gjdavistuba Posted April 4, 2007 Share Posted April 4, 2007 I marched with the King 1141SP last season. When you get them brand new(we got a new set just for 2006), they sound just fine. But after a few weeks or so, they start sounding worse and worse. We (Crown) just recently switched to Yamaha, and I LOVE the Yamaha contras. They look, sound, and feel a million times better than the Kings. The Xeno's sound so much better than the ultimate trumpets. The mellos are on a whole different level, and the baris/euphs(new euph model) sound absolutely fantastic. This is of course an opinion. nothing against the King horns, they sound just fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadow_7 Posted April 4, 2007 Share Posted April 4, 2007 The Troopers took delivery of a new set of Yamaha Bb brass this winter, Pioneer is the lone G line in Div1. They had relatively new G horns for sale earlier this winter on their website. I'm aware of that, but the Troopers did buy a new set of G's since 2000(aka this millineum). And is probably the last corps in DCI to get a "set" of new "G" horns. Even if they did sell them after a relatively short period of use. ----- As far as the King 1141SP. It's a nice playing horn. It seems to favor the smaller pieces. So I finally have a horn that I can use my Tommy Johnson piece on. Unfortunately even with a short and shallow piece I'm still a bit flat on the horn with all of the slides all of the way in. While the horn plays nice and sounds nice it's not all the great to hold. And the 4th valve is virtually unuseable in it's current position. Just picking it up off the ground is a challenge. I wish the horn came with a manual. If King or any manufacturer for that matter was forced to publish one, I think they'd put a little more thought into the design of the horn. Say what you want about the degs, but at least they have a place to put your hands to manuever the horn. This one doesn't even have a good place to hold it to march a parade. The balance point is literally on the 4th valve. You have to do the volcan live long and prosper hand thing around the 4th valve to achieve a good grip to do a parade. And there's two metal plates right there to make it that much more uncomfortable. Fortunately it looks like the 4th valve tubing can be removed. Without the tubing for the 4th valve it might be a little bit more marchable. The valves are nice. The springs are a little stronger than I'm used to, and you have to move the valves a good distance between open and closed, but I'm confident they wont stick on me regardless of when I cleaned the horn last, or the prevailing performance conditions. The bracing seems sufficient, not that there's anyway real way to slam the horn around to test them. The braces with screws are a nice feature, since you can disassemble the inner tubing for cleaning. At least until you lose a screw or two<insert pun>. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corps fan Posted April 5, 2007 Share Posted April 5, 2007 Troopers bought an entire new line of G bugles for the 2003 season...and man, I haven't seen a set of contras with so many dents, no matter how old Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regularsopguy Posted April 7, 2007 Share Posted April 7, 2007 The Troopers took delivery of a new set of Yamaha Bb brass this winter, Pioneer is the lone G line in Div1. They had relatively new G horns for sale earlier this winter on their website. ...so..."america's corps" is not playing american instruments...shame!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadow_7 Posted April 21, 2007 Share Posted April 21, 2007 I marched with the King 1141SP last season. When you get them brand new(we got a new set just for 2006), they sound just fine. But after a few weeks or so, they start sounding worse and worse. I seemed to have stumbled upon why the 1141SP has that symptom. I bought one of Phantoms 1141SP's, and it is missing a brace screw(in the center by the bell). By using a white sock and wrapping it tightly around this loose brace I have dampened the buzzing of said brace(on D above tuning C). And also seem to have improved the sound and playability of the horn. The horn seems to slot better, and take more air/volume without getting unstable. With the sock anyway. Without the sock the horn sounds a little tinny and breaks up(odd tone-age) at relatively low volume levels. Or maybe it's just the beers or the two weeks off while taking a cruise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.Peepers Posted April 22, 2007 Share Posted April 22, 2007 When it comes down to it, you can cry and whine and yell but it really makes no difference. With out both good brass and visual instruction you are going to sound like crap and look like crap and its a moot point what name is stamped on the piece of silver plated metal in your hands. Both King and Yamaha are putting out in my opinion quality Euphoniums that any program should be proud to own. just to lay it down. I think the King looks cooler and has a kicker for the first valve slide which is really nice, however you have to know how to sweet talk her into doing what you want. The Yamaha is easier to play on and it easier to hold up than the King, but I hate the thumb saddle for the first valve slide, it may work on lighter horns, but on a Euph it has no place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
07-Socks Posted April 23, 2007 Share Posted April 23, 2007 I'm not sure what you mean by corps-sounding, given the fact that many of the top corps today play Yamaha - Cavaliers, Cadets, Bluecoats, Vanguard. Phantom Regiment marches King. If that means anything in regards to their low brass sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eightyonepointthree Posted April 27, 2007 Share Posted April 27, 2007 Phantom Regiment marches King.If that means anything in regards to their low brass sound. It means that you can easily overblow them, I guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawn craig Posted May 2, 2007 Share Posted May 2, 2007 I noticed King has a marching French horn as well as the mellophone. Has anyone used the MFH? And if so, how do they compare to the mellophones? I know many corps use to use the French horn bugle long time ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfmello Posted May 2, 2007 Share Posted May 2, 2007 I noticed King has a marching French horn as well as the mellophone.Has anyone used the MFH? And if so, how do they compare to the mellophones? I know many corps use to use the French horn bugle long time ago. Ah, marching Frenchies. Beautiful sound (a well-played line can really add to the sound of a hornline), but a beast to play. By my understanding (and I know I'll be corrected if I am wrong), the main difference is that the marching french horn (besides having a greater length of conical tubing than a mellophone) fundamental in its overtone series is an octave below the fundamental of a mellophone of the same key. So, the lowest note of a three-valve F mellophone is the F# below middle C written. The lowest note on an F French horn is an ocatve lower than that. So, playing the same pitch on a French horn as on a mellophone, the french horn will actually be an octave higher in its overtone series (that is, fingerings will be the same as an octave higher on the mello, and since the overtones are closer together on the frenchie, the tone will tend to be a bit more difficult to center). Add a french horn mouthpiece, and you've got a horn that is very difficult to play well under corps conditions. However, some of the finest musicians I ever played with and knew in corps played french horn (see, for example, Chris Smith and Matt Gregg). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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