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Did anybody see the article in the ITEA journal about the new line of Melton helicons?

Does anybody have any more info on these? It's not listed on the website, and a Google search only brought up foreign sites.

Are these available in the U.S. yet?

$pecial order perhaps?

d(saving my pennies and saving my dimes...)temp

dtemp wrote:Did anybody see the article in the ITEA journal about the new line of Melton helicons?

Does anybody have any more info on these? It's not listed on the website, and a Google search only brought up foreign sites.

Looks nice - I'm looking at http://www.bolha.com/oglas2467703, but for me it's only pictures. If anyone here happens to know some Slovenian, please check it out! The best I can get from on-line translation tool is stuff like

Presently there is this the most izpopoljnjen helium in the world , whom he was wrought wholly upon idea plus suit KrivokapiÄ

The Melton engraving is certainly visible in this photo



Interesting

Now, compare this photo:



to the Cerveny:



Sure looks different to me!

I am just assuming it's in BBb, but I want one anyway!

Who was involved with the testing/R&D?

CJH

[This post is 100%
Charlie Hunter approved.]

Mmm...
donuts!

Glad that someone bumped this up!
I STILL want one.

Buy my bicycle frames!

CJH

I have just heard from someone who has tried one of the 'giant bell' BBb Melton Helicon at the factory. Apparently it plays and sounds fantastic. They are entirely hand made.

However, the bad news, the cost is even more than a handmade Fafner! Orders are now being taken for delivery late 2008.

It's on my shopping list if I win the lottery

So, ok, what do you use a Helicon "for?"
I'm still drooling over one that I want but can't justify buying it when I don't even know if/when/where I'd use it.
MA

include me to the droolers!

how much do they really cost?

just so I can drool some more...

MaryAnn wrote:So, ok, what do you use a Helicon "for?"

Use it when you can't sit down to play.

If you can sit down, I can't think of any use for a helicon. They can be awkward when sitting, they're bulky in transport, they sometimes pose ergonomic problems if the gooseneck part isn't adaptable enough, and they're no more likely to be good tubas acoustically. (Maybe with enough gooseneck bits they're very likely to be worse.)

I recently (spring) switched from helicon to a standard top valve tuba, and that's the big problem - once in a while, I need to play standing up, or standing and walking.

Remember the helicon was developed as a way to march better with the original tubas, and was the predecessor to a souzy, which is exactly the same instrument except for the bell configuration.