Packer/Sterling JP377 comp Eb comments and opinions

[GC]

I've wanted a compensating Eb to replace my antique Monster Conn Eb for a while. I have a short torso and am tired of holding horns with my legs (otherwise the mouthpiece hits me at the bridge of my nose). I had looked seriously at the new Eastman, but was unsure about how it sits, and I felt that a comp 3+1 horn would fit me better. Bloke, who is notoriously picky about how his instruments play, had made several comments about how much he liked this horn, so I decided to take a chance.

The Sale: Bloke is extremely easy to deal with and seems to be a firm believer in the Golden Rule. The price, method of payment, and terms were right, so I pulled the trigger.

Delivery: palletized truck freight is the way to go for safety of shipment, and direct shipping from the distributor was included in the price. About a week after purchase, I met the Old Dominion truck; I've always had excellent experiences with Old Dominion freight, and this was no exception. The box was shrink-wrapped onto the pallet and fully covered in plastic wrap. The driver unloaded, cut everything open for me, and helped me unbox and load everything into my car. The shipping carton was a little too large strangely padded inside, but very well protected.

Opening: the case is well made and mostly well-designed. The tuba was encased in a drawstring bag inside the case; it's nice to have, but I had no further use for it. There was a small drawstring bag containing valve oil, slide grease, four extra plastic valve guides, a water catcher for the valves, a JP brochure, and a warranty sheet. The case included a set of velcroed foam blocks to customize the case for use with other horns; I didn't need them and removed them. The lid of the case has a thick velcroed foam panel inside it to provide extra front padding for the valve section. I pulled it because I preferred to use that space for storing music folders. The case is protective without it; the case bottom's side padding and the tapered bell cone are good at holding the instrument in place. Storage compartments inside the case are rather small, but there's enough room inside to put a few items loose. The drawstring bag definitely helps. There's also a small padded zipper storage bag included.

Playing: the horn sounds great and is nearly point-and-shoot. It's extremely well in tune. Habits I've formed over decades in shading some notes high or low are mostly unnecessary; most notes are right on pitch. I'm still experimenting with slide positions, but they're mostly best left alone once set. Per comments I've read here, I've pulled the compensating 3rd slide about as far as it will safely go, and it helps the inherent sharpness of the low compensating register on Gb, F, and E. F and E are a little stuffy, but that's a general characteristic of compensating Eb's. Changing mouthpieces does not mess with the intonation much, but I find that using a really deep cup will flatten F and E in the staff a bit. While changing mouthpieces doesn't mess with intonation that much, it makes a huge difference in tone. If I want a brighter, more penetrating tone, I use a Mr. P 6.4; if I want a darker, bassier, sousaphone-ish sound, my Stofer Helleberg works extremely well. I'm waiting to try a Wick 2XL and a couple of Warburtons with it. The pedal register is absolutely awesome, something I wasn't expecting. The high register is easy and well in tune. Clarity, resonance, and carrying power are all excellent; I've gotten a number of compliments on the tone.

Ergonomics: the mouthpipe isn't too high, and I can sit resting the horn comfortably on the chair instead of on my legs, though I have to turn a chair about 45º to the left to keep it from falling off the front. A taller person would probably set it on his right leg. The stainless-steel valves are super-tight and need oiling every session. Their stroke is a little longer than I'm used to and the springs are heavier than I like, and I plan to get some lighter replacement springs after the valves are fully broken in. Angle of the mouthpipe to the horn's central plane is about 40 degrees, so it sits angled a bit more forward than I expected, but it's actually very comfortable. The 4th valve is easy to reach, and doesn't stick way out from between the valve tubing, so there's no need for a hold-down. It's not likely to catch on things while being moved, but it's not placed so deeply as to be uncomfortable to operate. I am more relaxed holding this horn than with any other I've ever used.

Fit and finish: soldering is good. There are some lacquer flaws that don't bother me that much; some tiny bubbles here and there, and the top bow next to the bell wasn't sprayed well. The brass is fairly thin and the horn lightweight; being clumsy I've already picked up a couple of minor dings. Then again, I would probably dent a tank . . . Water keys are on the MTS, first, third, and 4th valves. Of course, water collects in the second valve, which does at least have a convenient pull ring. I'll probably put a Pollard water key on it eventually. Slide alignment seems perfect. Accumulation is pretty even throughout all the valves and the main slide, and the water keys are in the right places.

