Zeus Trumpet-real opinions, no complaining

Trumpet_Mom · Posted: Sat Mar 20, 2004 5:10 pm Post subject:

Since there is a local dealer in my area, I am sincerely interested in learning more about the playing quality of the Zeus trumpet. I would appreciate comments from those of you who actually own the trumpet or have played the trumpet.

I do not want to hear complaints about unprofessional marketing tactics, or complaints about the owner. I don't care. I just want personal playing experience opinions ONLY. Please private message me. We don't need to start another Zachary Music bashing post. There's enough here to last a lifetime. Thank you.

tpetplyr · Posted: Sat Mar 20, 2004 6:16 pm Post subject:

The only thing that matters is how they sound. Go play one.

Stuart
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_dcstep · Posted: Sat Mar 20, 2004 6:52 pm Post subject:

Trust your own judgement. You've played several decent Bachs, now try the Zeus and buy based on how they sound AND feel to you. If you're a pro, sound is all-important, but if you're playing for fun, get a horn that feels good and responds well for you.

Dave
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_swthiel · Posted: Sat Mar 20, 2004 6:54 pm Post subject:

I second the suggestion to try one! Since the dealer is local, he should be able to arrange for you to try one out, and I don't know of any better way to judge whether or not a particular horn is the right one for you.

Happy hunting!
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Steve Thiel

Matthew 25:31-46

Larry Smithee · Heavyweight Member Joined: 11 Nov 2001 Posts: 4399

If you like it (yawn)...then by all means (yawn)...buy it.
Larry

Zeusfan · Regular Member Joined: 15 Mar 2004 Posts: 87

I am a newest Zeus Dealer down here in Alabama and I very happy you have the opportunity to try one of these horns. I had a Schilke X3, a Selmer picc, and Yamaha flugel and I sold every one of them after I tried the Zeus trumpets. I just bought the Zeus Guarnerius Bb and C with Anitique Brushed Lacquer and Zeus Olympus in raw brass. These horns are awesome. I play orchestas, quintets, chamber, wind ensemble, and lead in jazz combos and big bands and I didn't think twice about switching equipment after playing Zeus.
When I first heard about the Zeus trumpets, I figured someone was ripping a ton of people off. You have to order the horns over the internet, you here alot of people trashing the horns, and like my area, no one has ever even heard of them.
But, I have found the horns to have great intonation, great response, tons of prescence, and very free-blowing. The best horns that I have ever played!

If you have any questions you can email me at Capouser@aol.com

camel lips · Heavyweight Member Joined: 24 Jan 2004 Posts: 687

where are you in alabama

edwardamason@comcast.net

Zeusfan · Regular Member Joined: 15 Mar 2004 Posts: 87

central AL

you can contact me at Capouser@aol.com

Trptbenge · Posted: Sat Mar 20, 2004 9:04 pm Post subject:

Trumpet_Mom, my advice to you is to try them and compare them agains't other horns and if you like them then buy one. We all have our own favorite horns. So, it is a very personal choice. You have tried Bachs on your lunch hour, you live only two hours from WWBW, you have an open invitation to tour the Getzen factory and you could drive to Chicago to play Schilkes, Wayne Tanabes new horn. So, you have many more choices then most of us. Take advantage of the opportunities and then make your decision. Somewhere along the way hopefully you will play two or three hours that will knock your socks off and then you can decide. If you do make the trip to WWBW they have great facilities to try horns. It would be nice to take someone with you
that could listen to you. I have a friend that payed a professional player to go with him and listen to him play and then play the horn for him. Strangely enough we both ended up with the same horn without knowing either one of us was looking at the same model.

Take Advantage of an opportunity and have fun!

Mike
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It's the sound that makes the difference!

MUSICandCHARACTER · Posted: Sat Mar 20, 2004 10:35 pm Post subject:

TmptBenge is right ... have some fun!

I am a ZeuS dealer and I can tell you I have never had this much fun. I drive around my area allowing players to play the Olympus (mostly) or a Guarnerius. I bring the horns, they bring their horns, we play, talk about horns and just have fun. I make a some sales, and I make a lot of new friends. The ZeuS way is player to player.

Not everyone buys a ZeuS, or a Benge, or a Bach, or a Wild Thing, or a Schilke, or an Eclipse, or a ...... If they are in the market for a new horn, they buy what they like and want. Certainly playing a ZeuS is a fun experience. I know I am happy to show then to anyone and so are the rest of the dealers. I can say this, normally the ZeuS (especially the Olympus) surprises people in a positive way.

M&C
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trumpetmike · Posted: Sat Mar 20, 2004 11:35 pm Post subject:

I have seen only one ZeuS.
I have played only one ZeuS.

It was a reasonable trumpet.

It wasn't the trumpet for me, but it may well have suited some other people.

Considering that these instruments seem to have been aimed at the Bach fans, I can see why I might not like it - I am not the greatest fan of Bachs either (I have played hundreds, have liked one!).

If you have the chance to try one, go for it. It might be the instrument for you - but go in with an open mind. There will be people who trash these instruments (possibly due to the nature of Alex) and there will be those who praise them (often the dealers, but not just them), my advice is to ignore all opinions, try them and see what YOU think.
The same can be said for almost every instrument out there. There are people (lots of them) who will say that you should only ever play Bach, whether it is suited to you and your playing or not. These people are just as foolish as those who say that any other make is the only trumpet that everybody should be using. No trumpet is suitable for everybody (we are all different, wanting different things from our playing), if you find one that works for you - that is the one to get!

