Unplayable China Rotary Euph New Design?

[TheDoctor]

https://reverb.com/item/45879532-schill ... old-plated

Looks like the same valveset as the C one with the wonky scale, but updated with a new bugle? . . . wonder if it plays just as bad

[arpthark]

A question that can be answered for the low low price of $1,400!

[TheDoctor]

A question that can be answered for the low low price of $1,400!

Any brave souls? Anyone? . . . Bueller?

[TheDoctor]

Any brave souls? Anyone? . . . Bueller?

I am Spartacus!

[arpthark]

Could their copyediting for this ad get any lazier?

"Big Warm Projecting Sound with Upright Bell open response. All Frankfurt Superior Rotary Valve Cluster Hand Lapped and Perfectly Sealed. Features 11.8″ Bell and a .591-.661 Dual Bore. Features Dual bore with .590″ Primary Bore and .661″ 4th Valve Bore"

"All Frankfurt Superior Rotary Valve Cluster" is downright disingenuous as it's clear that these superior rotary valve clusters are not made in Frankfurt.

Plus, is the dual bore .590 or .591?

I'm glad the valves are "perfectly sealed," though.

I own a compensating euphonium stamped with this company's logo that I like very much, but I bought it secondhand from a very reputable dealer. I don't think I would purchase anything new from them... especially not at the above-mentioned price. YMMV.

[the elephant]

Preexisting *okay* bugle + preexisting *okay* valve section (albeit "dual bore" which is an incorrect use of that term) PROBABLY = *okay* instrument. I guess it will come down to how FUBARed the dogleg has to be to get the two halves to mate up… and *I* certainly don't want to risk $$$$ to be a guinea pig for Laabs…

[TheDoctor]

The volunteer thing was mostly a joke, but the topic is semi-serious because the prospect of a cheep rotor chinaphonium in a valve layout I'm more accustomed to is appealing to me.

That said, this one isn't cheap for what it is

[bloke]

I’m pretty sure I’ve seen an obscure Meinl-Weston thing that looks just like that… It’s just a compensating euphonium body with a rotary valveset slapped on it.
I would imagine that if you walked into the store and Wisconsin played one, decided you liked it, and offered Troy cash, he would come down on the price.

[TheDoctor]

I’m pretty sure I’ve seen an obscure Meinl-Weston thing that looks just like that… It’s just a compensating euphonium body with a rotary valveset slapped on it.

It does appear to be such a horn. The Euph community seems to sing praises of the Jim bob factory euphs, and arpthark enjoys theirs. If that euph bugle is good, I wonder why this horn wasn't rolled out of the factory instead of that C with Bb slide atrocity back in the day

Ok, no more china horn threads from me. I'm particularly weary of them tubas, because I've spent time on a couple that were complete dogs back in tooba skool, so I'm not sure why I'm even giving these more than a passing glance.

[dp]

The only thing these things are good for is driving up the prices of better-made used German horns. Some of the discussion makes me want to push youff players further away from tubas and lump 'em in with trombonists. That is all.

[Three Valves]

LAABS!!

[bloke]

These are factory Frankenhorns - regardless of whether they are made in Europe or Asia.
I’ve already identified what these are (the body of an English-style euphonium with a rotary valve section) in a previous post. If they are made in the factory I think they are made in, there’s no way I’d sell them. Regardless of where they’re made – and regardless of the continent - I wouldn’t own one. If somebody wants a rotary front action version of a Yamaha 321 non-comp euphonium (with - possibly…?? - all the issues that come with marginal linkage and marginal rotors) then this is probably the instrument for them.
A Yamaha 321 euphonium has some good points (particularly for us doublers) including an easy high range, but that’s partially due to the small shank receiver and the slightly smaller than most everything else bore size.
I have a good condition old ugly brown 321 (that probably cost me $100 bucks or so - a long time ago) that I pull out when I suddenly find I have to play The Planets or the solo in Pictures (again: easy high range - easier than with my very large bore / very large bell compensating euphonium), but I’m not interested in swapping it for this rotary thing - just because this thing is front-action… but I’ve noticed there are a whole bunch of people that are more interested in configurations and features than sonic/playing characteristics and such. To each his own.
(Are Yamaha 321 euphoniums still made in Japan?)

The only thing these things are good for is driving up the prices of better-made used German horns. Some of the discussion makes me want to push youff players further away from tubas and lump 'em in with trombonists. That is all.

[TheDoctor]

Since you bring them up bloke, I'd probably be better suited finding a non comp Yamaha to scratch any euph itch I may have

LAABS!!

1665101502512~2.jpg (92.45 KiB) Viewed 497 times

[jtm]

...
A Yamaha 321 euphonium has some good points (particularly for us doublers) including an easy high range, but that’s partially due to the small shank receiver and the slightly smaller than most everything else bore size.

That's for sure. For a doubler who doesn't play it often, it's really easy to sound pretty decent on with barely any effort.