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Anyone here play a Fides?


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GTM
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 01, 2008 3:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have not tried the Symphony , but I have played their Allegro and Pioneer models - really great trumpets!! They consistently positively surprise everyone who tries them!!

Good work Fides!!
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sam1750
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PostPosted: Sat Feb 15, 2020 3:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Fides is a Spanish brand developed by the German Matthias Beck in Dettingen maybe that's why it is not so famous in America but it is a great brand with unique designs and great quality. I've seen a Rubén Simeo recital live playing his Fides RB model (Ruben has his own model) I've also seen Luis Aquino a famous Latin American salsa, merengue and Latin music trumpeter play his LA model based on the Fides Jazz II model and they sound just great, I can also add that Joenuel Lebron current trumpeter of Cirque Du Soleil and first trumpet of Marc Anthony and warnurton artist and Carlos Gómez trumpeter of the Mitteleuropa Orchestra play in the Fides Jazz II model (a sexy light weigth horn with a dark gray matte finish with versatile sound and great projection) they sound just great.

I would love to know if anyone else has information or experience with these horns, I have seen models that are sold between $ 1700 to $ 3000 which is a reasonable price for high quality horns.
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Patrizio
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PostPosted: Sun May 03, 2020 2:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hello, I have heard that Fides trumpets are made with Carol Brass parts.
Is that true? Thanks
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HaveTrumpetWillTravel
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PostPosted: Sun May 03, 2020 4:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have the heavy symphony Fides C. I'm also the one who wrote that the parts at least seemed compatible with Carol Brass and some of the lacquer colors are the same as ones used in Taiwan (I have a Mauriat with the vintage grey that Fides uses on some Jazz II).

I wrote to Fides once because when I bought my C it came with a bend in the bell and I wondered how much a replacement bell would be. They didn't write back. It wouldn't surprise me if they're more Spanish "inspired". I looked and they do have a real office in Spain. It may well be one of the many partnerships with Taiwanese or Chinese partners (see: ACB, Taylor, Dillon, even Bach, Yamaha, etc).

I like mine quite a lot. It's very comfortable, I think the bell and tuning slide curves are awesome and I like the double wall piping. I struggle with intonation on it, but that's definitely on me. I would buy another happily, but I always struggle with paying new instrument prices.
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Patrizio
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PostPosted: Sun May 03, 2020 4:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks, so you confirm my impressions. I think also the Da Carbo trumpet has some Carol Brass parts, except for the bell. So, if Carol Brass is making parts for many Factories, this means that many trumpets share similar materials and features and we are loosing the peculiarity of different manufactory.

I am glad you like your Fides. By the way I was thinking to buy a second hand Fides Pesada which should be similar to the Ruber Simeo model. Do you know anything about this Pesada?
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HaveTrumpetWillTravel
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PostPosted: Sun May 03, 2020 7:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I don't know that Fides model. It's interesting on the De Carbo, because I actually have another Taiwanese made trumpet (different maker from Carol) with a near identical body to the De Carbo (same third valve stopper, braces, mouthpiece receiver). I don't think Carol made the De Carbo bodies, but I could be wrong.

It's probably hard to know how much makers are sources parting (braces, spit valves, valve blocks, even bells and leadpipes) and how many are making stencils. I actually don't mind, and I also really believe that having a good international partner makes a difference. For instance, the De Carbo-like trumpet I have has kind of a cheaper interface between the main tuning slide and the legs and it shows some lacquer burn or acid stain under the brushed silver. They selling locally for $800 and I bought it used for under half that, but if the quality control was 100% I could also see this trumpet easily selling for $1500.

With Fides, I do feel like their line is a little harder to understand. What are the characteristics of the two models you mentioned? I couldn't find them easily online.
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Patrizio
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PostPosted: Sun May 03, 2020 8:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The model I was thinking to buy is the "Fides Pesada", non very popular indeed....
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Patrizio
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PostPosted: Sun May 03, 2020 8:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I had a Da Carbo Unica and in my opinion the body is very similar to that of Carol Brass trumpets.
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dstpt
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PostPosted: Sun May 03, 2020 12:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I picked up an A/B-flat Fides piccolo recently, which has a similar build to a Schilke P5-4. It plays well in tune and on the level of a Stomvi or Schilke, IMO.

The valve block (entire assembly of valves and three attached slides) that we see on CarolBrass (CB) instruments are made by Hoxon Gaaki in Taiwan. I guess the company is one and the same (kind of confusing)...

https://www.carolbrass.com/company.php?type=2

...but I know some boutique trumpet builders that prefer to use the “Hoxon Gaaki” (HG) name to avoid confusion with their own product and that of CB, plus, at least some of these builders have their own specs that they dictate to HG for their horns. I just had a Puje Pique custom made by Brent Peters, and he used an HG valve block for the build. Interestingly, he did send me pics of the shavings from the valve ports, explaining that deburring is part of the process when he receives a valve block from a manufacturer. I'm not sure how it would be with other valve blocks, but it'd be interesting to get an inside scoop from anyone who knows.

