Has anyone any experience with the Kühnl & Hoyer Slokar Performance large bore horn? I heard Branimir Slokar playing one some time ago and I can't find the link.
I've two small bore K+H horns already, but I want a .547 for non jazz music in my later years , maybe with brass bands, light orch's there's a few in my area.
It's the straight (non F) version and it comes out at a reasonable price, pre Brexit, which is why I want to move on it soonish..
Doug Elliott wrote: ↑Wed Oct 02, 2019 1:31 pm
Yes I have one, actually two complete horns with the extra parts. Love it but you don't see very many around.
That's reassuring, is there anything that you have doubts about?
Pre59 wrote: ↑Wed Oct 02, 2019 3:41 pm
That's reassuring, is there anything that you have doubts about?
Yes. My ability to play it convincingly with no practice. But I get away with it.
To me it's perfect. I spend 99% of my playing time on a .500 bore but I can pick that horn up and feel comfortable... which I couldn't do on my old 42B.
I'm not sure what's the "standard," but I have an 8-1/2" yellow brass bell and a 9" bell that's a bit more red, I guess you'd call it gold brass. Don't ask the difference, I play that horn very little so I don't feel like I have any real perspective. I use the 9" bell with a lightweight slide. But a few years ago I did a 3 week tour of China with an orchestra (not the kind of playing I usually do these days) and took the other set, a regular weight slide with the straight 8-1/2" bell, no F attachment. It felt good that way too.
"I know a thing or two because I've seen a thing or two."
Thanks for the info, but I think that I've just survived a nasty case of GAS. I went hear a brass band (BBB) rehearsal, it's where I started, but it's not for me, now. I think that I'll carry on (into the sunset) with my small group gig gigs..
Although it may be too late:
I have owned a Slokar for approximately 15 years, sold it a year ago.
It has been a slightly different variation with f attachment and I think they have updated the design a little bit in the last years.
However my general impression:
They make really high quality instruments with great mechanics, especially the slides. Back then I heard that they are actually suppliers for some of the German smaller manufacturers. Don't know if this is true.
Playability, Innovation, response etc. should be very good.
I felt that it may lack a bit of character, some people might say the same about Yamaha. But that's very individual.
It was the "Sloka" straight model that I was thinking about. I've found the K+H build quality to be excellent, and on one of my horns I've had a slide modified for a screw in lead pipe. My only gripe is that they changed the slide/bell lock which means that I can't swop bells between the horns. I've had a quote to get the older horn adapted, but this means sending the horn back, and I'm not sure if I can justify the cost now, especially with a possible change of direction..
I think that they do have character, the small bore horns have a bigger sound IMO than the usual equivalent model, if not bigger, then less bright, but they light up when you push them.
The Sloka also has the same heavy nickel slide that I like on one of my 480/88"s, the other has a red brass "standard" weight, which has lightweight fittings.
, maybe with brass bands, light orch's there's a few in my area.