They would be at the Eastman booth, I'm sure.
They would be at the Eastman booth, I'm sure.
Dave Werden (ASCAP)
Euphonium Soloist, U.S. Coast Guard Band, retired
Adams Artist (Adams E3)
Alliance Mouthpiece (DC3)
YouTube: dwerden
Facebook: davewerden
Twitter: davewerden
Instagram: davewerdeneuphonium
I look forward to your reviews after you play test it in ITEC!
"Never over complicate things. Accept "bad" days. Always enjoy yourself when playing, love the sound we can make on our instruments (because that's why we all started playing the Euph)"
Euph: Yamaha 642II Neo - 千歌音
Mouthpiece: K&G 4D, Denis Wick 5AL
https://soundcloud.com/ashsparkle_chika
https://www.youtube.com/user/AshTSparkle/
from what it sounds like, bring your medium/european shank mouthpiece!
--
Barry
Dave Werden (ASCAP)
Euphonium Soloist, U.S. Coast Guard Band, retired
Adams Artist (Adams E3)
Alliance Mouthpiece (DC3)
YouTube: dwerden
Facebook: davewerden
Twitter: davewerden
Instagram: davewerdeneuphonium
Hiram Diaz in the marine band (and who posts here sometimes) is one of their development artists for this instrument. He confirmed on a facebook post yesterday that it's medium/european. I think it's silly, but he and the other development artists are willson 2900 players, so...
One would assume they actually did some experimental verification of the differences.
--
Barry
Thanks, Barry. It seems a controversial choice, but the proof is in the pudding! I'll carry my 4AM (as I always do at shows). I believe the Willson 2900 is the only Willson in this market with the medium shank. The 2950 and 2960 both went large.
You may recall from posts on the forum that I find a certain charm in the older Bessons with the medium shank. But the general movement in new horns has been a bigger-is-better slant, and in my own case I certainly want a horn that can carry above an ensemble when necessary. As I read my words here I can't help but think that Shires has thought of all this. I'll be able to give MY impression at least after ITEC.
Dave Werden (ASCAP)
Euphonium Soloist, U.S. Coast Guard Band, retired
Adams Artist (Adams E3)
Alliance Mouthpiece (DC3)
YouTube: dwerden
Facebook: davewerden
Twitter: davewerden
Instagram: davewerdeneuphonium
The 2900 is an excellent instrument to use as a template, and I don't blame Shires for doing so if that's the case.
Still -- deciding to go with a European shank seems like a limiting move since the vast majority of euph performers play with large shank MPs. Additionally, there are a lot of players who don't have European shank MPs or can't get their favorite MP in a European shank.
Shires did say they will release a custom series in a couple of years -- perhaps they will offer a large shank option at that time.
James Kircoff
Genesee Wind Symphony - principal euphonium (Adams E3 Custom .60mm yellow brass bell w/ K&G 3.5)
Capital City Brass Band (2019 NABBA 2nd section champions) - 1st baritone (Besson BE956 w/ Denis Wick 6BY)
I've had a few brief conversations with Hiram about the instrument. One of the steps in development is that they had him try out the existing Eastman euphonium from Shires' parent company, which is large shank. His feedback on that was that it had trouble carrying over the ensemble. So at the very least I know they've considered that.
I'm looking forward to trying it out, too! I do like my Shires trombones a lot.
--
Barry
Steve Shires returns to his Iowa City roots. He started his instrument making career as a repair tech working for West Music here in Iowa City after studying trombone performance here at the U of Iowa. According to legend he had a vintage Elkhart Conn 8H trombone that kept trying to duplicate and one thing lead to another and before long he was in the trombone making business and now apparently euphoniums as well as the trumpets that they make.
One of my trombone section mates in our big band was a musicology prof of S Shires and when Ed wanted a new trombone a few years ago when he took up playing again in his retirement, he was overwhelmed at the options that the Shires modular horns offered. Ed simply said something like: ' Steve build me a horn that's like the old Conn 79H I used to have." Steve Shires said no problem and set Ed up with a nice medium bore trombone.