Try one - if it is for you - hooray; if not - don't worry, plenty more still to try.

trumpetrmb · Posted: Sun Mar 21, 2004 5:16 am Post subject:

If you have an opportunity to play a horn, by all means try it out.

If you have an opportunity to buy a trumpet you like from a civilized human being at a good price, by all means do it.

If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is not true.

If a salesperson is making outrageous claims about a product they are selling, there is probably a fair amount of exaggeration going on.

Make your own opinions, and have fun horn shopping.
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Trumpet_Mom · Posted: Sun Mar 21, 2004 6:12 am Post subject:

I'm going to try and be patient, which is hard for me, and take my time buying my next trumpet. Since I still do have my Yamaha 6335HGSII, I don't have to rush out and make a purchase. (Although, that sounds like fun!) Thanks for all advice and I'll keep you posted on my buying decision.
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jamesfrmphilly · Posted: Sun Mar 21, 2004 6:34 am Post subject:

there is a ZeuS forum on trumpet master, you can get plenty of information there
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1946 Martin Committee, Bach 5V

jgadvert · Posted: Sun Mar 21, 2004 12:00 pm Post subject:

Thanks to a fellow TH poster..I had the chance to try the Olympus recently.

For around $1,500. I would much rather have an Olympus than a new standard Bach. Really nice horn...in a lot of ways. But I would have to have a third valve water key installed. Other than the issue of re-sale value(having to educate a buyer on a Zues)..on playing quality alone..the Olympus is much more bang for the buck.

Anybody play one and disagree?

Zeusfan · Regular Member Joined: 15 Mar 2004 Posts: 87

I'm not sure this is entirely accurate concerning the resale value of Zeus. A Bach Strad in polished brass is $1439 at Music123. An Guarnerius (which you said plays on par with the Bach) sells for $950. That is nearly a $500 difference.

The most recently sold Strad on eBay sold for $895.00 in very nice shape. It was in silver and a comparable model at Music123 sells for $1570. That is around 57%

The most recent ZeuS on eBay was an ABL 900 model and sold for $800. It was worth about $1130 new with the accessories. That is around 70%.

If a ZeuS plays on par with a Strad, and brings 70% of new opposed to 60% of new and the Stad is more to begin with, the numbers don't add up in favor of the Bach.

In fact, I would argue there are so many Strads on the secondary market that is drives the price down.

As for market share. You don't start on top. There is a apocryphal story about Dell computer when Michael Dell was still the CEO. He was talking to an officer (the CFO maybe?) that prices had to go lower to get market share. The CFO replied, "Why not just give them away and we would have 100% of the market!" Now whether the story is true or not, it makes a point. Some companies fight for big market shares. Selmer/Bach is one of them. GM fights Toyota.

But the Guarnerius is more like a German car when it comes to market share at the moment. A small market share is fine. Some have suggested the Bach quality suffered when pressed to gain market share. So go ahead and buy a Strad for more money and less resale value. You will have nothing that the world doesn't have. For the SAME money (or even less) you could have a Olympus which is well beyond the ordinary Strad.

Zeusfan · Regular Member Joined: 15 Mar 2004 Posts: 87

I'll give the credit to Jim Fox for coming up with those statistics. Good job!

Trumpet_Mom · Posted: Sun Mar 21, 2004 1:57 pm Post subject:

I tried the Zeus G in brushed copper today. It's an interesting looking trumpet. The sound was excellent, very clear and rich, excellent projection, easy to play, slotting was great, construction looked good and it stayed in tune up and down the register. Easily hit the high notes and the low notes were very clear, not muddy. Valves were fast, response was excellent.

That particular model didn't have the sound I'm looking for, (a little too warm and broad) but, for the money, it definitely is worthy competition to the other pro horns out there. I tried it with the square and the rounded tuning slide. I liked the round one best - more open. I liked it better then the xeno or my 6335HGSII. I think it compares very well to the Bachs I tried, maybe, even better. It was nice, very nice. I'm going to continue trying other brands, but the Zeus is definitely on my list of top contenders. And the price makes it very tempting.

Zeusfan · Regular Member Joined: 15 Mar 2004 Posts: 87

Good for you trumpet_mom! It's encouraging as a dealer to know that I sell a product that receives high praise everytime someone tries a horn out. You may want to consider trying and Olympus as well. It's a lot bigger horn. Completely different from the Guarnerius. The copper bell is going to warm your tone, so you may want to try a silver Guarnerius as well. Good Luck!

_dcstep · Posted: Sun Mar 21, 2004 5:51 pm Post subject:

Trumpet_mom, it sounds like you're a yellow-brass kind of person. That Zeus you tried might very likely have a heavy copper content in the bell (I've noticed that a lot of them seem to be that way). You might see if they have a yellow-brass one for you to try. Personally I think yellow-brass is the way to go. I lot of players are going for a darker tone, but I don't like that darker sound as much. To me it's not as rich sounding. Also, the horns seem less responsive in those copper bells.

Dave
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Schilke '60 B1 -- 229 Bach-C/19-350 Blackburn -- Lawler TL Cornet -- Conn V1 Flugel -- Stomvi Master Bb/A/G picc -- GR mpcs
[url=http://www.pitpops.com] The PitPops[/url]
Rocky Mountain Trumpet Fest