When u no longer have much interest in trying something new

[Louise Finch]

Hi all

I've got to the stage where I'm really happy with my current instruments to the point that I'm not really interested in trying something new or different, and I'm wondering whether anyone else feels the same.

I've always been a cornet player at heart, and do all my home practise on cornet, even though I probably play trumpet more out, and I've always said that it will take something special in a trumpet to make me pick it up over the cornet, or at least be equally happy playing it.

I found my special to me trumpet around 7/8 years ago. It is something pretty standard, and I was lukewarm about it until I dialled in the mouthpiece gap (decreased it) with sleeves, but once I'd dialled in the mouthpiece gap, and the trumpet opened up in both response and sound, I'd found my trumpet.

Like I said it is something pretty standard, a Yamaha YTR-8335 Xeno II. I really like my sound on this trumpet, and it plays really well with a great response. It is so easy to play very quietly, and can be played pretty loud without the sound spreading or breaking up. Maybe the 9 series Yamaha's are better, but if they are, I'm not sure how much better they can possibly be, as the 8335 Xeno II is already very good in my opinion. There isn't anything I can really find wrong with it, so I see absolutely no point in considering changing it. There presumably are better trumpets out there, but I imagine that my Xeno II is enough trumpet for even the most discerning of players, and when it comes down to it, it is the player not the trumpet, as long as the trumpet has a decent sound and plays well.

I feel the same about my new to me Yamaha YCR-8335 Neo cornet and Bach 183 flugel. Both play really well, with playing characteristics I like, and give me the sound I'm after on them.

I think that when you are really happy with your horns, that looking for something better, is either looking for the holy grail, or just something different. Probably the Xeno II works so well for me, as I'm looking for an all-around trumpet, as I play in a variety of styles and settings. I imagine that if I played in just one setting/style, I'd maybe want something more tailored to that setting/style.

My Neo cornet is very brass band orientated, but I primarily play cornet in a brass band, so that is what I was looking for.

All the best

Lou
_________________
Trumpets:
Yamaha 8335 Xeno II
Bach Strad 180ML/37
B&H Oxford
Kanstul F Besson C
Yamaha D and D/Eb
- James R New Custom 3Cs
Flugel:
Bach Strad 183 - Bach 3CFL
Cornets:
Yamaha Neo + Xeno
Bach Strad 184ML
B&H Imperial
- Kanstul Custom 3Cs

[JayKosta]

I agree with your analysis, and your choice.

But there is nothing wrong with seeking something better, unless the process and expense (not just money) cause problems themselves.

At some point, equipment that lacks 'something special' or that inhibits a player's ability can be a real issue, but that's a rare situation for most people.
_________________
Most Important Note ? - the next one !
KNOW (see) what the next note is BEFORE you have to play it.
PLAY the next note 'on time' and 'in rhythm'.
Oh ya, watch the conductor - they set what is 'on time'.

[Richard III]

[ldwoods]

First, I am not by any means a professional or great player. However, I do really like trying different horns to see how different design elements and features affect how the horn plays. From 2004 to about 2010 I probably bought and sold over 100 different trumpets. I enjoyed it and learned a lot about my preferences along the way. Here lately I have grown the herd again from 2 Bb to 4 Bb trumpets and need to trim it back to only two. My current horns I really enjoy playing are Wild Thing, Shires Doc Severensen, Schilke B6, and a King Silver Flair from early 1970.
_________________
Larry Woods
LDWoods

[ericmpena]

I’ve been 100% satisfied with my Thane Performance, but I still like to try different horns. If anything, it serves as a reminder of how much better my Thane plays than anything else I’ve ever held.
_________________
Thane Performing Artist
www.youtube.com/ericmpena
https://thanetrumpets.com/

[Louise Finch]

Thanks very much for your very interesting responses. Regarding my Xeno II, I imagine that something more specific would be better for someone who predominantly plays in one style. For example, I would have thought that the Xeno with its heavier weight bell and double braced tuning slide, may not be the first choice for big band lead trumpet playing, but for someone who plays in a variety of styles and requires a general purpose trumpet, I can’t see it holding anyone back.

The Yamaha Neo cornet is probably a bit brass band specific for someone who doesn’t want a cornet that is primarily designed for British brass band cornet playing, but it suits me, as that is what I wanted it for.

It is very interesting that others are more interested in trying things than I am now.

