Advice on cheap euphoniums needed.

[Kingfan]

My 22 piece community band is short on tuba and euphoniums. I've been asked to consider moving over to euphonium. I never quit playing trombone but haven't played euphonium since 1975. Locally there are a Bundy II and a Caravelle, both three valve horns, both available for under $250. No idea of age on either yet. Any opinions if one brand is significantly better than the other? If I go looking, anything to check physically other than if all the slides work and the valves aren't worn? One source of info said the Caravelle was made by Getzen. True?

[WilliamLang]

you can find a used yamaha-yep 201 for $250 or a tiny bit more on eBay or forums from time to time - odds are they'd be a little more reliable. don't have any experience with the other two horns, but if they are local see if you can try them out?

[spencercarran]

There's plenty of decent older King or Conn euphoniums floating around ebay for cheap-ish. I'd take one of those over a Bundy (and, tbh, probably over a student Yamaha). Look at eg https://www.ebay.com/itm/284691971846?h ... SwZ29iKN2F which is likely to be the appropriate type of euph sound for a small wind band.

If you really need to keep budget strictly under $250 you have to either be both patient and lucky or resign yourself to playing something pretty junky. For the possible deals locally you'll want to check them over for patches and corrosion in addition to examining the valves.

[Matt K]

I agree with most of that but I also really like the Yamaha student euphoniums. The one thing you have to make sure is the valves move freely. If they don’t; you probably have a rather expensive paperweight. Fixing those can be more than what you paid for the instrument.

[Kingfan]

There's plenty of decent older King or Conn euphoniums floating around ebay for cheap-ish. I'd take one of those over a Bundy (and, tbh, probably over a student Yamaha). Look at eg https://www.ebay.com/itm/284691971846?h ... SwZ29iKN2F which is likely to be the appropriate type of euph sound for a small wind band.

If you really need to keep budget strictly under $250 you have to either be both patient and lucky or resign yourself to playing something pretty junky. For the possible deals locally you'll want to check them over for patches and corrosion in addition to examining the valves.

The King looks like the one I sold ten plus years ago because I never played it and thought I never would. Kicking myself for that.

[hyperbolica]

I've got a King 2280 in full working order (minus a bit of lacquer) that I'd let go for $400 (plus shipping). 4 valves non-compensating, nice sound, Eb pull on 4th valve. (sold)

[BGuttman]

When my Community Band needed me to cover Baritone one summer they got me a Conn Director, which played pretty well for a student horn.

I picked up an Olds Ambassador (3 front valves, bell up) which I used until I bought my Conn 19I (It''s identical to the King 2280, just says "Conn" on the bell).

The 2280/19I has a spring loaded 3rd valve tuning slide that you are supposed to be able to use to adjust intonation, but I never got it working to my satisfaction. I just tuned the thing so 4th valve provided an in-tune 1-3 (1-3 is a little sharp) and 3rd valve was a little flatter than 1-2 so 2-3 was better in tune. I also used 2-4 in place of 1-2-3.

[Kingfan]

I've got a King 2280 in full working order (minus a bit of lacquer) that I'd let go for $400 (plus shipping). 4 valves non-compensating, nice sound, Eb pull on 4th valve.

That's tempting... Where are you located?

[hyperbolica]

I've got a King 2280 in full working order (minus a bit of lacquer) that I'd let go for $400 (plus shipping). 4 valves non-compensating, nice sound, Eb pull on 4th valve.

That's tempting... Where are you located?

Roanoke, VA (sold)

[ajeasley]

I've got a King 2280 in full working order (minus a bit of lacquer) that I'd let go for $400 (plus shipping). 4 valves non-compensating, nice sound, Eb pull on 4th valve.

Euphonium player checking in - I would recommend taking this offer. The King non-compensating horns are reliable workhorses and a staple of high school band rooms (so any repair shop worth their salt should be able to do repairs and have parts readily available). They also play really well for what they are.

Another perk is that (unlike most 3 valve instruments and the non-compensating 4 valve Yamaha that is also very common and a good horn) the 2280 takes a large shank mouthpiece. This will open up your options quite a bit when it comes to finding something that works well on euphonium.

[Burgerbob]

A new Adams is only $10,000. A screaming deal for a great horn!

[bassclef]

I've got a Yamaha 321 for doubling, and other than the small shank mouthpiece receiver, I love it. It's built well and to me at least, plays great. You might need to spend in the neighborhood of $1000 to get one in decent shape, but if you can do that I don't think you'd be sorry and it would be easy to get your money back for it if you ever decide to move it along someday.

The King you've been offered above sounds like a great option though. I briefly tried out one of those and thought it was good.

[Kingfan]

Thanks. Probably going do the deal with hyperbolica. This means I'll be selling a utility grade ropey engraving (late 60s) 2B if we work a deal on the euphonium.

[Kingfan]

A new Adams is only $10,000. A screaming deal for a great horn!

You first! Our community band director's day job is at a private academy and he said he could loan me the unused school horn, a high end Besson he valued at $6k. NO WAY would I trust myself with a horn like that!

[ACBEric]

I work here but I am not putting this out here just because of that reason (if I do not like something I won't recommend it to someone - not worth it). I have played several of the ACB Doubler's Euphoniums and overall all I think they are excellent for the price. Let me be clear - excellent for the price, not perfect. I have experienced that the 2nd valve can be a little flat (but you can have someone tweak that for you if that is the case for you too) but this is not the only Euph that has that kind of issue. Also I am probably being a little bit of a baby, as a trombonist I am so used to having a big-giant-tuning slide to to just fix things so I tend to not like to "lip up" or "lip down" - but that is just me being a trombonist who is used to the slide and doesn't want to have to do it any other way. Now, is the issue an obstacle to playing it and enjoying playing it? Will it keep the instrument from being a perfectly useful instrument in a community band, brass band gig, church gig, or something else that you might be asked to play euphonium in now and then? No. Not at all. And this is the ONLY issue I have with. It is a 3+1 and it is compensating, blows very freely, feels balanced, is comfortable to hold, has a nice sound, and the case has wheels (which you know, is kind of nice actually if I am dragging it along with a trombone, music stand, book bag, and a thermos of coffee). I think it is a very solid option for the role it is designed for: the doubler. https://www.austincustombrass.biz/austi ... euphonium/

[Kingfan]

Got a Holton Collegiate locally (no shipping) for $150. I've been in the hospital since Friday and just got home. A buddy bought it for me and is delivering to me Thursday. He said it needs new water valve key springs and one tuning slide is stuck, otherwise it plays well.