NAMM 2020
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So, yesterday was a great day at NAMM! Had meetings with Conn-Selmer and Jupiter for the new year, and I played a bunch of new horns, including the Adams Fulcrum model and gen II A1,BAC Plaza, and the new B&S C trumpet designed by Josh Landress. For anyone looking for a brand new horn that plays like a Super Recording, the Fulcrum is it - great valves, beautiful fit and finish. I enjoyed the Plaza with the copper bell most of the plaza models. BAC is stepping up with their trumpets using the new tooling, but they were not my favorite. The new B&S C is amazing!!! It has a set of weights that screw on the pull knobs, and they change the slotting and intonation incredibly! I played with the lighter weight and had the typical flat d and e. Josh put on a heavier weight and they were in tune, but sound became a bit stuffy. I asked for something in between and perfection! Resonated beautifully and played in tune!
I ended up ordering myself a custom A1 that will be delivered in April. Fantastic horn I know I’ll get a lot of gigs done with. It really has a lot of the characteristics of both my current A1 and my A4LT, and I’m looking forward to getting it! I ordered mine with two Amado water keys as I hate pulling a third slide to empty, and I dislike the saturns as well.
Getting ready for day two and a meeting with Yamaha this morning! For those of you at the show, how are you enjoying it?Daily players: Adams A1, A4LT, F2 flugel , CN1 cornet.
Schagerl Raweni
Puje 3am(named for me), Benge pocket
Schilke P5-4, C5L
Yamaha 761 Eb/D
Lots of vintage toys -
I hate you! Signed jealous in Austin.
Thanks for your update; looking forward to more.
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Have a blast in Anaheim! Sorry I'm missing you this year. Glad you dig the new A1 I am very proud of this new horn
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I’m sorry we didn’t connect. I spent a lot of time with Josh and Kyle in the Adams area. I played almost every single horn on their racks but am in love with the A4. I love their Sonic Flugelhorn as well as the F1 lightweight. The large bore heavy weight A4 felt more like my Committee than any other horn that I played, but their “Committee” was delightful as well (it was a medium bore).
Other horns that impressed where the Schilke “Committee and their flugelhorn, and some of the BAC models.
My first NAMM was a great experience. It’s probably not an every year event for me but I do hope to attend again in the future.
-tj
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Hey, don't forget to mention TB to your NAMM friends! I'm also working on a new instrument review site for all musicians
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@flugelgirl said in NAMM 2020:
Getting ready for day two and a meeting with Yamaha this morning! For those of you at the show, how are you enjoying it?
Did you test play any of the Yamaha 9335 series? I was curious about the Vizzutti model as well as the Generation III Chicago and New York Bb models.
Thanks.Steve Smith
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@SSmith1226 I didn’t get to do much playing at Yamaha due to other commitments- it’s kind of a pain that they are in such a separate spot from everything else! I did get to have a great conversation with Wayne Bergeron when I was over there for our dealer meeting, though. He had the finalized version of the gen II LA, which looks fantastic! It’s got the same valve block as the new Shew, but they anneal it a bit differently. It also has heavy phosphor bronze bottom caps. He had to pull it out of his personal case to show me - that was pretty awesome! I’m pleased to say I was able to have a constructive adult conversation and didn’t fangirl squeal once!
I have played the gen I and II Vizutti - I like the gen II much better. To me it plays kind of in between the New York and Chicago - a bit of both worlds there.
Our meeting with Yamaha went very well, and we will have more great stuff on the way soon! All of the companies we are a dealer for treated us so well - we must be pretty important to themDaily players: Adams A1, A4LT, F2 flugel , CN1 cornet.
Schagerl Raweni
Puje 3am(named for me), Benge pocket
Schilke P5-4, C5L
Yamaha 761 Eb/D
Lots of vintage toys -
@flugelgirl said in NAMM 2020:
@SSmith1226 I didn’t get to do much playing at Yamaha due to other commitments- it’s kind of a pain that they are in such a separate spot from everything else! I did get to have a great conversation with Wayne Bergeron when I was over there for our dealer meeting, though. He had the finalized version of the gen II LA, which looks fantastic! It’s got the same valve block as the new Shew, but they anneal it a bit differently. It also has heavy phosphor bronze bottom caps. He had to pull it out of his personal case to show me - that was pretty awesome! I’m pleased to say I was able to have a constructive adult conversation and didn’t fangirl squeal once!
