Another Piggy question

[royjohn]

I've been considering moving from my Mack 410 to a Piggy...the main reasons would be to get a darker, more colorful sound and to get a horn which would be a little bigger in sound.I wonder if the Piggy is going to be an air hog. I have heard people say it plays easily and other folks say that it plays big "if pushed." I wonder if that means that I'm going to have to use a lot of air to get that bigger sound.

Does changing from the Mack to a "good" Piggy (one with decent intonation) sound like a good or a bad idea? Thanks for any input. The horn in question is one of the old Sanders Piggies...
Thanks,
royjohn

[circusboy]

I've only had the opportunity to play a Piggy once, so grain of salt here. I think that it had more color and a bigger bottom than the 186-type horns (though I've never specifically played a Mack 410). I loved the size and ergonomics of it, but chose not to get one because it was about the air-hoggiest horn I've ever played. Worse than most of the 5/4 and 6/4 horns I've tried. That might be able to be addressed with a change of mouthpiece (shallower, smaller bore than what I used). And there might be more variation horn-to-horn among the Piggies than among most.

Sounds like you have your eyes on a particular horn. Any chance you can play test it before buying? That'd tell you all you need to know.

[royjohn]

Hi circusboy,
Thanks for your impressions...the horn is not near me, so I'm looking for someone to take a look at it for me before I fly out to test/buy it. No way I would buy most horns without a play-test, but thanks for the caution. The seller says this is one of the "good" Piggies, but those impressions are somewhat subjective, so best to check.
-royjohn

[circusboy]

I should have mentioned that the one I tried was one of the "good ones," too. It's owner is a terrific player who made amazing music come out of the thing with apparently no struggle. My mileage varied.

[Roger Lewis]

I’ve been playing a Walter Sear piggy as my main horn for about 40 years and it will do anything I ask of it. Great high range, great low range and not particularly an air hog. I’m well over 60 and I still have no issues with air. A lot of air loss is due to an inefficient embouchure and I’ve played all over the world on this horn. Huge sound when needed and by using different mouthpieces I can change the sound dramatically. Miraphone TU27 for quintet and solo work, PT88 for a wider sounds for orchestral work.

I won Tanglewood on mine a number of years ago and wound up sight reading a performance with the Boston pops while I was there. The horn easily kept up with the orchestra. It has a beautiful, full and rich sound. I may sell some of my other horns, but never get piggy.
Roger Lewis