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 BaritoneAdams TB1 Tenor Trombone, Yamaha YBL-822G Bass Trombone
Year Round Except Summer:
Kingdom of the Sun (KOS) Concert Band, Ocala, FL (Euphonium)Summer Only:
KOS Brass Quintet (Trombone, Euphonium)
Rapid City Municipal Band, Rapid City, SD (Euphonium)
Rapid City New Horizons Band (Euphonium)
It's interesting that for some reason Besson seem to be offering "endorsements" to players who are not as well known(David Childs aside, obviously) - Sterling, Geneva, and now Adams are offering serious alternatives and attracting the highest quality players to their stable. How much of this is to do with money, I don't know (it's always been an issue at the highest level of British brass banding). The big drawback will be convincing dealers that stocking another brand will be in their interest, and a brand that offers a lot of individual options. The brass band world is extraordinarily conservative and resistant to change, so if Adams can pull it off, they deserve to do well. I've said it before the only new instrument I would be genuinely keen to audition would be an Adams as the others are simply meretricious variations on an extremely old theme.
Nowt
Retired
It is still an issue, and I know of some specific cases where players who chose one of the "other" brands you mention were drawn away by money to endorse another horn. I have commented on this before, but to recap:
I have always had the luxury of playing the horn I believed was the best of the breed. I was not seeking to "go everywhere and do everything" and for my Coast Guard career the band was delivering me to places all around the country to do solos as the band toured.
HOWEVER, if I were much earlier in my career and wanted to "go everywhere and do everything" I would need money to help me; I'm not independently wealthy! In such a case I might have thought I needed to play another brand that was willing to help me in this career goal. In the case of Besson, now with deeper pockets, I certainly would not have felt I were playing a clunker! They are fine instruments, and I have a soft spot for Besson after playing one for so many years. There are other companies that seem to offer good support to artists, and their instruments are also high quality.
Such are the realities involved. And I suppose I have a "price" as well. If Brand XYZ were to offer me a hundred K or so a year to play their horn, and assuming it was a respectable company, I might make the move. BUT I would have to change what I say about the horn I play. I would not be willing to say it was the best unless I believed it to be so, but I could no doubt say very positive things about it, because all the top brands have attributes that are noteworthy.
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 wanted to follow up on this comment, as I had an interesting/nice little experience at Midwest last week. I was walking around the exhibit hall, trying horns and whatnot, with my Adams case on my back. I was perusing the Adams booth when Trent Austin said hello to me, mentioned the horn I was carrying, and somehow without me telling him my name AND with a mask on my face, he remembered my exact horn (which I'd originally tried out at the last in-person ITEC and later ordered from Austin over email/phone conversations) Made sure I was still thoroughly enjoying it, and had some really nice words of encouragement as a pretty newly-fellow dealer/retailer.
What I'm saying is, you cannot go wrong with Trent and his shop. Really a great person.
Sean Kissane
Low Brass Specialist, Paige's Music
Principal Euphonium, Indianapolis Brass Choir
Principal Euphonium, Crossroads Brass Band
This is a very subjective question, and it will no doubt lead to very subjective answers. The individual player's sound is the driving force and that sound can be replicated on almost any horn.
But, I'll offer solely my OPINION. When I played principal euph in both the Utah Premiere Brass and the Brass Band of the Western Reserve some years ago, I played on a stock Besson 967. There are so many good horns available now, however, that sticking to the standby British horns doesn't have to always be the case. Since I played on that 967, I have played on the Sterling Virtuoso, the Adams E1, and now the Adams E2.
I get the sound I want out of the Adams E2. But I no longer play in any British-style brass band, so the MD might think differently. But I get the sound I want, soloistically and tutti, so that would be the horn I would play on should that gig come my way again.
U.S. Army, Retired (built mid-1950s)
Adams E2 Euph (built 2017)
Boosey & Co. Imperial Euph (built 1941)
Edwards B454 Bass Trombone (built 2012)
Boosey & Hawkes Imperial Eb tuba (built 1958)
Kanstul 33-T lBBb tuba (built 2010)
U.S. Army, Retired (built mid-1950s)
Adams E2 Euph (built 2017)
Boosey & Co. Imperial Euph (built 1941)
Edwards B454 Bass Trombone (built 2012)
Boosey & Hawkes Imperial Eb tuba (built 1958)
Kanstul 33-T lBBb tuba (built 2010)
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