JimF-LowBari Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 OK two part question for you folks more in tune to what's going on in the Junior world. Two of the reasons given for going to Bb were.... and my question follows..... Reason 1) Will be cheaper for start up corps as there are more/cheaper Bbs out there than Gs. Also corps could have members bring their own horns (if possible) until finances improve. Have any corps started up in the last few years that could not have made it if they had to buy Gs? Reason 2) Corps will be able to sell the old stuff easier and make more money. I've seen a few corps advertise the old metal for sale. But appears the top corps get to trade in their old horns to the manufacturer. And of course the manufacturer gts to advertise which corps plays their stuff. Appears to be more trade ins to the manufacturer than actual resale (true/not true?). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leadsop97 Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 well, I don't know too much about the startup corps in DCI. However, in DCA, Fusion Corps had some members using their own equipment. So I'd say it probably is a good thing. Not startup, but in 2006, ECJ had more trumpet players than trumpets, so I got to use my own horn for the season. That was nice. I wouldn't be able to do it now cause I bought a new horn that's not silver. Going Bb was probably a good idea I'd say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hrothgar15 Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 but i thought teh real reason they switched to Bb was because g bugles sounded so bad teh new instruments sound so much better Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted January 11, 2008 Author Share Posted January 11, 2008 well, I don't know too much about the startup corps in DCI. However, in DCA, Fusion Corps had some members using their own equipment. So I'd say it probably is a good thing. Heh, didn't know that and I saw Fusion Corps twice in 2007. Well three times if you count watching the horn line practice before a 4th of July parade. Hrothgar.. Yeah and I've got some swamp land in New Jersey (Nu Jois-say) for sale. Other reason I didn't quite buy was that switching between horns with different keys screwed up the learning process at the start of camp. IOW, horns players had to spend too much time getting "used" to a different key. <snipping my rebuttal on that one> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 I've seen a few corps advertise the old metal for sale. But appears the top corps get to trade in their old horns to the manufacturer. And of course the manufacturer gts to advertise which corps plays their stuff. Appears to be more trade ins to the manufacturer than actual resale (true/not true?). I have seen The Cadets advertise selling their old equipment, so I don't know how true the trade-in deal is...probably depends on the individual deal the corps negotiates. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harvey Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 I know of a current World Class corps that has actually made a profit on the sale of their used Bb brass instruments. Their deal with the manufacturer is that they get the instruments at a significant discount in exchange for advertising, and then they sell them used for more than they paid new. Pretty sweet deal. And, as someone who has played many different key instruments, I see no advantage to the old G instruments (just MHO, no shooting please ). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glory Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 I've seen a few corps advertise the old metal for sale. But appears the top corps get to trade in their old horns to the manufacturer. And of course the manufacturer gts to advertise which corps plays their stuff. ... Appears to be more trade ins to the manufacturer than actual resale (true/not true?). The fact that manufacturers take back used horns is of itself an indication of their value both intrisically and to the corps. Correct me if I'm wrong, but there was no such opportunity with G because the manufacturers rightly recognized there was no viable market for used G's. That's clearly not the case with Bb because potential buyers include not just other corps but bands and individuals as well. HH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigSnareline Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 I'm a snare drummer and I never bothered to ask any of the horn players how hard it was to switch to G bugles every summer after playing Regular horns the rest of the year in band. I do know that the bugles always sounded louder - and to my ears - better! Now that I'm just a spectator I can tell that all corps have gotten quiet compared to when they played bugles. I thought Pioneer sounded great this last year in the alamodome. If they only had a bunch of power players the place would have been rockin! I guess this year nobody in DCI will play an actual bugle. Sad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted January 12, 2008 Author Share Posted January 12, 2008 (edited) The fact that manufacturers take back used horns is of itself an indication of their value both intrisically and to the corps. Correct me if I'm wrong, but there was no such opportunity with G because the manufacturers rightly recognized there was no viable market for used G's. That's clearly not the case with Bb because potential buyers include not just other corps but bands and individuals as well.HH Back in the day when there were a lot more local, smaller and start up corps there was a market for used horns. Don't know how big it was but know my first corps had used horns to start things off. Not sure if my second corps had used horns dug up from somewhere or had a boat load in a garage for a year and a half. Biggest problem, in the internet less days, was advertising horns for sale. Now the only market for used Gs appears to be a bunch of Alumni corps. And with the exception of an eBay sale here and there, that market is drying up as the number of available used Gs is pretty much gone. Edit: Just hit me that the biggest growth areas in new corps are the Minis and Exhibition (aka Alumni) corps. Willing to bet more of these corps will go Bb due to lack of used (IOW affordable) G horns. Edited January 12, 2008 by JimF-3rdBari Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmurrey74 Posted January 12, 2008 Share Posted January 12, 2008 I don't know of any corps that trades in instruments. The majority of the corps sells off their hornline to high schools and individuals every 1, 2, or 3 years. They buy new horns, make a small profit, and have better equipment then they ever had when they had to play on G. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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