Getzen Flugelhorn Serial Numbers

[Brian Scarano]

Ihave attempted, rather than to describe in detail thespecifications of each horn, to link where possible this page withthe manufacturer's page for each of the horns. Occasionally the website will not have separate URL's for individual pages but willrequire a search for the specific instruments, sometimes theflugelhorns do not occupy a single page, so one must scroll throughother trumpets or cornets to find the flugelhorns. And then there isYamaha which seems to revise its website completely every twentyminutes and has product URLs with 439 characters, but I'm trying.

I have limited myself to the pro quality flugel market. A fewmanufacturers have "standard" or "student" or "intermediate"flugelhorns. These are generally not worth buying. Their valuedepreciates steeply and immediately; their playability, intonation,and sound are compromised, and they are unsatisfying to own.

A note about pricing: The prices here quoted are thosedrawn from the web sites of the large volume retail discount musicstores such as the Woodwind and theBrasswind, Music 123, andGiardinelli. I have oftenrounded up to the nearest round number. Prices change often butusually not by all that much. Where there are particular retailerswho offer unusually good prices on particular instruments, I havenoted it.

The prices on the high volume mass produced horns are likely to beconsiderably less at these places than at your local music store andI post the mail order price for their relative cost because thealternative--list prices--are even more misleading. There are manyreasons to visit, support, and buy from your local store, but becauseof their more modest volume and higher overhead per unit, it willlikely cost you more even if they discount somewhat from list prices.However, your local music store often provides repair services andsupports local school or youth music and you may find that the higherprice is justified for the intangibles also purchased. And you neverknow when you may need a favor.

An important note about flugel bore sizes: With theexception of the Yamaha YFH 631G and the Lawler, the flugelhornsbelow break clearly into one of two camps, those with small bores(e.g., 0.415 inch) and those with larger more trumpet-like bores(0.457 - 0.460 inch). This is a staggering difference consideringthat trumpets range from medium bores of, say, 0.445 to large boresof about .464, a difference of 0.021, compared to the more thandoubled 0.045 difference between large and small bore flugels.

The small bore flugels play quite differently from the largerbored horns and one should really try one of each, if at allpossible, to see which group feels the better to you. The large borehorns, though still sounding like flugels, play more like trumpets,which may or may not be a good thing. You already have a trumpet.They have less resistance, take more air easily, and are capable ofmore volume, though I am not sure how important volume is in aflugelhorn. The smaller bore horns tend to play easily but can getstuffy when pushed and can be easily overblown. They do tend to forceyou to play the flugel differently and maybe more flugel-like. Thereis a reason that the most popular instruments are the small boreflugels in the French tradition.

Few folks seem inclined to spend the kind of money (or the kind oftrouble) on a flugel that they spend on a trumpet--and for goodreason. The consensus, courtesy of Chase Sanborn'sBrass Tactics, seems to bethat

As a result, the market for less expensive pro flugelhorns isprobably dominated by Yamaha. They make high quality productsthat are priced reasonably and benefit from the market saturation ofYamaha dealers (i.e., they are easy to find, try and buy). TheYFH631G, has a 0.433 inch bore, a gold brass bell, and is availablein clear lacquer and silver plate. Its introduction (with a rosebrass bell) dates back to the days when Yamaha product numbers hadonly three digits and 6xx meant lacquer and 7xx meant silver plated.The YFH 631G (in lacquer) lists for $1,939, but is priced around$1335 at Brasswind. Yamaha describes the horn as having "a 6 inchgold brass bell [that] produces a soft, mellow tone characteristic ofthe flugelhorn." TheYFH631GS (listed on the Yamaha website as discontinued, but alsolisted as 'current'--I give up) lists at $2094, but is street pricedat around $1455. The silver finish, Yamaha says, "produces a soft,rich tone ideal for subtle musical nuances and expression." You haveto love these descriptions.

The predecessors to these horns, the YFH 631 and YFH 731(identical horns except the 731 had a yellow, as opposed to red,brass bell and was silver plated) were in Yamaha's catalog fordecades and thousands of these horns are around. They would make goodsolid used horn buys.

The Yamaha 0.433 bore is a nice compromise between the two moreextreme bore sizes and still is restrictive enough that it encouragesquiet reflective playing while maintaining enough openness that itdoesn't feel like the air is backing up.

Most of the Yamaha pro model brasses are made in Japan though acouple of models are made in the United States, including theYFH-631G flugelhorn. You can tell what is made in the US by theserial number. If the number has an "A" following it, the horn wasmade in Grand Rapids. No "A" would indicate it was made in Japan.

The best alternatives to Yamaha at about that same price are fromthe House of Kanstul, including theKanstulChicago 1025 theKanstulCustom Class 925 with each having a 0.415 bore and 6 inch bell.The CCF 925 has top sprung valves, like a trumpet, and a uniquedirect airflow design through the valve casings. The Chicago model,another Couesnon copy, has Monel bottom sprung pistons resulting in alittle shorter valve casing (a little more compact feeling in yourhand) and the traditional staggered valve port design.

