Couesnon Flugelhorn

jazzfunk · Posted: Mon Jan 17, 2005 3:34 am Post subject: Couesnon Flugelhorn

A friend of mine (also a trumpet player) got his lucky hands on a vintage (I'd estimate it to the '50s) Couesnon Flugelhorn a few months ago at a local brasswind shop. The price was almost laughable ($300)! Although it looked scrabby (laquer about 50%, some dents and pings and it is a little bit leaky) it sounds so incredible sweet! Dark, mellow and warm. I played it on a gig this weekend and it blew me away!

I tried a Yamaha 631 a month ago and it could not come close to the Couesnon. The Yamaha sounded more like a trumpet. The difference in bore can be one explanation.

Are there any flugelhorns out there that are being produced today that can match the vintage Couesnon? Inderbinen? (but aren't they very expensive and hard to get?) New production Couesnon? (has anyone tried one of those?)

cheers
~K
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E.D.Lewis · Posted: Mon Jan 17, 2005 5:11 am Post subject:

I also recently tried a vintage Couesnon and was absolutely entranced by the sound and response of the horn. I almost got the guy to sell it to me but in the end he couldn't let it go - I can't blame him. There are a lot of horns out there that claim to be copies of the Couesnon - Yamaha 6310Z, Conn Vintage One, Kanstul, etc... I just bought a new Kanstul flugel - the 925 Custom Class with a copper bell - and I love it. I've tried both the Yamaha and the Conn V1 and of the three the Kanstul comes closest to matching the Couesnon that I played. I was playing the Kanstul on a New Year's Eve gig with a bigband and turned some heads after playing the solo on "Lil' Darlin'" Two of the other guys in the section play vintage Couesnons and they both really dug the sound of the Kanstul 925. It's a great horn and reasonably priced. If you're into buying a Kanstul then you contact PC King at www.pickmusic.net She's hooks it up!

All the best,
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Balt58 · Posted: Mon Jan 17, 2005 5:49 am Post subject:

I've played a new production Cousenon Monopole for the last four years and it's everything the vintage horns were and a whole lot better. I've had a vintage horn and the new ones have none of the problems of the old ones. The tone and quality of the sound is still there and the fit and finish is as good as any horn made today.
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"Actors find God. Musicians find jazz..."

Tulsa Calicchio RR37 w/GR 3HC* & GR 3S
Cousenon Copper Monopole Flugel w/Flip Oakes F0

trombapaul2 · Posted: Wed Jan 19, 2005 12:13 am Post subject:

The 6310Z is VERY close to the sound and feel of my AWOL (stolen)
Cousenon Monopole Star. The major complaint I have with it is the
danged Yamaha valves. They seem to get muddy on me about every
3 months no matter what I do. The valves on my Queenie sounded
like a John Deere motor but NEVER stuck or became sluggish.

Paul
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giakara · Posted: Wed Jan 19, 2005 1:13 am Post subject:

Get a Yamaha 6310Z laquer is very very close to the French sound.

Regards

jazzfunk · Posted: Wed Jan 19, 2005 1:58 am Post subject:

riffi1 · Posted: Wed Jan 19, 2005 3:27 am Post subject:

Follow this link to get info re new Cousenon flugels.

http://www.dallasmusic.org/gearhead/Couesnon%3F.html%20
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Balt58 · Posted: Wed Jan 19, 2005 6:16 am Post subject:

PGM Cousenon does not have a website. They only employ 14 people that not only make about 2 dozen kinds of brass instruments but also make all of their percusssion products. The only dealer I've found is in Switzerland (Villeneuve). They can get anything they make and are great to work with. Email Francois at Top Music SA. They have a nice web site as well. I've bought two Monopoles from them.
_________________
"Actors find God. Musicians find jazz..."

Tulsa Calicchio RR37 w/GR 3HC* & GR 3S
Cousenon Copper Monopole Flugel w/Flip Oakes F0

Balt58 · Posted: Wed Jan 19, 2005 1:46 pm Post subject:

I stand corrected...

http://www.pgm-couesnon.com/

This must have become active very recently.
_________________
"Actors find God. Musicians find jazz..."

Tulsa Calicchio RR37 w/GR 3HC* & GR 3S
Cousenon Copper Monopole Flugel w/Flip Oakes F0

music matters · Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2005 12:18 am Post subject:

Leigh told me his new Eclipse flugel horn plays as beautifully as the old Quennies in terms of tone, as that was his goal I believe, but without the intonation problems that the Quennies had.

I have an Eclipse Red Bell and it is a lovely flugel with a lovely rich dark yet classic flugel sound. I haven't played a Quennie so can't comment about the direct comparison so I can only go from what Leigh has told me, but I have extensively played the Shew Flugel which was my second choice. The Eclipse is much richer, sweeter, warmer than the Shew but they are the same small bore and do have many similarities. The Eclipse was much better in my opinion although I really liked the Shew - it was just not rich/mellow enough for me in the end. So if people are saying the Shew is the most similar then the Eclipse is richer/warmer so could be the new equivalent of a Queenie.

It would be interesting to hear from anyone who has played the new Eclipse and a good old Queenie.

MM