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Thread: The Adams Euphonium

  1. #1

    The Adams Euphonium

    I was thinking the Adams groupie thread had gotten so long that it might be useful to start another.

    I've been playing an Adams for a year now, first a .6 thickness sterling large bell, then the .6 thickness smaller sterling bell. Much different horns. The large bell is one of those powerhouse, play over any ensemble instruments. The smaller bell has less dynamic headroom, with a more focused sound. Nothing unusual in that respect in the bell size department. I now play only the smaller bell instrument and will stay with it, although there are times, usually when I play in a brass band, when I just want to play louder. But most of my playing is in wind ensemble and chamber groups, where the smaller bell excels.

    I find the same intonation issues as others; the instrument plays flatter than most euphs when cold. I generally start, in cold weather anyway, with the main slide all the way in, then usually have to pull it a 1/4" to 3/8" once I have played a few minutes. (However, that tendency was great when I played a church service recently with pipe organ accompaniment by a organ which was 25 cents flat!).

    The instrument is in good tune with itself, in that one can lip the notes where they should be, especially if you hear the note in your head as you play, working to use heard just intonation as part of an ensemble rather than the non-optimal equal temperament of a tuner. Depending on musical context, I sometimes have t use 1-3 on the 6th partial e flat -- but not always -- and that's it for alternative fingerings.

    I've run through a lot of mouthpieces trying to get the best sound. I now use the PS Solo most of the time, getting a rich, warm complex, sound. For a brighter, more cutting sound, like doubling on the octave with trumpets in a Latin piece, I'll use the SM3X.

    There is really nothing to dislike about the Adams, for me anyway & for the kind of playing I do.
    Last edited by JTJ; 12-18-2013 at 10:29 AM.

  2. #2
    I've been experimenting with my own Adams and different mouthpieces. The SM-series mouthpieces have a shank that's about 1/8" longer than the older Wick models and that seems to help just a wee bit with the flatness when the horn is cold. I've played on the Ultra 3, SM3.5, Wick4, SM4 and I have an SM5 that is just too small anymore.

    The Wick4 seems to be the one that slots with the horn the best, especially when cold.

    I'm not generally too picky about mouthpieces, so while I can appreciate the Ultra's slightly sharper rim and better articulation, I'm not finding too much trouble with any of these 'pieces. The smaller the 'piece, the brighter the sound, though.
    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)

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