Once upon a time, Kanstul made two F. Besson flugelhornsfor Boosey & Hawkes. The small bore Brevette was nearly identicalto the Custom Class 925 with the exception of the traditional ratherthan amato water keys and the more traditional French taper of thetuning bit. Recently Boosey & Hawkes has spun off or at leastreorganized its instrument production division and has terminatedsome of its older contracts, so I don't know exactly what the statusof these horns or F. Besson are today. It is still in the Bessoncatalog, but I don't know who makes it. If you can find new old stockor a used one from the 1990s, go for it, they are great horns..

F. Besson still markets a larger (0.460 inch) bore flugel, the F.Besson Meha also previously made by Kanstul, though like theBrevette, its status is uncertain. It remains in the Besson catalog.If large bore flugels are attractive to you, and you can find new oldstock or a used one from the 1990s, go for it, like the Brevette,they are solid high quality horns.

F.Besson has recently released a new Laureate Flugel Horn, modelFB30FB, with specifications very close to the Brevette, and executedwith the design assistance of jazz trumpet virtuoso Marvin Stamm. Atthis point, I know nothing about the location of its manufacture orits price, so I hesitate to endorce it. If anybody encounters one ofthese, please let me know what you you think.

The British side of the Besson family includes the 947-2flugelhorn, popular with the British Brass band folks. These arepretty rare in the United States, but when found they are in the same$1250 - $1350 price range. They are large bore flugels.

Ownership of the F. Besson name has once again changed hands andthe website is currently under construction. It's a wonder they sella single instrument given the ownership chaos of the last severalyears.

Getzen, long a maker of large bore flugels, including the 4 valvemodel, has released a new small bore (0.420) flugel in 2005, theCustom 3895, street priced arount $1400. It is too early to tell orfor many to have tried this, but it warrants investigation. Those whohave the opportunity to try it and compare it to others, please letme know.

For more money, there are four extremely popular flugels that areoften thought of as among the best available. The Kanstul SignatureZKF 1525, the French made Courtois 154, the Yamaha Bobby Shew YFH6310Z and the Conn Vintage One. They each have small bores butmaintain better intonation and response throughout the horn than someof the less expensive. These are each priced around $1500 and verypopular even at that price point. Many feel the cost difference isjustified over the more popularly priced models above. These areamong the most popular flugels played by professionals and seriousamateurs.

TheKanstulSignature ZKF 1525 heavy wall copper bell flugel (0.421 bore) hasproven extremely popular since its introduction. The large (6 1/2inch) soft copper bell and lacquered brass and nickel is adistinctive look and the horn plays very well with its sound oftenbeing described as "buttery." It comes with a third valve slide. Thecopper bell is easy to dent and some whose use is more rambunctioushave had second thoughts. Priced in lacquer at $1675 atTulsaBand, without case.

Also among the best is the French madeCourtois154 gold brass bell small bore flugel. Made by France's premierebrass manufacturer, this last of the real French flugels, the qualityof the construction will surprise those used to the old Couesnons.The direct flow air passage, the huge 6 3/4 inch bell and very small0.410 inch bore combine for a feel different from the others. Thehorn lists for $2550, but can be purchased for around $1500 usually.The addition of a first valve trigger (as well as a third) and youhave the model 155. Used Courtois flugels are common, as are theidentical looking flugels Courtois made for G. LeBlanc corporation inthe 1960s and 1970s when LeBlanc used to import brasswinds from Paris(while never making any). These are great horns to look for on theused market.

The current top of the Yamaha line is theYFH6310Z, a small bore (0.413 inch) flugelhorn companion to the YTR6310Z trumpet with design assistance by jazz trumpeter Bobby Shew.Most believe that this is Yamaha's finest flugel to date and it isclearly a high quality well designed instrument. Of this group is isprobably the lightest and clearest sounding of the group. It is acopy of Shew's personal old Couesnon flugelhorn, with Yamahaengineering and manufacturing quality. It comes standard with a thirdvalve trigger and has a smaller 5 inch bell which Yamaha describes as"a hammered one-piece yellow brass bell [that] produces a slightlymore intense tone with a pure, perfectly-balanced tone with quickresponse and extra presence. The one-piece bell has an axial(lengthwise) seam, making it a continuous extension of theinstrument's material. This results in pure, uniform resonance andsuperior tone." It bears a street price of around $1700 in lacquer,$1800 in silver. The former Yamaha top of the line model is the YFH635T, a copy, I am told, of an older F. Besson small bore flugel.This horn is also a very fine horn, costing new more than the currentYFH 6310Z, and remains very popular among professional players. Itwould also be a great value in the used market.

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