Corps Moving back to "G" Horns

[Stu]

I served time in a Catholic high school. The senior year religion classes were segregated by gender, guess why?

I've been monitoring the G vs. multikey threads since their inception. I've been reading dozens of posts from people who have never set foot in a brass manufacturing facility.

Most of you folks are as clueless about horn construction as Father Albinger was about sex education.

What the.....? I have seen it all now; a Catholic religious sexual education analogy concerning G horns vs Bb horns.

Edited September 11, 2010 by Stu

[Big Bad Bari]

But can Kanstul market those G horns to universities, high schools, middle schools, professionals, ad infinitum? Kanstul is the only company left really trying trying to sell them in a market where nobody outside of some old school drum corps people want G horns; Of course they are cheaper due to in stock items that are currently still made by one company trying to stay alive with an older product. But those companies who have factories that are still tooled to make VCR players or the older DVD players could also sell those prodects at a discount.

Stu,

It is true that the horns cannot be sold to schools or universities as a bulk package... But if you go on ebay or craigslist or even here on DCP when G horns are advertised they sell quite quickly... I am gonna need a little help from my Renegade friends but we helped the SCV Cadets sell a BUNCH of their OLD G horns on ebay and as I recall we sold upwards of 60 horns all for a decent market value... These were 3V Kanstul Bugles in G and were at least 7 to 10 years old and big horns like Baris went for between 3 and 500 the Sops went for about 250 French and Mellos were in the 400 range as well! The market is there in that there are a ton of US who want a piece of their history... If Corps marched G bugles... They could sell them later if needed.

[Stu]

... if you go on ebay or craigslist or even here on DCP when G horns are advertised they sell quite quickly...

Also found on Ebay: Nice Commodore 64 Computer System sill in the box! Some people will still by those things too!!!

[HornsUp]

Kanstul is the only company left really trying trying to sell them in a market where nobody outside of some old school drum corps people want G horns; Of course they are cheaper due to in stock items that are currently still made by one company trying to stay alive with an older product.

Stu:

Zig Kanstul does not need the bugle market to stay alive. He is highly respected in the industry, and the bulk of his business is semi-custom upscale brass instruments.

There is no old stock lying around in a warehouse. When an order comes in the appropriate components are produced, assembled, and finished. Every part is made in house, and Kanstul also supplies components to every other American brass manufacturer.

The components used to manufacture G bugles are the same components used for multikey brass. They are produced from the same materials, assembled, and finished by the same craftsmen.

Edited September 12, 2010 by HornsUp

[Stu]

Stu:

Zig Kanstul does not need the bugle market to stay alive. He is highly respected in the industry, and the bulk of his business is semi-custom upscale brass instruments.

There is no old stock lying around in a warehouse. When an order comes in the appropriate components are produced, assembled, and finished. Every part is made in house, and Kanstul also supplies components to every other American brass manufacturer.

The components used to manufacture G bugles are the same components used for multikey brass. They are produced from the same materials, assembled, and finished by the same craftsmen.

HornsUp. While it is true that Kanstul is a high level brass manufacturer, the loss in market for G bugles is what caused the downfall of those instruments. If Kanstul wants to bring the G back to life, then they should sign a sponsorship contract with a top level DCI corps and give them a bunch of high quality horns! Otherwise, Bb is here to stay in the major drum corps activity. By the way, is that a G or a Bb in your lamp ID photo?

Edited September 12, 2010 by Stu

[84BDsop]

HornsUp. While it is true that Kanstul is a high level brass manufacturer, the loss in market for G bugles is what caused the downfall of those instruments. If Kanstul wants to bring the G back to life, then they should sign a sponsorship contract with a top level DCI corps and give them a bunch of high quality horns! Otherwise, Bb is here to stay in the major drum corps activity. By the way, is that a G or a Bb in your lamp ID photo?

Zig won't do a sponsorship...he's been burned a few times too many by corps.

The question, however, wasn't that Bb was cheaper than G in a bulk purchase....it was that Bb was cheaper than G period....it isn't.

I can't speak to the deal BD might get from Kanstul if they went back...to either key....but I have a hard time believing a small start up corps with sufficient funds would get enough of a break on a Bb line to equal the retail on a G.

[BigW]

Zig won't do a sponsorship...he's been burned a few times too many by corps.

The question, however, wasn't that Bb was cheaper than G in a bulk purchase....it was that Bb was cheaper than G period....it isn't.

I can't speak to the deal BD might get from Kanstul if they went back...to either key....but I have a hard time believing a small start up corps with sufficient funds would get enough of a break on a Bb line to equal the retail on a G.

Chuck Levin's offers some really fine deals as compared to retail to people out here on the East Coast. Where I got my Euphonium BITD, I've recommended people to go there, they also got great deals. Dunno if they'd deal on marching horns.

I do remember the Kanstul concert Euphonium was a decent horn when I played one at Levin's a couple of years ago- but juuuust a bit salty- but nothing like a Hirsbrunner would cost me....

[CrunchyTenor]

HornsUp. While it is true that Kanstul is a high level brass manufacturer, the loss in market for G bugles is what caused the downfall of those instruments. If Kanstul wants to bring the G back to life, then they should sign a sponsorship contract with a top level DCI corps and give them a bunch of high quality horns! Otherwise, Bb is here to stay in the major drum corps activity. By the way, is that a G or a Bb in your lamp ID photo?

The loss in market for G bugles was caused by the rule change to any-key, not the other way around.

FWIW, G bugles were always a custom order from Olds, King, DEG, Getzen, etc. Kanstul and Dynasty still have G bugles in their catalogs, and they'll make them to order...just like always. AFAIK, there weren't many corps, if any, that had G bugle sponsorship. The closest thing I can think of were the corps that had instructors in R&D at the various manufacturers, and were called on to field test various designs. VK had that privelege with Olds and American Heritage/King when Zig Kanstul was the designer for those companies.

If my eyes don't deceive me, the horn lamp looks like a P/R Flugel Bugle...in G.

Garry in Vegas

[Stu]

The loss in market for G bugles was caused by the rule change to any-key, not the other way around.

Correct: The rule is any-key. The corps' did not "have" to switch, nor were they "forced" to switch, to Bb horns.

If my eyes don't deceive me, the horn lamp looks like a P/R Flugel Bugle...in G.

Best darn use of a G horn I have ever seen!!!!!!!

Edited September 12, 2010 by Stu

[fleurghost]

So I am guessing its a good thing that they are wanting to go to "g"? I hope they get the sponsorship money from everyone. I gave them $20 but hey that won't even make a dent. Just glad to support a group that does what we all love to do.

Correct: The rule is any-key. The corps' did not "have" to switch, nor were they "forced" to switch, to Bb horns.

Best darn use of a G horn I have ever seen!!!!!!!