Who make's the best hornline instruments?

[mchromik]

Those probably aren't your average off-the-shelf dynasty horns that BD is playing.  I bet they were hand picked and later tweaked.

Does anyone remember when BD played kanstul?  probably not because in those days it wasnt about the marketing of a corps or a sponsorship.  But BD played Kanstul bugles for like 15 years and won a lot more high brass titles.

it's also about how good the gun is, before you fire it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The new Dynasty Extreme series is said to be much improved. In no small part to the input of Wayne Downey.

People shouldn't put so much into horn brands. They are all fairly close nowadays. A good hornline is a good hornline, despite whatever brand they put to their chops. Most BD lines could win on 20 year old jupiters if they have to.

[SoonerMellophone]

Shilke (sp) makes the ebst trumpets (bach a close second)

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I hope you don't actually believe that. While Schilke is very high quality, the Bach strad (post Mt. Vernon) as it is currently being made is at best a midrange pro trumpet. In fact, the best Bach strad currently being produced is made by Kanstul as the ZKT15000B (Bach 37 bell, 25 leadpipe), ZKT1504 (Bach 72 Bell, 43 Leadpipe).

Here are some brands that are far supperior to the two above:

Blackburn

Taylor

Eclipse

Lawler

Monette

Flip Oaks

Callet

Marcinkiewicz

Calicchio

Kanstul (The signature collection only)

[regularsopguy]

I hope you don't actually believe that.  While Schilke is very high quality, the Bach strad (post Mt. Vernon) as it is currently being made is at best a midrange pro trumpet.  In fact, the best Bach strad currently being produced is made by Kanstul as the ZKT15000B (Bach 37 bell, 25 leadpipe), ZKT1504 (Bach 72 Bell, 43 Leadpipe).

Here are some brands that are far supperior to the two above:

Blackburn - parts by Kanstul

Taylor - some parts by Kanstul

Eclipse - some parts by Kanstul

Lawler

Monette

Flip Oaks - made by Kanstul

Callet - made by Kanstul

Marcinkiewicz

Calicchio

Kanstul (The signature collection only) - custom class and chicago series are also outstanding

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This is based on conversations with kanstul sales staff at NAMM show!

And Schilke is very high quality too

[SoonerMellophone]

QUOTE(SoonerMellophone @ May 6 2005, 10:26 PM)

I hope you don't actually believe that.  While Schilke is very high quality, the Bach strad (post Mt. Vernon) as it is currently being made is at best a midrange pro trumpet.  In fact, the best Bach strad currently being produced is made by Kanstul as the ZKT15000B (Bach 37 bell, 25 leadpipe), ZKT1504 (Bach 72 Bell, 43 Leadpipe).

Here are some brands that are far supperior to the two above:

Blackburn - parts by Kanstul

Taylor - some parts by Kanstul

Eclipse - some parts by Kanstul

Lawler

Monette

Flip Oaks - made by Kanstul

Callet - made by Kanstul

Marcinkiewicz

Calicchio

Kanstul (The signature collection only) - custom class and chicago series are also outstanding

*

This is based on conversations with kanstul sales staff at NAMM show!

And Schilke is very high quality too

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While many of the parts to those above brands are made in the Kanstul factory, none of them are assembled or tweaked or designed by him. Thats like saying that if you buy paint and a canvas at Hobby Lobby your painting is "made by" Hobby Lobby. (or whatever brand made the supplies)

I should have also mentioned the kanstul Chicago series (copies of the Burbank Benges made from the original Benge tooling), but the custom class I left off intentionally. While a Kanstul custom class is a great horn, it is nowhere near the level of the above brands. Its more or less equal to a Bach/Conn/Getzen in quality.

[regularsopguy]

While many of the parts to those above brands are made in the Kanstul factory, none of them are assembled or tweaked or designed by him.  Thats like saying that if you buy paint and a canvas at Hobby Lobby your painting is "made by" Hobby Lobby. (or whatever brand made the supplies)

I don't quite agree. I'm told that many of these parts are valve sections (very complicated and precicly made) and bells (hand made)

While a Kanstul custom class is a great horn, it is nowhere near the level of the above brands.  Its more or less equal to a Bach/Conn/Getzen in quality.

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I agree that the custom class is rather similar in quality to Conn Selmer and Getzen.

I also think that the Kanstul marcing brass is the best available. Not cheap, but quality never is. The guys at kanstul really know what they are doing when they make a horn, but not when they market it. I wonder why they don't promote more?

Edited May 7, 2005 by regularsopguy

[SoonerMellophone]

I don't quite agree.  I'm told that many of these parts are valve sections (very complicated and precicly made) and bells (hand made)

Very few custom makers make their own valve sections. I know for a fact that Monette uses Getzen valve sections. While the valve sections do require precision to make, they have quite possibly the least affect on how a horn plays and sounds. It might not be the case any more, but even Schilke had their valve sections made by Yamaha. I believe this is also still the case.

As far as the bells go, you also have to remember that while the Kanstul factory makes them, they were not designed by Kanstul, they were designed by the instument maker, and they are often altered (in the case of Flip Oaks especially) extensively after production.

[big phan]

I have found Yamaha to be a very dependable horn, but often they can sound too bright and "tinny." I understand they make their horns with a fair amount of zinc, the reason for the brighter sound. Zinc tends to rattle more and doesn't have the same resonance of some other metals. King doesn't. It seems that king horns may have been a little less consistent in the way they were made and so you could have a line of 10 horns with 10 different problems. However, more recently King seems to have settled on a much better developed model. The sound that can be attained from a line of King horns is much warmer than that of a line of Yamahas simply due to the fact that they are made differently. King may have better projection, but it is projection that is better rounded. I would prefer a line of Kings(Phantom Regiment) to a line of Yamahas.

[JayM]

As you can tell by this thread, it's pretty much just a matter of opinion.

Yamahas tend to get a bad rap on here, and everyone seems to love Kings, but for the life of me I can't figure out why.

That said, I'm a Yamaha man. The Xenos are amazing, as are the baritones, and you'd be hard-pressed to find a better-sounding, better-balanced horn than a Yamaha tuba.

[newterak]

From marching experience in both yamaha and dynasty lines, its hard to say which line is better than the other as they both have their strengths and weaknesses. i will say that the xeno is by far the best marching trumpet available right now. i'm not a mello player so i'll leave that up for mello people to decide but i've heard that the dynasty mellos tend to blare or sound krass in the upper dynamic levels. As far as baritone, the yamaha baris have weak valve action, perhaps do to the guide, but i cant say. I will say that the dynasty baris have far superior valve action however the yamaha baris sound a hundred times better. Dynasty euphs are significantly better than the yamaha euphs just as far as sound quality goes. I would also say that the dynasty contras, while a lot heavier, sound a lot better than the yamahas.

I think kanstul made the best G lines ever made but their Bb's are not nearly as dominant as their g's were. As far as king, they sound pretty good but i think they look kinda awkward, especially the euphs and contras.

What does all this really mean, i'm really not sure, but the only thing that really matters is the player himself.

[Phirefenix]

I'll keep my Kanstul for now...