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TubaGiant wrote:Ok Guys here is the low down,

My young and beautiful wife is going back to school for her music degree. The whole world of journalism didn't work out so back to music it is. She was an All-State Euphonium player in high school and a hellava player in college too. I'm out teaching and earning the "big bucks" so I'm looking at getting her a horn. What should I get? She like the Bessons and the B&S. She had Besson in school and tried the B&S at the last TMEA. We are also thinking of either Yamaha or Wilson. Has to be compensating with the fourth on the side. What would you suggest? Discuss and thanks in advance....

Whatever one she tells you to get....

I'd say go to someplace and see what they have available, and go from there.

It really depends on what kind of sound she wants. If she likes the Bessons and B&S, I (as a lowly college kid) would recommend the new B&S PT-37. That's what I'm playing right now, and it has the most beautiful, resonant sound I've heard, hence why I'm playing it. It is a little bit hard to get used to at first, just because it's so free blowing, but the sound is worth it, and it's in tune (even the double high notes, thanks to the trigger). Or you could try the new Bessons, since they're supposed to be really good as well. Of course, all of these are pretty pricey unless you get a deal, so you'd better be making real "big bucks" to consider them.

Of course, I didn't really suggest anything new there.

Is there any chance you there's a place near you where she could try out a few different ones?

My biases and my bad eyesight being well known (I cannot really read what I write these days), I still will dare to utter this:

The best euphonium ever made was the YEP-641. I had a main tuning slide trigger mounted to my sample. As the swing man of my local railway band I covered any part from horn through contrabass tuba on that instrument.

The benefits of the 641 are twofold:

It has a 1-piece bell, which holds up in any dynamic level.

It is terrifyingly well in tune with itself, if it is played with a really large mouthpiece. On demand I may reveal my solution to the very few intonation quirks.

The flip side of the 641-coin is a slight stiffness in slow legatos around the 8th partial. The notes would hang over a tiny bit, if my lipping was not quite exact. But then the 641 gave me six+ reliable octaves.

Klaus Smedegaard Bjerre,
who intended to tell which makes to stay away from, but my bed is calling

I'd ask Dr. Bowman at North texas what would be a good horn. For that matter why doesn't she shedule a lesson with him. Never know, he might like her playing and want her to come to UNT. From what I know about euphs, Wilsons are the primary horns of most of the DC band euph players. A LOT of soloists also perform on Wilsons.

I can already tell you that Dr. Bowman will say Willson, haha.

i play a yamaha 842 and like it tons better than anything else out there.

but the willsons, hirsbrunners, and meinl weston aren't too shabby either.

its all about which one feels the best.

knuxie wrote:One word of advice....don't surprise her!
Ken F.

Agreed! I'd go with the "whatever one she tells you to get" advice.

Welcome to San Antonio!

Yamaha 842 Can't go wrong!

What ever you get, she had better like it or you are doomed, DOOMED.

Recently playing in a T/E quartet for the first time in a couple of decades, but playing regularly in brass bands and wind ensembles, I've been re-introduced to the infamous sharp sixth partial in my Besson 967.

While it's always been there, it's not, for whatever reason, slapped me in the face as much as playing in the quartet does. Lots of lipping down and use of the 4th valve for Eb, E, and F above the staff.

I am seriously considering some of the other instruments that have overcome this deficiency, and plan to try out the Yamaha (again, though the bell is too tinny for me), Willson (heckuva fine horn, and that's where I'm leaning if I can find one that fits), Hirsbrunner (don't look at the price tag, it'll gag you), and maybe even the older Besson Prestige.

Some of the hype on the new Bessons, as now made in Germany, IIR, is floating out there but beyond taking one for a test drive, the jury is still out on those.

Yep, this is one that you can't surprise her with. Do up a "Gift Certificate" and hand it to her in an envelope. She'll love you for it.

I'll have to second the hirsbrunner! A friend of mine has one that I used for a while, what a great playing horn!

ASTuba wrote:Whatever one she tells you to get....

I think you know what we're sayin' here.

Being on the other side of the coin, so to speak....I agree, whichever one she tells you to get, or the gift certificate idea. Unless she has "specifically" said, "Surprise me." Many, many guys out there would be in heaps less trouble if they paid more attention to the "specifically said" part of their interactions with their female companions.


MA

tubatooter1940 wrote:What ever you get, she had better like it or you are doomed, DOOMED.

No.............kidding!

And besides the spousal-type advice, it is usually advisable to go with the horn that the player(himself or herself) prefers. The instrument one plays is a very personal choice. It is extremely difficult to purchase one for someone else.