Cons: lacquer issues are minor irritations; the warranty does not seem to cover instrument finish. Valve springs are quite heavy, like I mentioned earlier, and I'll eventually replace them. Valve cap threading seems to be a major problem with Chinese instruments; at first these were hard to get started, particularly the 4th because of the position of the cap between the valve tubes, and the threads resisted quite a bit, but they're manageable and are improving with use. The water gutter/drool catcher designed to fit on the bottom of the valves does not fit at all; the holes are too far apart, so it's useless. I've never noticed any drip from the valves, though. The music pocket on the front of the case is designed to hold A4 paper, so only small music folders will fit; the leatherette folders in common use are way too large. I'd recommend that JP add several inches to the pocket's length and width, or leave the front pouch for accessories and put a large folder pouch on the back or the inside of the lid. The bottom strap ring protrudes a little; I wish they'd use flat rings instead, or at least turn that one more to the inside. The case, while well made and with good wheels, is a bit heavy for me to comfortably handle, and I'll eventually switch to a gig bag for most uses. I'd appreciate any recommendations for good, non-bank-buster bags from those with experience with them; anything that fits a Besson 981 or equivalent should fit this.

This seems like a long list of problems, but I consider these to be minor when compared with how good the horn sounds and how easily it plays. All in all, this is a really good instrument, especially for the money. I've thoroughly enjoyed my 7 weeks of playing it and am looking forward to years of fun.

[Patrase]

Do the Bloke trick and drill holes in the tops of the valve caps and get a needle oiler. If you are semi competent with a drill its very easy to do. Otherwise a repairperson can do it for you in 20 minutes. Makes life so much easier.

[GC]

JP377

Figures. Thanks. Fixed.

[FreeBandMusic]

Re: About valve caps on Chinese horns

I had this problem with my Schiller British baritone ( nice horn, but easy to get cross-threaded. )
I found if I swap around the caps on different casings I could find a combination which worked a bit better. Not perfect, but better.
I also found it works to put the cap on the casing and press down lightly and turn the cap BACKWARDS (counterclockwise) until it clicks.
That's the start of the threading; turn forward and usually goes on pretty well.

John Thompson
Hear my music! Google "JTbandmusic" and "Pepper"

[GC]

I do the backward-turn bit, and it works well. The threads are wearing in so they're easier to deal with now. The 4th valve is tricky because of the way it's inset, but I've learned how to handle the angle now.

The longer I play this horn, the more I like it. I'm just realizing how much this horn carries and how loud it can be pushed, and I find myself needing to hold back. It's surprising for a mid-size compensator.

[GC]

I've been wondering how the sound of the 379B and the 379BB compare. The B looks sort of Piggyish and the BB looks like a direct (hopefully improved) copy of the MW 25, which I owned in college. If the BB is less stuffy and has looser slots than the old '70's model 25, it should also be a monster.

If I ever buy a BBb again for concert band work, I'd probably buy the 379B for its lighter weight, especially if the sound is still big.

[GC]

Thanks.

[GC]

I've used this horn now for a bit over three months, and here are my opinions after more experience:

I've settled on a mouthpiece, the Warburton TG4. It smooths out the tone in all registers, allows for a really full pedal register, plays high fairly easily, and is very comfortable. If I need to play high for an extended time or need to play with a brighter tone, I have the Mr. P 6.4. The horn can be pushed to be quite loud and also plays softly easily. The valve springs are heavy and will be replaced later, but the valve caps and valves have been broken in; no more problems getting the caps back on. Intonation is very good, but F in the staff is still a note where I have to work a bit at getting it in tune. It's probably me instead of the horn.

I wish the main slide was about an inch longer. I have it pulled out as far as it will safely go; and I don't tend to play high in the slots; at least it's consistent through all registers, so the horn is pretty much in tune with itself. The third valve compensating slide is also way out, which this type horn commonly needs.

These matters aside, this horn is a blast to play, and I'm thoroughly glad I bought it.

[MaryAnn]

Just a curious question....if the bow is sitting on the chair, how many inches is it to the bottom of the cup?

[GC]

I'll get back to you tomorrow.