Best posts made by flugelgirl

Use alternate fingering in lieu of double tongue to get the desired effect. 1/3 works better than 3 in this case, though, at least for me it does.

@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.....

@Dr-GO Thanks for the vote of confidence. My official title at QTE is Brass Repair Tech, but I do answer a ton of customer questions related to sales and occasionally assist with sales at the igloo. As I am still awaiting an answer to both credentialed professional and repair tech groups, I don’t anticipate that a request to a third group will have much traction.

I played a distanced outdoor service, both solo and with a piano for a few hymns. Wrote my own piccolo obligato for Christ the Lord is Risen Today - went very well! My first gig in a year, so it was super fun to play for people again. My boss and I have also started a reading brass quintet - maybe if we’re lucky we’ll actually get to perform at some point! I’m clearly the one in the group that has stayed on a regular practice schedule through the pandemic, but they are all good musicians and I’m sure they will bounce back pretty quickly now that they have some incentive. We all had so much fun at our reading session last week! Maybe we should call ourselves the Vaccinated Brass....

Was it an A4 or an A4LT that you played? ML or L? The two models are remarkably different in their response, and bore size plays a pretty big part in that as well.
As far as the Fulcrum goes, it plays a lot like the Super Recording. If you want a Super Recording, but don’t want to pay a lot for what could end up a project horn, the Fulcrum is the way to go. It’s actually so similar that I have the same intonation issue with both models, so neither is a good fit for me, but it should work for anyone who likes a Super Recording.

Just tried the search - type in trumpet mouthpiece in the “search this store” box, and then choose auction in the buying options. Then they all pop up!

I got sick over Thanksgiving and had to cancel a couple of my holiday gigs, got well enough to play the rest and immediately came down with Covid. Thankfully I have a couple of weeks to get back in shape before the next gig, an overnighter performing and doing clinics for a college jazz fest. I got asked to play church gigs for Christmas Eve and day, but I price those high in the hopes they will look elsewhere. If not, I at least get paid what I am worth!

I just got my new Adams custom A1 genII recently - been having some super fun practice sessions getting to know this one!

Holy crap - i’m Dying inside! My husband is just listening to this train wreck and laughing, while I freak out!!

B&S is another to consider - quite well made, but don’t generally go for high prices in the American market.
As far as Jupiter XO valves, go, though - I have seen zero issues. We regularly get them new, show demo, and very used, and though I have seen plenty of plating wear primarily from those that have been in the hands of sweaty kids, I have yet to see valve problems from the heavily used. I see hundreds per year now in all conditions, so a pretty good cross section.

@rjkossman go see your local tech. I’m pretty sure Allied makes a part that will work, but they only sell to shops.

Here you go! Boss didn’t buy that Connstellation, but we do have this!
https://www.brassandwinds.com/blogs/news/what-s-on-my-bench-a-1956-martin-committee-deluxe

@trumpetlearner >

I will look around for a local specialist, but it's difficult to know whom to trust with something old/rare - plus most places are closed here at the moment. I've been wondering about that 'professional cleaning'. What is it they do that is so different from a good soaking in soapy warm water, and cleaning out with brushes?

@j-jericho said in King Silver Flair - Buying Advice:

@trumpetlearner There's a seller on eBay who sells kits that include felts, corks, and springs. In the notes, it says that if you're not sure if they'll fit your horn, just contact them.

The difference with a professional cleaning is that we use chemicals after that soap and water bath that help break down calcification that soap and water can’t, followed up by a flushing system to remove all that junk completely. You really don’t want to know what I see flush out of old horns at the end - it’s super nasty! I work on lots of vintage and new horns, and as far as cleaning goes it’s all the same with one exception - don’t clean vintage with ultrasonics. Any possible spots of red rot can open up pinholes in a UC clean, so if I have any suspicions of red rot I do a chemical soak instead.
As far as cork/felt kits go, no need to buy and install yourself if you take it for a clean, as that is generally included in the cost of the cleaning. Also, I don’t know if they are selling stuff that truly fits or not, and you could end up paying as much or more as from the local shops that really need your support right now. If you don’t know reputable places in your area, check with local musicians, college and/or high school band directors. Always good to start a good relationship with your local techs, and they will go above and beyond to help you when you need them!

@trumpetlearner take a look inside the slides. If you see green, that’s calcification that needs to be removed. There is nothing wrong with doing proper maintenance yourself - a regular home clean can extend the time you need between pro cleanings and extend the life of your horn. A professional clean is great in addition, especially if your horn is older or if you tend to have very acidic skin, and also if you play a lot. One never replaces the other - they work together to give you horn a longer life, and a better playing experience for you. Generally, horns will need a pro clean every 1-3yrs depending on your playing and cleaning habits.

@oldschooleuph no one said there isn’t a difference between pro and intermediate. I merely stated that I don’t think there is a huge difference in intermediate horns of the past vs the present. Of course there are a few exceptions. Of the current intermediate models out there, my favorite is the Jupiter 1100 series - they are much closer in playability and build quality to the XO series than they are to the 600 student model.
I do, however, think there is a difference in quality of student horns from past to present, and unfortunately build quality is generally much worse to suit a lower price point. I like a vintage student model as a starter horn, but ONLY if it is in good condition. So many have become so worn and damaged after years of use and abuse that they are no longer an acceptable option. My first horn was a VERY used King Cleveland cornet - my mom paid way too much for it, and I still have no idea how I played it successfully for as long as I did! It plays so badly that I kept it to make sure no other kid ever got stuck with it. I’m pretty sure it was a terrible player even when new! It will become a lamp this summer.

Nice buy! I like the 43 and 72 bells much better than the 37 - better sound IMO. The 37 always feels a bit more nasal to me. Good news is since Bach’s tend to retain their value, even if you have to put some $$ into it you’ll get it back. Whether you end up liking it or not, it could always end up a good trade towards something you like better.

Try this, from Conn-Selmer: https://www.conn-selmer.com/en-us/resources/serial-numbers/king-instrument-serial-numbers

@administrator Most times, yes! I do find that that the intermediate are far better than the student models in most cases, such as Jupiter 1100 series and the Antigua we recently got in stock which are also made in Taiwan. They are definitely far superior to the Conn-Selmer student models that I have gone through in the past few years. I was quite impressed with Carolbrass’s student cornet they released at NAMM 2020.

It’s a movie, guys. They probably want to know either who played on it or where to find the music. I remember a song from it being pretty popular when I was a kid - I think it was “Through the Eyes of Love”, or something close to that.

@administrator We have an absolutely gorgeous Silver Tone Artist Bore trumpet at the shop right now that plays even better than it looks, just to tempt you!