland.


Last edited by delano on Sun Mar 12, 2023 1:01 pm; edited 2 times in total
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ericmpena
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 12, 2023 12:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I was gonna recommend a Thane Performance, but you’ve already made the right decision!

To be completely honest, you’ve probably got the best horn available on the market already. Be happy you got it right before the price increase!

I spent a lot of time with the Edwards X-13, AR Resonance, Lotus, and the Tumultus. The Thane easily tops them….and it just happens to be the lowest priced of the bunch.

If you want another modern horn to add to your collection, maybe look into ordering a standard bell (37) Thane Performance to pair with your large bell.
I have both and find situations suited for each. Big bell for acoustic, intimate gigs. Small bell for classical, lead, or anything where I need a more traditional trumpet tone.

Congrats on your horn!
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