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Thread: Hirsbrunner 479 Experience

  1. #1

    Hirsbrunner 479 Experience

    Comment for the group regarding the Hirsbrunner model 479. I was lucky enough to just acquire one new. The last 3 that Peter Hirsbrunner made were available. There were 2 left of the 3. I tried them both. I compared them to a new Willson 2950 that was also available. I had a trusted fellow pro next to me listening. I had several mouthpieces to compare sound and register responses.

    Here are the results: The Hirsbrunners were 'canons' of intense laser focus, core, power, and dynamic range. They could also play more diffused and softly like a classic euphonium but the ability to put out massive focused intense power was just overwhelming compared to any Adams, Willson, or Miraphone I have ever tried, hands down. This was an entirely different animal. One of the two HB's was noticeably more that way than the other. Having the Willson next to us, it seemed more diffused was on an entirely different plane of sound. Also, the HB had a massive low register along with a massive clear bright high register. I just can't say enough about it. So, I bought it. I give credit to Robert Coomer who works at HornGuys in Pasadena for his assistance and setting up the experiment.

    Steven Norsworthy
    steven@rf2bits.com

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Location
    Summerfield, Florida Sturgis, SD (summers)
    Posts
    1,867
    I owned a Hirsbrunner around 1998. I honestly can't remember the model number, but it was top of the line, 4 valve, compensating, silver plate. It was a honey of a horn. I just now took a look at the remaining Hirsbrunner at the Horn Guys. I guess this is the one you didn't buy, Steven. They now have a main tuning slide trigger!! Pretty cool. And these are the LAST horns made by Peter Hirsbrunner.

    Now I can't imagine any horn playing better than my Adams E3, I guess you actually said that the "power" was pretty overwhelming compared to those other horns. Interesting. I wonder if things have changed much from my Hirsbrunner of about 20 years ago. Wish I could play on one to see how they are now. The Hirsbrunner I owned was replaced with a Besson Prestige which I had become increasingly enamored with. That was one bad decision, the Besson I got was an absolute lemon.

    I'll be interested to hear more about the Hirsbrunner as you own it longer and play it more. BTW, are you the same Steven Norsworthy who was on your way to a PhD in Music, but then decided on Engineering as a career?
    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. #3
    I owned one of these briefly that I kept as my office horn (at the time, I had more money than time, so I decided to acquire a second horn to keep in my office, and practice in the space I commandeered in the third sub cellar of a Manhattan office building). My main horn was (and remains) the Miraphone 5050. I ended up trading the Hirsbrunner for another miraphone (at a decent profit from what I paid for it) because the Hirsbrunner felt and sounded Much smaller than the miraphone.

    Don Winston

  4. #4
    I played on many Hirsbrunners from around 1988 to 1995, because of my relationship with Custom Music. I always tried out every horn they had on display when we were at an event together. They were nice horns for sure, but I never had quite the experience you described. It's possible Hirsbrunner changed something along the way (thickness of the metal, bell size, leadpipe taper, etc.) that beefed them up. In any case they were always fine instruments.
    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

  5. #5
    A recently-made Hirsbrunner would have a lot in common with an Adams E3, right? It'd be an Adams valve cluster, and the bell and main branches would be made in the Adams factory on the same tooling as the E3. It'd be assembled in Switzerland by someone with a lot more experience I'd imagine than anyone at Adams; and some of the bracing is different, but I think there's probably more similarity than difference.
    --
    Barry

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Location
    Summerfield, Florida Sturgis, SD (summers)
    Posts
    1,867
    Quote Originally Posted by bbocaner View Post
    A recently-made Hirsbrunner would have a lot in common with an Adams E3, right? It'd be an Adams valve cluster, and the bell and main branches would be made in the Adams factory on the same tooling as the E3. It'd be assembled in Switzerland by someone with a lot more experience I'd imagine than anyone at Adams; and some of the bracing is different, but I think there's probably more similarity than difference.
    Barry - I think you are absolutely right. I didn't even think about that, but I should have. I would be curious to know how the Hirsbrunner compares with an Adams E3 overall, not just the power comparison. Perhaps Steven can shed some light on that.
    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)

  7. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by John Morgan View Post

    I'll be interested to hear more about the Hirsbrunner as you own it longer and play it more. BTW, are you the same Steven Norsworthy who was on your way to a PhD in Music, but then decided on Engineering as a career?
    Hi, John, ‘yes’ I am that guy! Write me at steven@rf2bits.com and let’s get in touch! Best, Steve

  8. #8
    Dave, I have an idea, let’s compare the weight of an AdamsE3 and an HB 479. I just weighted the HB and it is precisely 10.5 lbs, without mouthpiece, of course. I noticed that the HB felt much heavier than the Willson 2950. So I looked up the Willson specs, and 4.5kg, which is 9.9 lbs. Then I looked up the Besson Prestige and 4.7kg, which is 10.3 lbs. I could not find the specs on the Adams. So far I am the heavy weight here, if that means anything!

    John Morgan’s review says the Adams is 10.5 +/- 0.25. If it is 10.5 on the dot, that would make it the same as the HB.

    Let me know what you get. The rest of the readers can also ‘weigh in’, pun intended!

    Best,
    Steve

    Steven Norsworthy
    Steven@rf2bits.com
    Last edited by snorsworthy; 09-07-2019 at 02:34 PM.

  9. #9
    I weighed mine tonight and it came in a whisker under 10 pounds. That is for .60 metal, which we assume is thinner than the HB, but with a sterling silver bell, which is somewhat heavy. I can say anecdotally that when I pick up an E2 to play it, the E2 feels quite a bit heavier.

    If any members have an E2 it would be great to know the weight.

    HOWEVER, let me remind you of my experience changing from a New Standard to a Sovereign 967. They were the same thickness as far as I could tell. The 967 had the same bore as the NS, but it had a huge sound by comparison. The only 2 pieces that Besson changed in the design were the leadpipe and the bell.
    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

  10. #10
    Dave,

    Makes me think that Peter Hirsbrunner was using thicker metal? Otherwise, I think your Adams and his HB479 are the same architecture / design, right?

    Steve

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