Woodwinds, Brass, and Harmonica

[Robert Rowe]

Not much activity, lately.

Understandable; given the state of the economy. Most people are very conservative with their funds right now.

Good "buyer's market" now.

I monitor the selling prices on the online auction ("closed listings", etc.). Prices on high-endy collector pieces have slowly dropped. Still, sellers are holding-out for top-dollar.

I am still buying ... but, trying to stay at-or-below the $500 threshold. At that figure, I can't get burned too badly ... and can usually bail-out for close to same investment. May have to hold onto the piece for a year-or-so, though.

How 'bout you folks? Any personal activity?

[sunburstbasser]

There is a fairly limited range of horns I actively look for. Since it doesn't look like I'll be actively playing soon, I have not been seriously considering buying anything. In addition, the horns I want-Schilke C trumpets, Calicchios of various models, and good flugelhorns-all tend to have pretty set prices. I do occasionally look at some other horns, as I would enjoy trying a Selmer K-Mod or Connstellation, and with those horns I could try them and re-sell if I didn't want to keep them and very likely not lose any money. I do sometimes browse Ebay for the lowest-priced oddball trumpets possible. Its how I got my Buescher. If something like an interesting French trumpet from the 20s showed up I'd probably watch it at least, or maybe a Conn.

[danrothmusic]

The bone isn't my main instrument (I'm a drummer at heart :love: ), so I haven't been in the horn market for years. I hear from my friends on the Drum Forum that selling has slowed down, but not too badly. There's a lot going on on Craigslist and/with vintage drum restorers

[Robert Rowe]

I'm seeing lower prices (both the asking, and the closing) for things like cases, gig-bags, mouthpieces.

Picked-up a couple mouthpieces lately, that have been on my want-list. Decent prices.

[MarkZ]

My daughter wanted to buy a piccolo. I searched for a couple of months until I found a Schilke P5-4BG on Craigslist in a major city. Did the deal over the phone, e-mail, and Paypal. The horn turned out to be 2 years old, spotless condition, included a Monette piccolo mouthpiece and Reeves A adapter. Great deal.

WWBW had a killer "scratch and dent" sale little over a month ago. I came SO close to buying a top of the line Yamaha cornet for about $1100 (the model with triggers for the 1st and 3rd slides) that usually goes for over $2000. It wasn't scratched or dented, just an open box. Same deal with a Yamaha Chicago C that was around $1950. Fantastic horn, ridiculous price. All I bought was some accessories:
JoRal copper bubble for $44
K&M 5 leg trumpet $8 and flugel stand $12.
K&M mute holder $2.

[sunburstbasser]

You'll love that copper bubble mute. Way fatter than the aluminum ones.

[MarkZ]

You'll love that copper bubble mute. Way fatter than the aluminum ones.

I already have a Charles Davis copper Harmon but I needed another because that one is leaving for college. At $44, the copper JoRal was too good to pass up.

I don't know if "fatter" describes that sound for me. Aluminum is more diffuse and airy, the copper is more darkly focused. Thing about the copper Harmons vs aluminum are they don't project as well so it requires more air and they make the horn VERY bell heavy. I prefer aluminum for something like a big band section or when channeling my inner Miles (during which, I call everyone "motherf@#*er"). For solo material, the copper sound is worth the effort, especially for close mic recording.

[Robert Rowe]

... when channeling my inner Miles (during which, I call everyone "motherf@#*er").

:lol:

[sunburstbasser]

I already have a Charles Davis copper Harmon but I needed another because that one is leaving for college. At $44, the copper JoRal was too good to pass up. I don't know if "fatter" describes that sound for me. Aluminum is more diffuse and airy, the copper is more darkly focused. Thing about the copper Harmons vs aluminum are they don't project as well so it requires more air and they make the horn VERY bell heavy. I prefer aluminum for something like a big band section or when channeling my inner Miles (during which, I call everyone "motherf@#*er"). For solo material, the copper sound is worth the effort, especially for close mic recording.

I never noticed the projection, but I usually paired it with a Calicchio which may have helped!:lol: My personal mute is the Windy City copper, which as far as I can tell is identical to the Jo-Ral. I have tried different aluminum ones; maybe fatter isn't the right word to compare to a Jo-Ral aluminum, more to a Harmon-brand mute. I am not a fan of the current models, at least not when I put them in my bell. And why only refer to people as "motherf@#*er" during Miles moments? Make every moment a Miles moment!:thu: Congratulations on sending your daughter to music school. I seem to recall that she also has a Malone-Back C trumpet and some other nice equipment. You've really outfitted her for ANY playing situation.

[MarkZ]

Congratulations on sending your daughter to music school. I seem to recall that she also has a Malone-Back C trumpet and some other nice equipment. You've really outfitted her for ANY playing situation.

Thank you. Yeah, she's in good shape for equipment...now she just needs to shed her brains out. She's taking her Bach 37 and Bach-Malone 229, our Schilke E3L (we claim joint custody), her recently acquired P5-4BG, and my old '70s Conn flugel. Eventually, she'll need a cornet because her teacher does some BBB material. He's also big on students studying natural trumpet though she'll never need to own one.