Posted by Charley on December 28, 1999 at 10:59:39:
Hi from England !
I thought I would just add some comments after finding this superb page to reel off dreams, problems or whatever.
My first euph back in 1967 was Hawkes Excelsior 3 valva class A, in good condition for its years. Our school band bought up old sets from adault brass band suppliers as they renewed their own sets. I had 3 different Boosey & Hawkes Solbrons, all compensating top of the range instruments in their day. During this time I had been given a Boosey & Hawkes Kosicup 3 mouthpiece, an enormous thing that I really enjoyed blowing on, comparable today with the Wick 2AL & Mead SM2 models.
I purchased a Yamaha 641 when they were new and enjoyed it greatly, despite it not being compensating. During my playing career with several bands I played on some excellent Imperial models of the 60's & 70's with the medium bore. Then the Sovreign appeared and I had a very early model with the smaller bore 4th.valve.
This was good but I always felt from then on, the instruments got a little too big and it was very easy to get a tubby sound that was a bit on the empty side if you were not careful.
So now I'm on my second Willson ( my first belonged to the band )and although I have not of course tried the well known American instruments, I feel it would be hard pressed to be beaten. I make a point of blowing all new models as they come out, more out of curiositry now than anything else really.
I use the Mead SM2 as a wind band player & soloist which makes me work a bit harder, but the rewards are something else.
Happy New Year to all UFO's
Charley.