A Time For Change....

[Flip Oakes]

Kanstul a few months ago closed its doors and is no longer in business. Kanstul Musical Instruments as you probably know has been my builder for 25 years. So at this time I can no longer offer my Flip Oakes Wild Thing Trumpets, Cornets, Flugelhorns etc. Though, I do still have a few Flip Oakes Legend Bb Trumpets in stock.

Introducing the new Flip Oakes Fusion series! https://flipoakes.com

As the brass instrument industry has become ever more globalized, we’ve seen a lot of competitive pressure against our traditional, locally-manufactured approach. While I have always been dedicated to producing all Flip Oakes horns locally, to maintain control over the building process, it starting becoming clear that in order to meet the demand for high-quality instruments that can compete in today’s marketing environment, I would need to offer an additional line based on an overseas manufacturing source.

After much research and collaboration, I feel confident that I’ve found an overseas factory with the capability to make instruments that I’m happy to put my signature on.

This new line, Flip Oakes Fusion, offers great quality and superb playability at a more affordable price point. And of course, all Fusion horns undergo the renowned Flip Oakes quality control testing and adjustment prior to delivery.

Flip Oakes Fusion Commander Bb Trumpet – .469” Variable bore, with a similar open flair Wild Thing style bell. This trumpet will produce an open full rich sound that’s not too demanding. It will really open up in the upper register.

Flip Oakes Fusion Bolt Bb Trumpet – .469 variable bore, with a 37 style bell. This trumpet will appeal to the Big Band and Lead players. Bright centered sound, with the appropriate feel and amount of resistance.

Flip Oakes Fusion Champ Bb Flugelhorn – .413 bore. While sounding dark, it has a punchy feel to it as well, perfect for jazz! Includes Flip Oakes large Morse taper Wild Thing Flugelhorn Mouthpiece.
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Flip Oakes “Wild Thing Trumpets”
2559 Mottino Dr.
Oceanside, Ca. 92056-3421
760-643-1501


Delivering the distinctive Wild Thing Sound since 1994

[Don Herman rev2]

Congratulations, Flip!

Maybe you should have named them Phoenix?
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"After silence, that which best expresses the inexpressible, is music" - Aldous Huxley

[myvalves]

The market is already flooded with these Chinese horns, like the horribly cheap looking fake gold " JP by Taylor ", John Packer or whatever other euro-caucasian name they can arbitrarily concoct to brand it with in China or Taiwan. Those John Packer JP horns pop up on ebay used, a couple of months after their poor, unsuspecting buyers realizes that the finish is wearing off ! Andy Taylor has admonished them, specifically, that they cannot use the Taylor brand name to market these sub-par Chinese horns, which, I'm sure, you'd be getting your valve sections from.

There is basically one huge conglomerate factory that makes all this junk. They look nice and shiny, but the finish wears off quickly and the valves go to crap.

And like Taylor, you'll find your name and reputation soiled and forever tarnished. Pun intended.

[theslawdawg]

Flip....you da man.
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My go-to Trumpet and Flugel: Thane.
Greg Black MPs

[TrumpetMD]

[Liberty Lips]

[yourbrass]

My best wishes to you, Mr. Oakes.

This is indeed where it seems to be going - mainland China.

I see more and more people coming to the shop with mainland Chinese instruments, and I have to turn them away if they need repair, in most instances. You simply don't know what's going to happen when you bend something, or put a torch to a solder joint, or whatever operation it needs.

That being said, there are various levels of quality in Chinese factories, and the day will come when they make a truly good product. The problem is that you can never know where something from there was made, and who is doing better quality work.
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"Strive for tone." -John Coppola
Edwards X-13
ACB MV3C /ACB A1/26 backbore
https://yourbrass.com/

[oljackboy]

If you have ever spoken with Flip Oakes or purchased anything from him, you would know that none of your accusations could be true. Stand up guy, great player, dedicated to the art. If Flip says these are good instruments, I for one will be shocked if they are anything less.

[LittleRusty]

There are also Taiwan manufacturers that make decent horns. Think Jupiter, Carol Brass or horns sold by people like Trent Austin that are closely checked for quality and only sold to the consumer after ensuring quality.

Flip had a somewhat similar relationship with Kanstul in that he took completed instruments and applied his magic to bring them up to his standard. There is no reason to believe this new endeavor will be any different.

As to the opinion expressed about his marketing and business prowess, if the person expressing it can show that their own skills running a similar business are superior then perhaps the opinion is worth more than the cost to post it.

