I can't speak for the Yamaha 642-II Neo, but I can for the Yamaha 842S. I owned the 842 and while I liked it, I didn't like it tremendously. The high B natural is not good on that horn and there were some intonation issues with it. I know that now the Yamaha 842 comes with a trigger, but I don't know what that has done for the high B natural. I did like the Yamaha, just wasn't totally in love with it. The sound of the 842 was to my ears on the bright and light side, not bad, but just not the warm, full sound I really like. The Miraphone M5050 is a GREAT horn, and probably my all time #2 horn. If I had better lungs (too many years smoking before I finally quit), I probably would not have gone over to the Adams E3. The Miraphone is really a nice horn, but it is BIG and requires good, sufficient (make that a lot of) air to make it sing. I have owned half a dozen Bessons over the years to include 967's, 2052's, and a couple models in the 1970's time frame. The quality on those varied tremendously over the years. A few were very nice, a couple were not. Besson is a nice horn. Besson has a lousy high B natural. I hated the way the trigger was engineered on the 2052, I thought it was absolutely ugly (the plastic part to protect your gut from the slide). But, a good Besson is a viable option, and I understand they are being made quite good now. I have not owned a Willson, but have played them. The only comment I can make is that when I did play on a couple of them, they did not "move" me. That is a totally subjective, unscientific assessment of Willson, but the only one I have. The Adams E3 is the best sounding horn I have ever played. And I have had it now for going on 3 years. It probably sounds even better to me today as I have gotten totally accustomed to it. The horn just resonates, and I can feel it more than any other horn I have owned. I am not sure that the sound of my Adams is a direct result of all of the materials used (SS bell, .60 gauge metal, etc.), or of the engineering, or the build quality and method, or other things, but the net result is a horn that sounds better to me than any other euphonium I have ever played over 55 years. It may be true that there have been some warranty issues for some, and for me, too, as the hand brace came unsoldered on one side and it is right now being repaired. And the valves to this day are still not quite to my liking, and I am also having those attended to. I believe the tolerances are just a wee bit too tight. But, I would not trade this horn for any other.
So, my recommendation for your son would be an Adams E3. Go to the ITEC in Iowa in May and check out Adams (and all the other vendors as well). Of course, if you wait until May or June to make a choice, and if your son likes Adams, it may take up to 6 months to have one made to his specifications.
John Morgan
The U.S. Army Band (Pershing's Own) 1971-1976
Adams E3 Custom Series Euphonium, Wessex EP-100 Dolce Euphonium, 1956 B&H Imperial Euphonium
Adams TB1 Tenor Trombone, Yamaha YBL-822G Bass Trombone
Wessex TE-360 Bombino Eb Tuba
Rapid City New Horizons & Municipal Bands (Euphonium)
Black Hills Symphony Orchestra (Bass Trombone), Powder River Symphony, Gillette, WY (Tenor Trombone)
Black Hills Brass Quintet (Tuba)
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