I have played the gen I and II Vizutti - I like the gen II much better. To me it plays kind of in between the New York and Chicago - a bit of both worlds there.
Our meeting with Yamaha went very well, and we will have more great stuff on the way soon! All of the companies we are a dealer for treated us so well - we must be pretty important to themMy lead and I were hoping to see Wayne's new horn. We talked to him at Yoshi's last fall and he said they were in the final stages of it's design. I know he played it on The Gordian Knot and at the gig, and it sounds amazing, but then....Wayne.
Anyway, we were disappointed it wasn't there, and also to learn that it likely won't be out for quite a while longer. Apparently they only just finalized its design and they've not begun production. I'm not interested in it for anything but curiosity. It's not a horn for me, but it would be interesting to compare it to my Miyashiro. The horn I'm smitten with is the Adams A4, the heavy one with a large bore. It felt more like my Committee than any of the Committee replicas at the show.
Glad you got to chat with Wayne....did you hear him with the band Friday night? We heard them sound checking but were too cold, hungry, and tired to stick around for the show.
-tj
Lotus Solo Max
82 Benge MLP
74 Conn Director
71 Bach 37
56 Martin Committee Deluxe (large bore)
45 Blessing Artist
84 DEG 2v G bugle (SCV Alumni Corps ax)
Adams F2 Flugelhorn
Courtois 154 Flugelhorn -
@tjveloce seems a couple of our posts disappeared with the update! Anyhow, Yamaha concert last year was kind of lame, so a couple of coworkers and I skipped it and went to Disneyland. We had a blast! Heard a much better band there than we’d heard at the Conn-Selmer party Wednesday night
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As for the new LA, got to hold it in my hands but not play it - I have a feeling it will be a great horn. Just a touch of added weight and that new valve block will bring a few nice changes, I suspect, even though the old one plays very well.
As far as the Adams A9 vs A4, you might have really liked the large bore A9. I love the A4, but had one on a trial for a couple of weeks and found it to be far too heavy for me. It hurt my hands and back, and didn’t project well enough for my needs. It was wonderful to play changes on, though! In any case, I like the A4LT much better. Lighter valve block, heavier bell, and can do anything for me except play lead. My A1 can do it all, but I miss the tonal colors I get from the A4LT for soloing, and the majority of the sub gigs I do require improv and relief lead. I think this new A1 is going to bridge that gap - seems to be everything I have in both other horns! I’ll find out in April.....Daily players: Adams A1, A4LT, F2 flugel , CN1 cornet.
Schagerl Raweni
Puje 3am(named for me), Benge pocket
Schilke P5-4, C5L
Yamaha 761 Eb/D
Lots of vintage toys -
Yeah, our experience at the concert was gnarly.
WRT the new LA, my lead is more interested in it that I am for obvious reasons. I’m pretty happy with my Miyashiro, or I was until I sent it off to have the lead pipe replaced (red rot). It’s been three months now and my Committee has become my daily ax, so it will be interesting to see how I feel about my Yamaha. I did play Dan’s Miyashiro after he got the valves aligned by the guys at Bob Reeves and it was impressive. The modern horns are just more efficient and accurate, even if they lack that Committee sound that is apparently impossible to replicate perfectly.
-tj
@flugelgirl said in NAMM 2020:
@tjveloce seems a couple of our posts disappeared with the update! Anyhow, Yamaha concert last year was kind of lame, so a couple of coworkers and I skipped it and went to Disneyland. We had a blast! Heard a much better band there than we’d heard at the Conn-Selmer party Wednesday night
.
As for the new LA, got to hold it in my hands but not play it - I have a feeling it will be a great horn. Just a touch of added weight and that new valve block will bring a few nice changes, I suspect, even though the old one plays very well.
As far as the Adams A9 vs A4, you might have really liked the large bore A9. I love the A4, but had one on a trial for a couple of weeks and found it to be far too heavy for me. It hurt my hands and back, and didn’t project well enough for my needs. It was wonderful to play changes on, though! In any case, I like the A4LT much better. Lighter valve block, heavier bell, and can do anything for me except play lead. My A1 can do it all, but I miss the tonal colors I get from the A4LT for soloing, and the majority of the sub gigs I do require improv and relief lead. I think this new A1 is going to bridge that gap - seems to be everything I have in both other horns! I’ll find out in April.....