[Brassnose]

I do not think bashing a horn (or a name of a horn) is terribly useful - much less if no one here has played the new horns. So let’s keep it real: Flip Oakes has a reputation as a major player (pun intended) in brass manufacture, while I think those complaining about Asian made horns in this thread do not.

If someone else steps up as a player or manufacturer at the same level FO does, all the better for the trumpet world.
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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, Frate, Klier

[theslawdawg]

Some people like pretending they are ten feet tall behind a keyboard.

I've had conversations with Flip through email and phone more than once, less than a hundred times, and he's a class act.

His USA trumpets are REALLY good, and I would pay more for them if he charged more, but he doesn't.

On the note about you bashing the name "Wild Thing", if he called them "Pickle Juice", I would still buy one.

The new horns aren't even out for review yet from players so let's hold off on the tomato throwing. I think he's got some street cred to allow for a moment prior to judgement on his character and business.
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My go-to Trumpet and Flugel: Thane.
Greg Black MPs

[Brad361]

[Dennis78]

I have 3 Chinese made horns and have had no troubles with the finish. Though the valves seemed to have an unnecessarily long break in period they now work fine.
All are nearly 10 years old
I’m sure the new Fusion line will do fine
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a few different ones

[adagiotrumpet]

Let me start out by saying that I have played several of Flip Oakes' horns along with a few Kanstuls over the years and I have never found one that works for me, so I have no skin in this game. Although many on this forum would consider what I am about to say blasphemous, I am going to say it anyway. From a manufacturing standpoint, Kanstul horns could have issues. Dealing with Kanstul, both during Zig's tenure and after could be trying to say the least and for this I speak with personal experience having dealt with Kanstul over the years in maintaining my vintage Benge trumpets.

Despite all this, I am sorry that the Kanstul Instrument Co. could no longer continue. It had an important place in the brass instrument field. Anytime an American manufacturing company closes its doors, it is a sad day. While I don't play Flip Oakes horns, I have met Flip and agree wholeheartedly with all the positive comments made about him on this forum.

I also try not to purchase goods manufactured overseas whenever possible. That being said, I will speculate that Flip Oakes found that having his horns made overseas was the only way he could continue. As far a I am concerned, as opposed as I am to products being manufactured overseas, and even though I don't play any of Flip Oakes' horns, I would rather have overseas produced Flip Oakes' instruments available than no Flip Oakes' instruments at all.

[cgaiii]

How many on this forum use iPhones or other Apple products? Do you consider them good products? They are made in China. They are designed in the USA. Apple supposedly watches compliance to its standards. And that means they have a lot to watch.

There is no reason that Flip or any other person cannot follow the same process, and get good designs produced to predetermined standards in China (or elsewhere). Incidentally, Flip did not say that his manufacturer was in China. As others have noted overseas could mean a lot of other places.
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Bb: Schilke X3L AS, Yamaha YTR-6335S
C: Schilke CXL, Kanstul 1510-2
Bb Cornet: Getzen 800 DLXS
Pic: Kanstul 920
Bb Bugle: Kanstul
Bb Pocket: Manchester Brass
Flugel: Taylor Std
Bass Tr: BAC Custom
Nat. Tr: Nikolai Mänttäri Morales Haas replica

[Brad361]

[LittleRusty]

[jharris2]

Congratulations, Flip! You've worked hard to bring these to market, and can't wait to see the reviews.
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John

2014 Flip Oakes Wild Thing flugelhorn (copper bell)
2014 Flip Oakes Celebration trumpet
2005 Flip Oakes Wild Thing trumpet
2002 Flip Oakes Wild Thing short cornet
1976 Getzen Eterna Severinsen trumpet
1951 Olds Ambassador cornet

[bspickler]

Congratulations, Flip. I'm still using the WT from a few years back. I'm sure the quality of the new horns will be up to your original horns. Keep up the good work.
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Bill

[adagiotrumpet]

The iPhone analogy has some validity but the Japan car analogy less so. The Apple iPhone is an American product produced in China. Flip Oakes' horns are American instruments that will evidently now be produced off shore.

The Japanese car industry originated in Japan based on Japanese automobile concepts. For a variety of reasons, fuel economy being one, and Detroit deciding to rest on their laurels and produce gas guzzlers of questionable build quality, Japanese cars enjoyed wide appeal and acceptance in the US. These cars were not American designs merely being built overseas. As a matter of fact, just the opposite has evolved. Japanese designed cars are being built by Japanese auto companies in factories in the United States, by such auto makers as Mazda, Subaru, Nissan, and Toyota.