Advice on buying a new euph

[HouVillage]

I've been playing the euphonium with the same beaten up, non-compensating three valve yamaha euph since I started in 6th grade. As I plan to play in college next year, I'd like to get rid of my current horn and purchase a compensating four valve (probably used and 3+1). Does anyone have any advice as to what I should buy and how I should sell my current euph?

Some notes: I'm not a hardcore player, I won't be majoring in a music field, and as a future college student I probably don't have the money for the absolute best. I just need something decent. My current horn is also at school right now, so I can find out the exact model later if that seems relevant.

Thanks for any potential help!

[davewerden]

Welcome to the forum! I think you'll find there is a wealth of knowledge in the pages, so I encourage you to browse the "Euph Brands" section for starters. There is quite a bit there about some very fine and inexpensive alternatives these days.

You did not mention your budget; that would be helpful.

For about $1,200 you can get a new Wessex 4-valve compensating euphonium. Look at some of the threads about Wessex and you'll find both the instrument and the customer service are really fine.

For under a thousand it's a little more tricky. You could pick up a used horn at that price, but a decent compensating is challenging to find at that price. You can buy some of the other Chinese clones, but you lose the quality control and extra design features of the Wessex. Still some of our members have reported good results.

[dsurkin]

If the Wessex price is too high, Mack Brass sells a similar model for $200 less. Tom at Mack Brass gives a high level of customer service.

[ghmerrill]

Don't forget to factor any shipping, tax, or importation duties (depending on where you are and the instrument is) into the final calculation.

Jim Laabs is now listing two Schiller compensating euphs on his site, one as a "closeout", "2008 model", and "good as new" for $639 (plus shipping), and the other (new) for $885. Both lacquered brass. These are the same "basic horn" as Mack and Wessex (with emphasis on "basic") in that they are clones of the same Yamaha instrument. You won't get the same level of reliability and customer service as you will with Mack or Wessex, but one of them might work out well for you if it's more in the range of your budget.

[davewerden]

Thanks, Gary.

FWIW, as of 2008 I was still hearing stories about the Chinese clones being virtually un-repairable for a variety of reasons. If I were going to buy the basic clone from Jin Bao, I would really want one that was recent production. My fear would be the a 2008 horn might be much more luck-of-the-draw that more recent samples. This is all based on hearsay, so...