I did have a brass tech recently assemble a new MAW valve block with spare Eclipse bell/leadpipe/tuning slide/braces/et al, and he said that there was some deburring he had to do, but that it wasn't too bad. But I recon this is where the money can be saved, by buying a reasonably-priced valve block from a company like HG and spend the extra time deburring, which does not require a whole lot of time, btw. My experience with CB valves in general has been very positive, both on their own horns and on that of other trumpet makes, and if the Fides put HG valves on this piccolo, then their quality seems to be right up there with some of the best in the industry. Then again, could they have an arrangement with Stomvi, since both companies are located in Spain? Pure speculation, but someone knows…
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HaveTrumpetWillTravel
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PostPosted: Sun May 03, 2020 4:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

That's interesting on the piccolo. It would great to see it A/B tested against Carol's piccolo.

I also thought the comment on burrs was useful. I have a Carol 7770 I bought with fairly extensive red rot. It holds moisture and I always wondered if maybe there's a manufacturing error where it holds water.

I like all the Taiwanese trumpets I have. I wish there were fewer games over who makes what, because it would be nice to have the type of info that you can find on old US and European trumpets. Maybe down the line more of that info will circulate.
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Goby
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PostPosted: Sun May 03, 2020 8:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

DaCarbo is made by Werner Spiri in Switzerland. While they might bear a resemblance to CarolBrass, they are produced in Switzerland. Carol Blocks are popular among custom builders (Harrelson, Puje, and Taylor come to mind), but Spiri produces their valves in-house.

From their website:
"The valves of a trumpet are the most sensitive area in the built of wind instruments and require very high precision. The valves get the necessary lightness and accuracy through the final honing (sanding to improve measure and form accuracy as well as surface treatment). The valves for all Spiri Vario trumpets are fabricated in our manufactory in Winterthur"
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HaveTrumpetWillTravel
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PostPosted: Mon May 04, 2020 4:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

IDK Goby, the Taiwanese trumpet I have looks *exactly* like a De Carbo, except for the bell. Same valve block, slide rings, braces, spit valves, valve caps and bottoms, etc., etc. It's also very unlikely a Taiwanese manufacturer is going to go out of its way to copy a European brand for its own generic house brand and much more likely that a European manufacturer will source the bulk of its components from Taiwan. To me when they write "Various of the 130 small components are manually reworked" it means they're perhaps blueprinting components from abroad and possibly doing fitting and plating themselves. Maybe the valves really are their own. I guess the first question is what are they made of? Places like Bach, Yamaha, Getzen, Carol have factories you can tour. I'm not reading about those for De Carbo or Fides (but I could be wrong).
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Goby
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PostPosted: Mon May 04, 2020 10:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

It's possible that Spiri sources some parts like slide rings, spit valves, valve springs, and pinky hooks from overseas, but it's highly unlikely anything more than that isn't made in-house. Look up Werner Spiri, he produces DaCarbo for Dr. Keller (the founder and genius behind DaCarbo).

Comparing one of Spiri's trumpets to a CarolBrass, you'll note that there are many differences. I used to own a Spiri Vario which I foolishly sold, as well as a few CarolBrass horns. The Spiri has a reverse leadpipe with an extremely thick outer tube on top, something not found on any CarolBrass trumpet. The bottom leg of the tuning slide extends past the tuning slide post, and the inner leg extends all the way to the valve block. This feature allows them to brace the tuning slide and have a reverse leadpipe. The valve casings on any Spiri are 2-piece, something CarolBrass doesn't produce. They both have ridges in the middle, but so do Bachs and almost any other Besson-style trumpet block. The braces in between the tubes of the slides on the Spiri/Dacarbo have wide feet for a large area of contact, something not found on any CarolBrass design. Finally, Spiri uses what they call "system Vario", a modular bracing configuration that allows the player to disassemble the entire trumpet with only a small hex wrench to swap bells and lead pipes. This system is proprietary, and unlike anything offered by CarolBrass.

On the topic of the DaCarbo Flugel, from pictures posted on DaCarbo's website, it looks like this may be built on a CarolBrass block and feature CarolBrass waterkeys. If this is the case, I would be slightly disappointed given the high price tag.
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ShawnMAnderson
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 23, 2021 5:57 am    Post subject: Pleased with my Fides Symphony (unique bends). Reply with quote

Just 13-15 years late to this thread, but will still post knowing they are still reviewed for info here 2021. (Kind of feels like a Marty McFly moment.)

I've been unexpectedly impressed with my Fides Symphony large bore in silver-plate and with the unique bends. I've owned perhaps 30 pro horns during the past year and have enjoyed the free-blowing design,, good slotting and undeniable build quality. (For being so old, based on wear marks yet no dents!, virtually every component plays and works like a new horn.

Here is a less-known tidbit:

I am certain these are (or were) Carol Brass parts, aka Hoxon Gakki (probably spelt that wrong) of Taiwan. All parts are made in Taiwan. I wouldn't shy away from Taiwanese trumpet parts - even Tony Scodwell of ScodwellUSA started using their parts after Kanstul closed shop. His horns are Legendary - even Doc Severinson has been know to state he wanted his guys on Scodwells. My customized Scodewell Standard (Carol Brass parts) is easily the best horn I've owned (among perhaps 40-50 mostly pro), based on statements from others my ultra rare DEG 4-valve Piccolo Trumpet (Signature 2000 Custom Series) might be the exception - but I don't consider myself equally versed on Bb vs. piccolo trumpet Bb/A.

Anyway, if you come across a used pro Fides you might find you are equally pleased. They sell for less one used: I suspect this is merely due to a lesser known/established name.
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