Tale of two Sterlings ...
Back in April, I took the plunge to buy a new auto-comp euph, 3+1, and most definitely a Brit instrument.
There's no way I could've camped out in the Besson distribution center in Florida, or made a sojourn to Dillon's, or TubaExchange, or even WWBW. Somebody's got to bring the bacon home, and that's me.
I wound up taking a Sterling Virtuoso on trial and after a week or so of trial, I hurried out to Louisville, KY, for the North American Brass Band Association's annual competition (at which most euph vendors were present). After trying out as many euphs as I could've gotten my hands on, I wound up buying the trial horn that I'd received from Custom initially.
I tried no fewer than four other Virtuosos. None seemed to measure up to the horn I had on trial. One or two sounded too thin and not rich enough (standard bell thickness maybe?), another just didn't feel right, and the other had a beadless rim (not good if you play in ensembles).
I could rattle on for several paragraphs, but in just getting down to brass tacks, the Besson people turned me off from a customer/vendor perspective (I loved the 2052 they had there, but even the 967 was a great sounding and performing horn) and that single factor made the decision for me.
I'm happy with my Sterling - don't get me wrong. And I'm sure I'll grow into it a lot more over the years to come.
But all of this revolves around intangibles and one or two things wholly outside of music.
More precisely, the York felt like a cheap Besson. Plus, I don't care for nickel all that much (though that's not a huge issue). (I have to admit, though, that Gail Robertson was there playing on a York and she can make that horn dance.)
Yamaha's - for me, forget it. I just don't like any of 'em. I've never tried a Yamaha I liked - they simply feel and play wrong.
Miraphone - the Ambassador 5050 (I think) - while I like a large bell horn, this one is just too big for me.
All in all, shopping for a horn is an exciting, but taxing, experience. It would've been great to take a two-week vacation and map out (and spend) about $2K in travel expenses, not to even mention the cost of the horn.
But that kind of arrangement was out of the question for me.
U.S. Army, Retired (built mid-1950s)
Adams E2 Euph (built 2017)
Boosey & Co. Imperial Euph (built 1941)
Edwards B454 Bass Trombone (built 2012)
Boosey & Hawkes Imperial Eb tuba (built 1958)
Kanstul 33-T lBBb tuba (built 2010)