All the best

Lou
_________________
Trumpets:
Yamaha 8335 Xeno II
Bach Strad 180ML/37
B&H Oxford
Kanstul F Besson C
Yamaha D and D/Eb
- James R New Custom 3Cs
Flugel:
Bach Strad 183 - Bach 3CFL
Cornets:
Yamaha Neo + Xeno
Bach Strad 184ML
B&H Imperial
- Kanstul Custom 3Cs

[21trumpet]

I am fairly happy with my current horns but I do miss all the Monette horns I have owned in the past and since I have 2 good cars now 🤣🤣 I have decided to purchase another Monette but this time I am buying it new from the factory. All my previous Monette horns were used. I look forward to having another Monette trumpet and hopefully it will be the last Bb I will ever need.
_________________
Yamaha YTR-9335 NYS III
Bach Commercial - LT190SL1B
Yamaha YTR-9445 NYS-YS - C Trumpet
Wild Thing Flugelhorn - Copper - Raw
Yamaha YCR2330 Cornet
Yamaha Custom Piccolo
Monette B4S S2 Mouthpiece

[RussellDDixon]

I feel that trying out various horns "for fun" isn't a bad thing at all. You will either discover something new that you indeed like better ... or ... you will be even more satisfied with the choices that you have made. I love Schilke Trumpets; however, wouldn't have gotten here unless I was willing to try various equipment. Bottom line; whatever makes you happy.
_________________
Schilke X3 Bb trumpet
Yamaha 631g Flugelhorn
Nicholson Monette Prana Resonance LT mouthpiece
Kanstul Claude Gordon Personal mouthpiece

[spitvalve]

My existing equipment works just fine and is adequate for any occasion. But that doesn't stop me, an unrepentant trumpet geek gearhead, from looking at new horns and dreaming about how cool my current collection would look with added or replacement gear. What does stop me, however, is there is no room in the household budget at this time for me to buy more horns or mouthpieces. A happy marriage is more important to me than more trumpet stuff. But if I ever write that best-seller...
_________________
Bryan Fields
----------------
1991 Bach LR180 ML 37S
1999 Getzen Eterna 700S
1977 Getzen Eterna 895S Flugelhorn
1969 Getzen Capri cornet
1995 UMI Benge 4PSP piccolo trumpet
Warburton and Stomvi Flex mouthpieces

[stuartissimo]

[chef8489]

I am very happy with my new Bach 19072G, but I don't think I'll ever not want to try new horns. There are still horns I need to get like a C trumpet, Cornet, Flugel, maybe a piccoloand a bass. There are also other Bb horns I still want or really want to try. I want to add a Martin Bohme to my collection, Selmer K modified, some more Bach horns like NY and Mt Vernon.
_________________
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

[ldwoods]

Louise, this topic has me thinking and it occurred to me that my thoughts on trumpets are completely opposite to my thoughts on golf gear. Like I already said, I love trying anything I can in the trumpet world. However, after going through a few golf drivers in the last few years, I can relate to your thoughts/feelings in regards to trumpets.

I used to love trying different golf clubs, especially drivers, but after getting my Ping G425 driver, I have no desire to take any swings with other drivers. In the last few months there have been demo days at my golf club and I had no desire to try the latest and greatest drivers from Titleist, Callaway, or Ping.
_________________
Larry Woods
LDWoods

[jhatpro]

I often think about good horns I punted because I couldn’t make them sound the way I wanted and how they might sound now that I have elevated my skills.

An example is a Conn Victor 22B with Pilczuyk leadpipe I sold a few years ago. I recently spotted it for sale on Reverb and bought it. Wow! It’s now one of my favorite Bb’s.
_________________
Jim Hatfield

"The notes are there - find them.” Mingus

2021 Martinus Geelan Custom
2005 Bach 180-72R
1965 Getzen Eterna Severinsen
1946 Conn Victor
1998 Scodwell flugel
1986 Bach 181 cornet
1954 Conn 80A cornet
2002 Getzen bugle

[Louise Finch]

[p76]

Good post Louise - I used to be a real gearhead, and bought and sold lots of horns. I always wanted to try a Kanstul Chicago 1001, and got the chance to get one, at almost the same time a local music shop sold a NOS Kanstul 700 at a price I couldn't pass up.

I didn't know it at the time, but those two horns stopped my trumpet safari...between them, they do everything I need, and I love both of them in different ways.

As for cornet (used for Brass Bands), the Olds Ambassador A6 is just wonderful so I have no desire to change.

You note from my sig that I do have other horns, but TBH they rarely come out of the case...

I was recently in my local capital city (I live about 120km from Melbourne Australia) and went to Ozwinds, who are probably the best trumpet dealer in town, and tried an Olds CHR, a Besson 10-10, a Yamaha Chicago series II, a Yamaha Miyashiro, and a Bach 43 with reverse leadpipe. They were all good horns, but I did not feel the need to part with my hard-earned, which I would have before I got my brace of Kanstuls. Perhaps it's because I'm older and more sensible (unlikely), but I think I have found the horns that work for me.

Shame Kanstul is no more...

Cheers,
Roger
_________________
Bb - Selmer Radial, Yamaha YTR634, Kanstul 1001, Kanstul 700.
C - Yamaha 641.
Cornet - Olds Ambassador A6T, Besson 723, Olds Ambassador Long.
Flugel - Kanstul 1525
Mpc. - ACB 3CS, ACB 3ES, Curry 3BBC, Kanstul FB Flugel

[EdMann]

As an inveterate collector and sampler, I can totally relate. There are two horns that I cannot part with: My NY Bach, and my wartime Olds Super. My '28 King is a close third and gets a lot of mileage, and even with its age has better intonation than anything I play.

