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Thread: Brass Instruments Made in India

  1. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by iMav View Post
    On facebook, I often see posts from folks from (I guess I'll call them) 3rd world countries...individuals demonstrating pride and enjoyment playing music. It is a joy to witness.
    Yes!

  2. #12
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    I wonder if we can bring this thread back to life. I am interested in hearing opinions about the cheap 4 valve non-compensating euphoniums that are made in India and are available in several places. In particular, I would like to hear reviews from people who have actually owned one, or at least played or tested one extensively.

    In that spirit, I would like to hear all opinions of those cheap crummy instruments, but please disclose your level of experience with the instruments. Experience could range anywhere from "I play one a lot" to "I tested one extensively" or even to "I heard a rumor about it on the internet." That sort of disclosure can help a lot in sorting the validity of the opinions. (I note that there is one post on the thread by someone with direct experience owning a related instrument, a sort of sousaphone-like instrument, and it was not at all favorable, but I am more curious about the euphoniums.)

    Disclosure: I don't own one. I have been tempted to buy one just to try it out to see what it is like, without expecting it to end up being my main horn or even my backup horn. I realize that it could very well be a waste of money, and I probably won't buy one, but I have occasionally been known to waste small sums of money just to try something out.
    Last edited by massmanute; 07-28-2023 at 06:19 PM.

  3. #13
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    Having had exposure to several Indian Euphs, I can say they make great urinals.

    Dennis

  4. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by highpitch View Post
    Having had exposure to several Indian Euphs, I can say they make great urinals.

    Dennis
    Thanks.

    Could you be a little more specific about the deficiencies you experienced (as musical instruments that is, not the other application you mentioned.)

  5. #15
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    Honestly, with the ability to get a brand new, Jinbao stencil delivered to your door (US) for $650ish, I see no reason to even consider an Indian euph (which have near universal bad reputations).
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  6. #16
    I can't add a lot of firsthand perspective, but I have seen several repair techs talking about India instruments. The refuse to work on them because the can't be sure they can even resolder a brace without the metal distorting beyond usability. Of course, there was talk like that about Chinese instruments for a while, but that seems to be a thing of the past. The Chinese have made remarkable progress for quality over the last decade or two. But they were targeting a world market. I'm not sure India has that in mind.

    I DO own one instrument that I bought several years ago. It is a cavalry bugle (pitched in C for some reason), and I have never held a more flimsy instrument. Fortunately I just used it for school demonstrations to make a brief point about valveless instruments, so I didn't care a lot.

    In the news, it seems that India is organizing to be known for manufacturing. If so, perhaps they could (or do) have quality factories for instruments. On the other hand, while they might be aiming for certain markets, perhaps quality musical instruments would not be a cost-effective goal, given the head start many other countries have. And they still need to satisfy their own local market for instruments. I think their are plenty of smart, ambitious folks in India, so I would never say that a particular goal would not be possible for them!

    This article has some interesting general perspective on India vs. China for manufacturing:

    https://www.helium10.com/blog/produc...s%20of%20work.
    Dave Werden (ASCAP)
    Euphonium Soloist, U.S. Coast Guard Band, retired
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    Alliance Mouthpiece (DC3)
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  7. #17
    The old school derpy 4-valver with the tuning slide leadpipe is a Bb Baritone, not a Euphonium, and therefore (without even playing it) it goes immediately into the do-not-recommend pile. I have thought about getting one at some point just to test it and see what sort of mouthpiece it wants, but the fact is that it will never be worth the cost. Even if everything in terms of quality is perfect, it will require a very specific mouthpiece to play well, and it won't ever play THAT well.

    The newer inline 4 valver is a copy of the same design that you see from brands like Mendini, with some some minor differences. I like the addition of the little knob on the bottom bow, and I'd probably get one if I had infinite money. Not sure what kind of case you're getting with it though, so that might be problem? It would be cool to get one in person to see what other changes to the design they've made. I wouldn't be surprised to see old school valve guides and a wacky mouthpiece receiver.

    For a while there, you could find some Indian made copies of the original F.E. Olds Marching Mellophone on ebay. They looked decent, but I don't see them any more. Why? Dunno. The more interesting point is that they have been trying to develop their technology and acquire better designs.
    Hobbyist. Collector. Oval rotary guy. Unpaid shill for Josef Klier mouthpieces.

  8. #18
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    Certain Besson horns are reportedly made in India. It must be about the costs...

    The repair guys that won't touch Indian horns know they are well neigh impossible to repair, and the correct parts are unobtainium.

    My local repair guy gave me one after a customer said keep it after being told it was not repairable. The tone it owned was not quite as bad as blowing a half-inch piece of conduit.

    Dennis

  9. #19
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    Here's a link to Trent Hamilton's summary of the three worst instruments he has ever reviewed. Interestingly, all three of them were from SAI in India. None of the three were euphonium or baritone horn (though the sousaphone-like instrument had the same range), so I guess technically speaking it doesn't quite fit my question. However, it's not encouraging.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcY1tUbOTZo

  10. #20
    Halifax & Co in the 1980's was one of the biggest instrument manufactures in India and I met Mr Halifax at the Frankfurt Music Fair in 1984. He proudly told me they supplied Boosey & Hawkes with 1,000 Euphonium component part Knuckles which went from the top of the 3rd Valve to one side of the slide as the tool that Boosey & Hawkes used had broken and it was cheaper to pay 75 cents for each part than buy a new mould tool for this component part. This was confirmed by Mr Gillard at Boosey & Hawkes when I mentioned it to him at the Fair. Every Boosey & Hawkes Imperial and Sovereign Euphonium in the mid-80's has a little bit of India in it!
    Last edited by Chris Waters; 07-30-2023 at 04:19 AM.

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