Posted by Rick Denney on April 29, 2002 at 18:38:24:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Holton 6/4 in my living room..what to do posted by Tony E on April 29, 2002 at 15:18:22:
I'll answer for Jay: He's never had that limitation. (I'm sure he will protest, but in vain, as far as I'm concerned.)
Some other points, as long as I'm presuming to speak for Jay: One is that his big horn for many years was a Cerveny 601, which you can buy quite readily in BBb, though his was in C. He now plays a Nirschl, but he just got it within the last couple of years or so. Until the Nirschl came along, he didn't feel like any of the 6/4 horns had the flexibility he desired, and he preferred to continue his practice of playing most stuff on a 4/4 Rudy, and use the big Cerveny when the music demanded earth movement. The Nirschl has changed his perspective somewhat, and it has taken, I gather, more of a general-purpose role in his arsenal.
Let me be equally presumptuous but in a different way and speak for myself. I've played a number of big horns both in C and Bb just to try them out. I always was looking for a horn that had an easy warmth to it--that fit with the Jacobs description of "4/4 going in and 6/4 coming out." I've played several that met that criteria. One was a Hirsbrunner York Model from the mid-80's, another was a real York conversion, and yet another was a smaller Beuscher conversion. But every big Holton I've ever played was not a horn that I as an amateur would have wanted to take to a small ensemble. When I play them, they don't have a really soft voice compared to those others. The Meinl-Weston 2165 is the same. I'm sure it's me, but you wanted an amateur's opinion.
That said, I agree that if you can always get your price back out of the instrument, then there's no risk. But I don't agree that amateurs are limited to one horn. What a preposterous notion! Collecting tubas is an equally valid hobby, and the Holton is still lots cheaper than a bass boat.
One final point: My York Master is more difficult to play than my Miraphone, just as the Holton would be a greater challenge than the King. But the reward is deeply satisfying when I hear that rich sound reflect back to me in a big room. And the greater air and embouchure control required to make the York Master work has improved my playing on the Miraphone, too. But it sometimes does kick my butt all evening.
Rick "deeply, deeply envious" Denney