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Thread: Willson

  1. #21
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    Quote Originally Posted by spkissane View Post
    And I like my Shires better than any E3 I've tried. It's wonderful that we have so many options so we can find the horn that suits us as individuals!
    I am quite fond of my Q41s…however, I’m putting my Sterling Virtuoso through its paces this concert cycle. Next cycle I plan on using the Shires exclusively.
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    Larry Herzog Jr.

    All things EUPHONIUM! Guilded server

  2. #22
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    Quote Originally Posted by iMav View Post
    How are they making such in roads with the military bands then?

    Are Hiram Diaz, Bente Illevold, Brandon Jones, etc settling for an inferior product for the perks of being a Shires brand artist? I know in interviews I've seen with Hiram at least, he has been very enthusiastic about the Q-series euphoniums.
    I don’t believe the inroads are very significant. In watching the videos of the service band ensembles at the recent Army Band Tuba Euph conference, I was struck by the fact that nearly every euphonium was a 2900.

  3. The government purchasing process takes time to adapt to change.
    Many government horns are on a 10+ year replacement cycle (mine are 25 and 10 years old)

    I’m pretty sure the landscape will look very different in another decade.

    Likewise representation of college studios.

  4. #24
    Quote Originally Posted by iMav View Post
    I am quite fond of my Q41s…however, I’m putting my Sterling Virtuoso through its paces this concert cycle. Next cycle I plan on using the Shires exclusively.
    For a two-horn collection, I don't think you could do much better than a Q41 and a Virtuoso. Very different horns, but both fantastic!
    Sean Kissane
    Low Brass Specialist, Paige's Music
    Principal Euphonium, Indianapolis Brass Choir
    Principal Euphonium, Crossroads Brass Band

  5. #25
    Quote Originally Posted by Matt Summers View Post
    The government purchasing process takes time to adapt to change.
    Many government horns are on a 10+ year replacement cycle (mine are 25 and 10 years old)

    I’m pretty sure the landscape will look very different in another decade.

    Likewise representation of college studios.
    I think another consideration for government procurement is country of origin. I don't know if your experience doing the military band thing has been similar to my own, but (at least in my experience) there's never been any directive or pressure to buy American. With that said, I would have hesitation buying a Q series Shires or any horn with most of the manufacturing done in China. That's not a knock on the quality of the instrument (I own and happily play a Q41 and think it's great!) but rather abundant caution when talking to folks that come to a concert. I'm probably a little too sensitive to the politics and policy of the day, but it's not a purchase I would want to have to explain in small town America or to a general officer that might have some stronger opinions about who we're giving tax dollars to.

    To be fair, I would also rule out anything that comes with a tuning trigger (or requires a trigger to play in tune) for fear of the hardware snagging on a uniform during a parade or marching ceremony. Same for anything with a thin bell - after a bad incident about 11 years ago with a young bass drummer incorrectly executing a counter march into my face, I'm a little distrusting.
    Andrew Easley
    Principal Euphonium, 35th Infantry Division Band of the Kansas Army National Guard

  6. #26
    I do think it's interesting that Eastman would make this acquisition. I'll admit that I don't know much about Willson outside of the euphoniums. I've never seen a player using their tubas, and I don't know if they make other brass instruments.

    If anything, this would give the parent company a potential flagship brand in the tuba world?

    I would be curious to see if they do anything to thin the product offerings across the various brands. Willson makes 3 different compensating horns at a premium price point along with the Shires Custom horns. Below that you have the Shires Q series and the Eastman branded horns just below that. That's about 8 different models of euphoniums - granted, they're across a fairly wide pricing spectrum, but that seems like a lot of product overlap for a relatively obscure instrument. In the same way that Conn and King no longer produce a full line of trombones (you can buy the other brand or Bach in the same parent company), I guess I wouldn't be surprised to see some consolidation of offerings.
    Andrew Easley
    Principal Euphonium, 35th Infantry Division Band of the Kansas Army National Guard

  7. #27
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    Quote Originally Posted by Matt Summers View Post
    The government purchasing process takes time to adapt to change.
    Many government horns are on a 10+ year replacement cycle (mine are 25 and 10 years old)

    I’m pretty sure the landscape will look very different in another decade.

    Likewise representation of college studios.
    Thanks for your input on this Matt.

  8. #28
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ajeasley View Post
    I think another consideration for government procurement is country of origin. I don't know if your experience doing the military band thing has been similar to my own, but (at least in my experience) there's never been any directive or pressure to buy American. With that said, I would have hesitation buying a Q series Shires or any horn with most of the manufacturing done in China. That's not a knock on the quality of the instrument (I own and happily play a Q41 and think it's great!) but rather abundant caution when talking to folks that come to a concert. I'm probably a little too sensitive to the politics and policy of the day, but it's not a purchase I would want to have to explain in small town America or to a general officer that might have some stronger opinions about who we're giving tax dollars to.
    I was recently at the US Army band event (was able to attend on friday as I was in town for training in DC). Anyways, saw more than one powerpoint presentation driven by an Apple computer and NUMEROUS military musicians with smartphones (all manufactured in China). I'd be MUCH more concerned by China-manufactured electronics being used by the military than with brass instruments.

    Shires is probably the most "American" horn currently available...Chinese relationship not withstanding.
    Groups
    Valley City Community Band
    Valley City State University Concert Band
    2024 North Dakota Intercollegiate Band (you're never too old!)


    Larry Herzog Jr.

    All things EUPHONIUM! Guilded server

  9. #29
    Quote Originally Posted by iMav View Post
    I was recently at the US Army band event (was able to attend on friday as I was in town for training in DC). Anyways, saw more than one powerpoint presentation driven by an Apple computer and NUMEROUS military musicians with smartphones (all manufactured in China). I'd be MUCH more concerned by China-manufactured electronics being used by the military than with brass instruments.

    Shires is probably the most "American" horn currently available...Chinese relationship not withstanding.
    That's a fair point, one that crossed my mind this morning as I was typing, actually. Besides that, a layperson would never know and if they asked I could easily lead with the fact that it's an American-based company.
    Andrew Easley
    Principal Euphonium, 35th Infantry Division Band of the Kansas Army National Guard

  10. #30
    Quote Originally Posted by iMav View Post
    Then why are the Shires and Eastman trombones so similar? I believe that even on many models, parts are interchangeable.
    pre-acquisition, Steve Shires went to China and helped them with their design and manufacturing process. Shires was doing QA on some of the Eastman models at one point when they were imported. Now that Shires is a subsidiary of Eastman, some of the Shires entry-level models are actually made to Shires specifications in the Eastman factory. This is Shires utilizing the resources of Eastman (i.e. Chinese manufacturing) to expand, not Eastman telling Shires how to design their instruments and run their business.
    --
    Barry

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