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Thread: Horns worth around 2000 dollars

  1. Horns worth around 2000 dollars

    Hey Guys, I知 a Junior in High School and currently play on a Besson Sovereign 967 that belongs to my school. I知 looking to play Euphonium in college and I値l need my own horn. I致e looked into buying a wessex or a Packer but I値l have around 2200 dollars by the time I graduate. What horns are best at this price? I知 looking for a compensating 3+1 configuration

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Location
    Summerfield, Florida Sturgis, SD (summers)
    Posts
    1,863
    Get a Wessex Dolce, then you will have money left over for music books, lessons, and whatever else college freshmen need starting out.
    John Morgan
    The U.S. Army Band (Pershing's Own) 1971-1976
    Adams E3 Custom Series Euphonium, 1956 B&H Imperial Euphonium,
    1973 F. E. Olds & Son Studio Model T-31 Baritone
    Adams TB1 Tenor Trombone, Yamaha YBL-822G Bass Trombone
    Year Round Except Summer:
    Kingdom of the Sun (KOS) Concert Band, Ocala, FL (Euphonium)
    KOS Brass Quintet (Trombone, Euphonium)
    Summer Only:
    Rapid City Municipal Band, Rapid City, SD (Euphonium)
    Rapid City New Horizons Band (Euphonium)

  3. Is the Dolce the best horn within the 1000-2500 range?

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Hidden Valley, AZ
    Posts
    1,031
    Best of the new clones. Comes with great warranty, US representative as well.

    The only thing better would be a good deal on a good used classic Besson, Yammie, Willson eTc.

    D

  5. #5
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    Anderson, Indiana
    Posts
    270
    There are many people who love their Wessex Dolce (especially on this forum) and some others who seem to think their John Packer was worth the extra. So it is an individual choice.
    (That said, John Morgan is a retired army musician and owns both an expensive Adams euphonium and a Dolce, so he knows what he's talking about.)
    Since you have some time, also keep an eye out for good used instruments, as HighPitch advised. Dave Werden regularly posts links to used euphoniums on this forum as well as others who post here when they are selling an instrument.
    A trip to a music conference where vendors are demonstrating their instruments might be worth your time. I don't know your location, but there will be a conference at the end of May in Iowa for the International Tuba and Euphonium Association (ITEA) with tubas and euphoniums galore. (Many will be out of your price range, but I expect Wessex, Packer, Jupiter and others will have instruments to demonstrate.) ITEA also has regional conferences, perhaps one near you. And, once you identify a college you wish to attend, be sure you talk your prospective teacher about instruments.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Central North Carolina
    Posts
    2,362
    I'm trying to figure out why it's so important to spend a certain amount on the horn -- rather than, say, looking for a good instrument that fits you well and plays the way you want it to. I mean, you're not asking "What are the best horns I could get for a maximum of $2,000?" but rather "I'm going to spend $2,000. What horn should I buy for that money?" That's an odd way for a musician to think.

    I mean ... I'm pretty sure that Todd Burdick of Tuba Skinny could afford a much more expensive horn than that old bell-front recording bass he plays. And I know that their cornet player, Shaye Cohn -- about the best trad jazz cornetist I've heard -- could certainly afford something more expensive than that old Yamaha student model cornet she uses. But their real goal is the music. Not the cost.
    Gary Merrill
    Wessex EEb Bass tuba (DW 3XL or 2XL)
    Mack Brass Compensating Euph (DE N106, Euph J, J9 euph)
    Amati Oval Euph (DE 104, Euph J, J6 euph)
    1924 Buescher 3-valve Eb tuba (with std US receiver), Kelly 25
    Schiller American Heritage 7B clone bass trombone (DE LB K/K10/112/14 Lexan, Brass Ark MV50R)
    1947 Olds "Standard" trombone (Olds #3)

  7. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by ghmerrill View Post

    I mean ... I'm pretty sure that Todd Burdick of Tuba Skinny could afford a much more expensive horn than that old bell-front recording bass he plays. And I know that their cornet player, Shaye Cohn -- about the best trad jazz cornetist I've heard -- could certainly afford something more expensive than that old Yamaha student model cornet she uses. But their real goal is the music. Not the cost.
    Right on Mr. Merrill! So many times I have seen someone take a piece of junk and make it sound like a Stradivarius! It痴 all in the artist. Tuba Skinny, Absolutely Fantastic!
    Yamaha YEP 321 and Schilke 51D

  8. No, I am asking whats the best horn at the maximum of that price, I must have worded my question wrong

  9. Thank you all for your help, I致e decided to go with the wessex

  10. #10
    Jasoncostello77,

    I recently bought a Wessex Dolce; read the recent posts from Izajmom for her observations, all of which I have encountered.
    Careful with threading the valve caps (N.B. I bought an brand new Olds Mendez trumpet in 1973 and it had similar fine threads, so the issue is not particular to the Wessex - and you will get used to it; be patient).
    It is a great value for the money. Had I 10K+ to spend, I would have purchased an Adams. But if wishes were horsed, beggars would ride.

    Tim Kennedy

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