Well, then there's the Committee, but I digress.

When you lock into something that works, it beats shopping.

ed
_________________
29 NY Bach 6/6
46 Martin Cmte
61 Bach MV ML
70 Bach 37
73 Bach 43
32 Olds Std
42 Olds Super
54 Olds Rcdg
52 Selmer 24A
30 Holton 48 Lleyw
37 Conn 12B
23 Conn 22B
28 King Lib
46 Conn 80A crnt
1960 & 1868 Besson Flugs
60 King 2B bone

[jlambmusic]

The "hybrid" horns have kept me interested for the past year or so. I have had the chance to finally try an Osmun Corumpet last year and I have also played a Puje trumpet. Very fun instruments and can be quite versatile if you use them as your main horn.

[Brassnose]

I’m about to come full circle these days, so can relate to Louise quite a bit. When I started I had one trumpet and one mouthpiece and played that combo for over a decade for everything.

Then switched to a more aggressive mouthpiece and bought my Bach in the signature. Played that combo for 20 years.

Then got tenure and for the first time in my life had some disposable income. Went on a bit of a mouthpiece safari - Monette, GR, Warburton, Lotus, … - and finally landed on AR after ca. 5 years. Also bought the rotary because I always wanted a rotary (and love it, wonderful instrument).

On the way I also bought a few trumpets because I wanted to “try out some cool horns” but really found they are not adding much to my capabilities and in some cases even fit me less good than those I had.

So, after time, I sold all of them again and really am down to those in the list plus a few that need a cleanup before I dare selling them. There are very few instruments I’d like to try at the moment - Selmer Radial, Olds Special, Conn 6B - and there are really only two trumpets I have played where I thought, wow, that would be an improvement over the Bach: a Martin Schmidt piston horn and the X-13.

Long winded post, sorry, but nowadays I really like the idea (again) of taking one horn and one mouthpiece. Sort of the plug and play approach, I guess. One combination for orchestra, one for big band and commercial stuff, and then the C and the flugel. Rarely play the cornet and been thinking about selling that one, too.

One thing I am still interested is tinkering with some details. My flugel needs water keys on 1 and 3, the trigger is at the wrong location, that kind of stuff.
_________________
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, Frate, Klier

[Louise Finch]

[shofarguy]

Hi, Louise! I haven't seen a post from you in ages. I hope you are well.

To answer your question, Yes, no, sort of, yes.

Yes - When I started my comeback around 2005, nothing but my Benge 5X interested me. It was the greatest trumpet on the planet and I knew it. Then, it started giving me valve trouble and I began to spend time at the Kanstul showroom. Eventually, I had to admit that there were better trumpets on the planet.

No - Enter Flip Oakes. In 2009, I was introduced to the Wild Thing trumpet. It staggered me! People here get tired of me writing about it, so I'll just admit one goofy truth about owning and playing it: I always wanted to find a different trumpet. It was never about the sound, the incredible way it plays or any of the real attributes that count. I wanted my Wild Thing to look like a Benge, instead of a Bach. That's it. Stupid, right? But I've got this aesthetic magnet in me that pulls hard when something I think is attractive happens by. I've never thought the WT is particularly beautiful.

Sort of - Fast forward to my time in Arizona. I stopped playing anywhere but my bedroom for most of the past 12 years, up until the past two when I joined a local Community Concert Band. Since joining, I have struggled to feel comfortable in that trumpet section playing my horn. The tone is great, though a little brighter than I'd like, but the sound is too big. We have a bunch of trumpet players of different skill levels and it is hard to get down to dynamic levels that balance with them, at least that's how I perceive it. I've spent three semesters trying once again to tame my horn. Rather, I've worked to be able to play accurately and consistently at much lower volume levels than even what I use in my bedroom.

One day, I had some time and was in the neighborhood, so I stopped at Milano Music in Mesa, AZ and played the Shires CVLA-L. Dang! It slotted better than any trumpet I'd ever played, to be honest. That meant that I could see myself playing through my entire usable range at really low dynamics and not lose accuracy. Why "Dang!?" Because, I cannot afford to buy another trumpet and I will never sell my Wild Thing voluntarily while I'm alive.

Yes - I made a trip back to Southern California this past April and took time to visit Flip and Joyce Oakes while there. I love to spend time with Flip in his shop doing trumpet stuff, so I made sure to take some of the day to catch up there. Flip handed me a little brass disc with a hole in it and told me to try putting that in the bottom cap of my flugelhorn's first valve. When I got back home, I did, but I tried it in the trumpet first. BAM! Slotting and response like that Shires! Holy cow! I used it for the final concert last Spring.

With the timbre (and beauty!) of my new-spec copper WT, the versatility of multiple tuning slides that significantly alter how the horn plays, with the new-found improved slotting and accuracy, I am satisfied.
_________________
Brian A. Douglas

Flip Oakes Wild Thing Bb Trumpet in copper
Flip Oakes Wild Thing Flugelhorn in copper


There is one reason that I practice: to be ready at the downbeat when the final trumpet sounds.