Everybody has been wondering "What kind of horns do Al and Greg play?" Okay, maybe you weren't wondering. But, in case you were, here are the answers!
I have a number of horns. Some would say too many. Though many get bought and sold, the ones I keep around
fulfill different purposes:
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This is the Carl Fischer American Model Mellophone.
Ironically, it was made in Czechoslovakia. Surprisingly, it's an
awesome horn! It's a wide coil with a small bell, and it comes with
slides for F, Eb and D. Sounds great, handles well, valves are good,
slides are good, plays amazingly in tune!
PROS: The 5th partial is in tune! What's better than
that?! Also, it comes with extra slides, which is always a plus.
CONS: The case could be better. Valves are weak.
INTONATION GRADE: A |
This is Holton Collegiate Hatbox Mellophone. Hatbox?
You see, the bell and lead pipes detach, and fit inside a case that look
like, well, a hatbox. This doesn't change the playing at all, which is
quite good! It has a very focused tone that doesn't wander much.
I particularly like that the valves are ever-so-slightly angled. You
can't really tell from the photo, but there is a slight angle outward, making
it much more comfortable to hold.
PROS: Better intonation than most. Clear and focused tone.
Plus the whole hatbox thing makes it unusual in a good way.
CONS: Tone is also a wee bit brighter
than I'd like it, even with a huge mouthpiece.
INTONATION GRADE: A- |
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This is the Cerveny CAH-502
circular alto (post-op). Yes, it's left handed! I had Chuck at
the Brass Lab make this one convertible from F to E-flat. In this
picture it's in F mode. Oddly, the center of this horn is lower than
most Mellophones, but it still has a solid upper register.
PROS: Great tone, can infiltrate a French Horn section, and it's left handed!
CONS: Fifth partial requires alternate fingerings. The lower center is difficult to get used to. Also,
not as easy to hold as I'd like it to be. Chuck had to doctor it some
so it would be comfortable and free my fingers.
INTONATION GRADE: C |
Meister Franz Kaiser circular alto. I don't know a lot about this
horn, but it's really quite interesting. The lead pipe is a creation of the Brass Lab as I had
the horn permanently altered from E-flat to F. Why? For those
situations where I have to cover French Horn parts. It plays
like a dream!
PROS: Very nice tone, comfortable to hold, good for covering
French Horn parts.
CONS: No more E-flat capability, but that was my decision.
Extreme upper register is a bit squeaky.
INTONATION GRADE: A- |
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This is his Thibouville-Lamay. It's a beautiful horn that, again, was restored by Chuck at the
Brass Lab. Its bell is very small, almost Tenor Horn size. Sadly, the intonation isn't too good.
PROS: It's uniqueness.
CONS: Intonation is very bad, and the tone is rather thin.
INTONATION GRADE: D |
Finally, a Dynasty 3-valved G bugle! The horn looks
bigger in the photo. It's light and tight and plays beautifully.
Of course, it has that Dynasty brightness to it, but a big mouthpiece can
help with that.
PROS: Light, easy and sweet!
CONS: None, really. This is a great G bugle!
INTONATION GRADE: A |
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Meet the Yamaha YMP 204 Marching Mellophone. As much as I liked the 203,
they seemed to have fixed any shortcomings with the 204. All the notes
sit well, it blows extremely freely and the construction is lighter and
tighter. the tone is still beautiful, though a hair more open than the
203, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.
PROS: Intonation is good, projection is awesome.
CONS: No E-flat capability. Also, notes about high G are
a little squeaky.
INTONATION GRADE: A |
Now meet the Yamaha YHR 302M Marching Bb French Horn.
This is a real beauty of a horn -- probably one of the best if not THE best
Marching French horns on the market. It has a warm, rich sound that can
soar with the right player.
PROS: If you can play a Bb single horn, there is none finer.
CONS: If you CAN'T play a Bb single horn, it'll mess with your mind.
Also, it only allows a French Horn mouthpiece, which can be bad for any
Trumpet players.
INTONATION GRADE: A |
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No collection wouldn't be complete without a Conn 16E
Mellophonium. I was able to obtain this brushed silver beauty,
complete with E-flat slide. There was a crinkle in the throat of the
bell, but that got ironed out. There's a small scar, but it's in a
safe enough place to not do any damage. As far as 16E's go, this one
is in great shape.
PROS: Good condition, E-flat slide, plus that legendary 16E
sound.
CONS: Well, it's a 16E, so it's heavy, unwieldy and out of tune.
INTONATION GRADE: B- |
I always wanted one of these Holton MH102 Bb Marching Horns, and
here it is! I really have to stress that this is a Bb French Horn, not
a Mellophone. I plays and feels like a French Horn. What puzzles
me is that the receiver holds a big mouthpiece. You'd think it'd be
designed for a French Horn mouthpiece like other Bb Marching Mellos.
PROS: If you're a French Horn player, it'll be comfy.
Also, it's just one funky beast!
CONS: Unstable and unwieldy, both in construction and in sound.
INTONATION GRADE: A |
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Behold the Besson Sovereign Tenor Horn. To many, this
is, to date, the premiere Tenor Horn, and I agree (though I've never tried
the Yamaha). It plays like butter. Truly.
PROS: Plays like a dream.
CONS: Keep those valves oiled, as they get sluggish daily.
INTONATION GRADE: A+ |
This is the Conn bellfront Alto horn, also known as an
Altonium. It actually plays
in both E-flat and F with the removal of some tubing. It's in pristine
condition and a joy to have. Intonation could be better, though.
And how exactly do you hold the darn thing?
PROS: Nicely packed and sleek.
CONS: Uncomfortable to hold.
INTONATION GRADE: B |
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No modern Mellophone collection is complete without an old piston/rotor G bugle. This
Olds Ultratone
is a fine example of such a horn. I used to have a Getzen, but mello
enthusiast David Dougherty
highly endorsed the Olds over the Getzen. This one plays quite well for a piston-rotor
horn. Granted, it has its characteristic thin
sound. But, it's a piece of art unto itself, and I'm glad to have it!
PROS: It's kind of cool, in a retro sort of way.
CONS: No E-flat or F capability. And then there's that pesky missing third valve, and having to play with your thumbs. But that in itself can also be a "pro."
INTONATION GRADE: A- |
This is a German Alto. I don't know the make.
It's a little banged up and it plays kind of harshly, but it's a find
nonetheless. Unfortunately, the keys make a LOT of clanking.
PROS: It's a German Alto!
CONS: Not the best sound.
INTONATION GRADE: B |
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This baby is my Holton H179, circa 1981. I had a
Lawson lead pipe put on, and you can see how I had the bell cut, so it's
now sporting a Lawson Ambronze
Brass bell. Some take the H179's very seriously, some don't. I
believe you should.
PROS: A rock-solid horn.
CONS: The rotors tend to get worn.
INTONATION GRADE: A |
This baby is my Holton H200 Double Descant. You can see
that I'm using the same Lawson bell on it. This horn is light and
nimble, but the sound isn't as big as the H179 by itself. It's also
has a slightly thinner tone than the H179, due to the fact that the bore is
a little thinner. BUT, it's a lot more secure than the H179, and it
has a better high register. You have to ask yourself what is more
important to you. For chamber music, this is not the horn for you.
For concert band, this is perfect.
PROS: Great accuracy and high register.
CONS: A couple of notes don't have a smooth tone to them.
Also, you need to find the right mouthpiece or it'll get swallowed.
INTONATION GRADE: A |