I am looking to buy a nice baritone (yes you all read that right, baritone) i love playing it and since I will have some extra money after this summer, I want to find one!
they are hard to find, so if anyone knows of someone selling one for a good price i would love to know, i found my euphonium on here so im hoping to have luck with this too. i want something like the yamaha ybh 621s, or the besson. I want 4 valves but could live with 3 maybe if the deal is right! =]
send em my way!
Keera,
I would recommend a Besson 3 valve compensating horn (a 955 Sovereign or York 3055) over the Yamaha 621. The 621 is competely non-comp, has a smaller bell, and a brighter sound. The Besson is more likely to match others in the brass band world. Also, Yamaha is rumored to be coming out with a new NEO baritone for Katrina Marzella (now of Black Dyke). Thus the YBH-301 and YBH-621 may be obsoleted in Yamaha's catalog.
The Besson 956 4 valve (no longer produced) and the York 3056 (also no longer produced) are essentially identical. At NABBAon March 39-31, WWBW had a new York 3056 (their last one) on display. I'd try calling them and see what kind of deal yuou might get on it (if they still have it).
Doug
Besson 2051/Sterling Virtuoso euphs
York 4056/SA Triumphonic baritones
New England Brass Band/New England Wind Ensemble
New England Tuba Quartet/Nashoba Valley Concert Band
oh wow! I thought the yamaha because I have used it at school, but I will definitly take your word on it, because I would be using it mainly for brass bands in my future. Would it really matter if I had 4 valves or 3 in the brass band world? I am only wanting to spend maybe $2,000 or so on a horn.
Keera, if a 3-valve is good enough for Demondrae Thurman in Bras Band of Battle Creek, I think it is good enough for me! If I did not already have the York 3056 to use (belongs to NEw England BRass Band), I would prefer a Besson 955 (3 valve).
Doug
Besson 2051/Sterling Virtuoso euphs
York 4056/SA Triumphonic baritones
New England Brass Band/New England Wind Ensemble
New England Tuba Quartet/Nashoba Valley Concert Band
ok!i hope to find one sometime this summer! i am very excited to have my own baritone! =]
Everything Doug says is right on. Check out the other thread under instruments where there are some tips on which are the best available instruments. My feeling is that the new 955 and 2056 are SOO much better with regards to response and intonation than any of the old ones that buying a 2056 newer than 2008 or a 955 newer than 2010 might be worth the extra money to you.
With regards to the 4th valve, the extended range is needed once in a while, not very often. Mostly with solo literature. The Ellerby concerto, for example. I've seen it twice in brass band having played baritone in a brass band for 6 years and once it was an ossia.
However, if you are playing extremely technically challenging literature it can REALLY help out, especially if you are a euphonium player who is used to using a left hand fourth valve.
From what I've seen of the British players in the top bands over there, it seems like at least half of them regularly use 4-valve instruments. Miss Marzella seems to prefer 3-valve, but she seems to have both and uses the 4-valve instrument when it's required.
I had a 956 that I sold for around $2000 at the end of last year, as I was upgrading to a Besson Prestige baritone. I also play euphonium, so in my case a 4 valve baritone is a necessity. I highly recommend it over the 3 valve 955. That being said, the Besson Prestige baritone is a tremendous improvement over the 956. The layout of the tubing is vastly improved, and solves some of the issues I had when I was playing the 956. Still the 956 is a nice horn, and you may find it as players upgrade to the Prestige.
Best price I have seen lately for the Besson 955 Sovereign is at Hayes music. Cash 4 Brass also has some really nice 955's for a good price also.
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