Academy moving to Jupiter

[MUSICandCHARACTER]

Folks,

The Academy will BURY a lot of corps with these new Jupiter horns. Really. I have a brass and percussion store and this was rumored since Academy moved to World Class. They would eventually need to replace the Kanstul horns. Kanstul gives NOTHING away. NOTHING. Not a great policy and therefore very few corps use Kanstul instruments. Come on Zig, it is ADVERTISING.

Anyway, this rumor was floating for two years in the industry. Remember, Jupiter (along with Weril) are the only two brass manufacturers that went to the trouble to become ISO9001:2000 quality certified.

The new Jupiter horns (non marching) have been getting rave reviews. Also, this new line has been carefully developed with input from lots of places. These are not the cheap Jupiter horns that Memphis Sound marched with. My goodness, several top corps make the Dynasty line work and those instruments, IMO, have been AWFUL until lately. My son's HS band replaced all the old Dynasty horns with Yamaha. The difference was immense.

There is little doubt this line will be better than old Dynasty (the new Dynasty line is MUCH improved -- but the jury is still out), and will be close to King and Yamaha. Mapex drums are another line coming on strong. Drums are shells basically. It is the heads, the tuning and how well the drums can hold the stress. Mapex is capable. From there, play.

BTW, I also agree that corps that do limited tours and do not make all regionals that they do not deserve to march before full touring corps (I know off-topic). But if you are going to march, march. If not, go back down to Open Class. This limited touring should be left to Open Class IMO - either that or they go on last at quarters!

Dr. Jim

[PhantomR]

Academy's moving to Jupiter? Man, that's gonna be a long tour.

Thanks, I'll be here all week.

as some one who is generally not a fan of DCP's outdated humor, I thought this was hilarious.

~>conner

[84BDsop]

Well, let's see if anyone else in DCI is going to play Jupiter/Mapex. If Jupiter has half a brain on this one, they would sponsor a few corps corps and get their product out there. So you have to find lower teir World Class corps or Open Class corps to sponsor and I don't see Jupiter Sponsoring the Surf, Teal, Spartans, Blue Devils B, Vanguard Cadets and so on anytime soon.

Problem is, the 12 top corps in DCI are locked up with sponsorships and contracts. So unless a corps is coming out of a contract, they are not going to Jupiter anytime soon. Personally I still feel DCI is sponsor driven and unless Jupiter is buying Ads from DCI and sponsoring part of the Summer Music games, Jupiter will stand right up there with companies like Premier and other wannabees.

There's also the All-age market to consider....

[davidp]

There's also the All-age market to consider....

If they had an F marching french horn, I'd take notice myself (I have an old Dynasty F and a King Bb; my concert horn's a Yamaha 567).

[davidp]

as some one who is generally not a fan of DCP's outdated humor, I thought this was hilarious.

~>conner

Thanks, I couldn't resist.

[Zeke]

Maybe Jupiter should test market not with just Academy..but other corps..corps that could maybe use the help in replacing dated horns. Definitely would be a postivie PR move and give them more of and Identity across the board.

[MUSICandCHARACTER]

Maybe Jupiter should test market not with just Academy..but other corps..corps that could maybe use the help in replacing dated horns. Definitely would be a postivie PR move and give them more of and Identity across the board.

Rumor in the industry had it that Academy was the first step for Jupiter and their new line. Frankly, while a fan of Kanstul, I think it is a good move. If Academy finishes in the finals with new Jupiter line, think of how many bands would come on board to replace their aging instruments. Or how many open class corps, etc.

It is a good first step for Jupiter and for The Academy. I know The Academy checked these instruments throughly. I would love to play one to see what they are like. It will be hard to top the Kanstul COL103 trumpet -- widely held as the best field trumpet ever made. So the Jupiters must be special to the Academy to risk the next few year of their future on them.

Jim

[JDWEX1117]

I wish I had some specs on these Mapex drums.

What type of wood? How many plies? How many lugs? Shell depth? What kind of hardware? What kind of strainer? Maybe a double strainer? Legs on the bottom? Tenors available as sixpacks? How are the tenors cut? How many incheas will each drum be? Specially made Mapex harnesses? Versatile bass hoops that can hold the Pearl rim-shooters?

etc...

[Fievel]

All of this talk reminds me of when my old corps (Northern Aurora) was one of the first corps to use Dynasty drums in 1992.

I think the only other corps using them at the time were Magic and Kiwanis Kavaliers. We took a lot of flack for using them, and right fully so.

Their first few lines were horrible, thankfully they've improved a TON.

But now look at them - they're just as common in DCI/WGI/BOA as Pearl and Yamaha.

Kudos to Jupiter/Mapex for entering the market and kudos to Arizona to be bold enough to try something new.

[PhantomPhanatic]

Everyone forgets when Yamaha first exploded out here with instruments - they were treated just like Jupiters are now. They should have been too. They were not good. Yamaha improved them and now look where they are at - in every high school!

Jupiter has done some re-vamping with their horns, so those of you that have experience with Jupiter horns that are 5 years old (heck, or even 3 years old) - why don't you try a new one and stop living in the past.

Congrats to the Academy.