King 608F - Buying Advice

[Burgerbob]

I'd say it's a good direction to go for a community band. It will be substantially larger blowing than the 354, but should sound pretty good and has lots of versatility with the F attachment.

[Matt K]

If you like the Yamaha you might also consider any of the Yamaha from the 300-600 series. The 356, 446, and 646 in particular are similar in size and play similar, albeit bigger than the 354 and accept small shank mouthpieces. I was going to list a 356 bell with a 646 slide in the not too distant future if you were interested, feel free to contact me. That would be medium bore, small receiver, with an 8” bell which might be a good fit for the community band. Slightly broader sound than the 608.

That said, king horns are great too. The 608 might be a hair too small for community band, though it is similar to your 354 on paper, so if the 354 has been working, so too will a 608F. Another horn to consider would be the medium bore King Tempo. Medium bore horns are nice for amateur ms because they still take the small shank mouthpiece but hve a little more breadth of sound for things like wind ensembles and community bands. But they also work for commercial idioms like big bands, rock bands, and other similar types of groups.

That said, depending on your timeframe and what else you want to do, you might consider having a large bore instrument. You can use the large bore for classical music and the small bore for jazz, commercial etc. Having both is pretty common too. A large bore will often fit in best with classical ensembles but you do need a large shank mouthpiece. They can also take more air. Some players have no problem making the switch, others prefer to stay on the smaller end of things or at most a medium bore. Again, since you like the Yamaha, another Yamaha from the 400-600 series might suit you such as the YSL548 or the YSL882. There are a lot of large bores to choose from, other common models include but by no means are limited to the Conn 88, Bach 42, King 4B, Etc.

[afugate]

If you like the Yamaha you might also consider any of the Yamaha from the 300-600 series. The 356, 446, and 646 in particular are similar in size and play similar, albeit bigger than the 354 and accept small shank mouthpieces. I was going to list a 356 bell with a 646 slide in the not too distant future if you were interested, feel free to contact me. That would be medium bore, small receiver, with an 8” bell which might be a good fit for the community band. Slightly broader sound than the 608.

That said, king horns are great too. The 608 might be a hair too small for community band, though it is similar to your 354 on paper, so if the 354 has been working, so too will a 608F. Another horn to consider would be the medium bore King Tempo. Medium bore horns are nice for amateur ms because they still take the small shank mouthpiece but hve a little more breadth of sound for things like wind ensembles and community bands. But they also work for commercial idioms like big bands, rock bands, and other similar types of groups.

Pretty sure Matt knows this, but for the edification of the O.P., I believe both the King 608F and a Yamaha 356/646 combination are medium bore horns.

For me, I'd feel comfortable playing either a 608F or a Yamaha 646-based horn on first or second part. That depends somewhat on what instruments others in the section are playing, of course.

Note: I love both King and Yamaha horns.

--Andy in OKC

[BGuttman]

Note that the King 607/608 (one has a yellow brass bell, the other a gold brass bell) are medium bore horns and set up so the bell brace fits like a straight horn; i.e. the bell brace goes between the thumb and first finger of the left hand. This is a little easier to handle, especially for someone not used to an F-attachment.

[Splendour]

Further to the above, as someone with large hands I find the King 608 bracing and trigger arrangement easier to handle and less of a strain to use for long periods then setups where the thumb is only in contact with the trigger, and this from someone who usually plays a bass trombone.

[JLivi]

How much can you expect to pay for a 607/608f? I've seen prices all over the place. As high as $1000 which seems a little high for what it is. Maybe it's not. That's why I asking!

[Matt K]

Depends on condition. I've seen simialr intermediate horns asking for ~$1400 but I think that's probably extreme. On the lower end if you're patient you can certainly get them for $400-600. The cheaper horns are sometimes not in as great shape though, need a chem clean, slide adjustment,e tc.

[stjones]

I envy people for whom the 3b/f is comfortable to hold; I have arthritis in my hands and am currently involved in trying to find a way to minimize the discomfort of a 3b+/f I bought recently. I love the way it plays, but holding it is a challenge. I do not have this problem with the Bach 36b that I also own, which has the trigger in front rather than behind the main bell brace. Just wanted to add a word of caution.