Posted by K on December 31, 2003 at 17:17:39:
In Reply to: Amanti Euphoniums. posted by Tom Webb on December 31, 2003 at 14:38:49:
The two first posters are perfectly right.The former east-block countries never got two aspects of brass instruments making right: piston valves and trombone slides.
Amati was/is the trade name given to instruments from the forced state conglomerate of Czech instrument makers during the commi years. One element of the conglomerate was the renowned Cerveny company, which historically is behind all of the conical low brass designs
If you find an Amati with rotary valves it is a Cerveny from the red era. Sadly Cerveny was compromised during these sad years. Not in design and musical efficiency (a repairman friend and I agreed that the only thing speaking for those reddish Cervenys was, that they sounded so extremely well), but the choice and and application of material was less than generous. Where B&S of GDR used strong nickel silver lever systems, the Czechs used the much more wearable brass in their ball-and-socket joints. And Czechs used VERY thin brass sheets and tubes.
A personal dislike of mine is the piston euphonium design used by Amati an for some odd reason the Belgians and Dutch. I never tried one, which was attractive in playability and intonation. And I heard one played well.
Klaus