Shucks, even a rank amateur wouldn't try it with a Chinese knock-off.
A Czech knock-off might be something else again, eh?
Not only that, have you ever noticed that those eBay full-double Chinese knock-offs are all screw-bell Geyer-wrap horns, with the offset F-Bb change valve? I have not yet seen a fixed-bell Kruspe-wrap Chinese knock-off. No doubt some are out there; I just haven't seen any on eBay yet.
Do we know for sure that the "Matt Stevens" horn is in fact Chinese & not Czech? Are the all Winston horns Chinese? Are any of them Czech?
Also, is there a quality difference between Taiwanese horns & instruments made in mainland China?
And while we're on the subject, where are those low-end Atkinson horns made? China?
If you go for a Getzen, if it's 1 of those Italian Getzen-Blessing compensating doubles, be sure to try it before you buy it. Some players find that the thumb valve on those horns is so awkwardly positioned that the horn is virtually unplayable. Other players may have no trouble with them, I don't know. However that may be, it would be a shame to lay out money for 1 only to find you can't hold it comfortably or operate the 4th valve without dislocating your thumb.
-- Alan Cole, rank amateur
McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.
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At 12:57 PM 12/11/2003 -0500, you wrote:The picture in the eBay add is of a Amati or Amati knock-off labeled E.M. Winston and selling for $1299. The notion that you can buy a $500 Chinese horn and, with a few tweaks by your local repairman, turn it into something worth having is a bad joke.
A used Holton in good condition (as determined by a competent repairman) for $500 is a real bargain. You could invest another $500 in it and it would still be a real bargain. Or, for around $2000 you could get a Getzen (made by Hoyer) or a Yamaha YHR-567 and have something worth having that will give you years of good service and have a resale value if you someday decide to move up.
Bob Osmun www.osmun.com
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