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Thread: Euphonium with best Intonation

  1. #11
    I am currently playing on a Shires Q41 (medium shank), and I have played on pretty much every main brand of euphonium (Adams included). And I have to say that, for me, it is has the best intonation up and down the register hands down. The closest I've experienced to it is the Adams.
    Ben Dawley
    Music Director
    Solo Euphonium, Five Lakes Metro Brass Band

    Besson Prestige 2052 (Gold)
    Shires Q41S (Medium Shank)

  2. #12
    Quote Originally Posted by bdawley81 View Post
    I am currently playing on a Shires Q41 (medium shank), and I have played on pretty much every main brand of euphonium (Adams included). And I have to say that, for me, it is has the best intonation up and down the register hands down. The closest I've experienced to it is the Adams.
    I'm glad you found a horn that suits you so well! FWIW, my testing did not come out quite that way, but I was using the large shank Q41 that was on display at ITEC 2019. Perhaps the medium shank fits the horn better, which is not surprising considering that their main consultants during development seem to have been Willson players.

    Did you by any chance try a Shires with the large receiver?

    This is off track a bit from the thread, but I sometimes wish that more companies had adopted the medium shank receiver as new compensating euphoniums started coming out after the B&H patent expired (I mean from the group up during design, not just as a replaceable bit). Presumably, that would have encouraged more mouthpiece makers to offer more options for medium shank. As it stands today, it is still limiting to own a medium-shank horn if you go mouthpiece shopping, especially when looking for in-stock mouthpieces at a store.
    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

  3. #13
    Quote Originally Posted by davewerden View Post
    I'm glad you found a horn that suits you so well! FWIW, my testing did not come out quite that way, but I was using the large shank Q41 that was on display at ITEC 2019. Perhaps the medium shank fits the horn better, which is not surprising considering that their main consultants during development seem to have been Willson players.

    Did you by any chance try a Shires with the large receiver?

    This is off track a bit from the thread, but I sometimes wish that more companies had adopted the medium shank receiver as new compensating euphoniums started coming out after the B&H patent expired (I mean from the group up during design, not just as a replaceable bit). Presumably, that would have encouraged more mouthpiece makers to offer more options for medium shank. As it stands today, it is still limiting to own a medium-shank horn if you go mouthpiece shopping, especially when looking for in-stock mouthpieces at a store.
    It honestly is that well in tune. Playing in band this summer with the Shires has shown how flexible the instrument is. I could easily adapt to the players around me, and I could just focus on playing the horn. I did not try the large receiver, but I have a buddy who plays on the Q41 Large. I will give it a try sometime, and see how it compares. The medium shank is quite nice! The Mercer & Barker pieces are quite nice. It plays very similarly to my Willson 2900, but the wrestling with the typical suspects is no more - namely the f in the staff and the a on the top of the staff.
    Ben Dawley
    Music Director
    Solo Euphonium, Five Lakes Metro Brass Band

    Besson Prestige 2052 (Gold)
    Shires Q41S (Medium Shank)

  4. #14
    Join Date
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    Varese,Italy
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    388
    Quote Originally Posted by Eupher6 View Post
    Somebody please correct me if I'm wrong, but harkening back to the older Boosey & Co. and Boosey & Hawkes 3+1 British euphoniums (these had the so-called "European" shank receiver, meaning smaller than today's standard "large bore" receivers), the older horns with the smaller receivers did better with intonation overall.
    In fact, comparing my personal intonation graphs between the 2007 Besson Prestige and the 1974 New Standard which has a medium stem mouthpiece receiver, we see a particularly acute partial sixth on the Prestige, but this is no problem as it is can safely handle with the trigger; moreover, having practically no flat notes, I consider it an instrument with almost perfect pitch (using the trigger). The defect, if we want to find one, is the considerable weight, in particular of my specimen (5.7 kg) which makes it unsuitable to be played during march services. For this I use the New Standard 3 compensating valves, much lighter but equally massive and with a dark, sweet and warm sound that I really like.

    Click image for larger version. 

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    2007 Besson Prestige 2052, 3D+ K&G mouthpiece; JP373 baritone, 4B modified K&G mouthpiece; Bach 42GO trombone, T4C K&G mouthpiece; 1973 Besson New Standard 3 compensated valves, 3D+ K&G modified mouthpiece; Wessex French C tuba, 3D+ K&G modified mouthpiece.

  5. #15
    All three of my Euphoniums have what I consider superior intonation,

    Adams E3
    Packer 274 (better than the besson it's based on)
    King 2280 (really, it's amazing)

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