November 2007 Jazz Instrument Update

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November 2007 Jazz Instrument Update

Thursday, 25 October 2007 15:32

Rosetti Flugelhorn (series 5)

Quality entry level Flugelhorns are few and far between. So when a recognised manufacturer launches a new model, we’re keen to see where it sits in the scheme of things. Coming in three finishes, Brass, Rose Brass and Silver Plated, with both brass instruments having a Rose Brass lead pipe, the Series 5 is a very clean, well engineered and surprisingly well balanced horn. With good intonation, the pistons felt comfortably tight and there was no adjustment needed on the solidly built valves. November 2007 Jazz Instrument Update

The supplied Chinese made mouthpiece is modelled on the standard 7C, but has more of a cone than cup and a distinctly narrower bore, which gives the horn a brighter but slightly thinner sound, somewhat akin to a mellow trumpet. It does however help facilitate entry to the top register. Fitting the Series 5 with a standard 7C mouthpiece gave a more rounded and darker tone, but made the upper register a much more difficult!

Playing the Flugelhorn softly produced a clean, clear sound that is typical of the instrument. Driving it was a totally different proposition, as it certainly punches the sound out but at the same time, takes on a ‘trumpety’ timbre with a distinctly more brassy edge. Aimed at the student/intermediate market, we think that this horn ticks most of the right boxes and is more than capable of producing the goods when required. Brass band members might like to know that it carries a crook for a music stand. The whole package is protected by a semi-hard zippered, moulded polystyrene case with a clutch and end grab handle and sizeable zippered front pocket, together with a detachable back harness. For more info go to www.rosetti.co.uk

Jazz City Peerless Guitar

The Jazz City is a unique full bodied ‘f’ hole jazzer from the newly arrived Peerless stable. Not that the Korean Peerless company is new to making guitars (they’ve been making guitars for various other well known brands since 1970), but this is the first time that they have set out on their own, confident in the quality of their product.
With a solid flame maple top and laminated maple back and sides together with a maple neck, this full size 17 inch baby with a 75mm body depth, produces a beautifully focussed, clean, round tone that you might expect from maple. The adjustable bridge, tailpiece and 22 fret fingerboard, which is decorated with mother of pearl inlay, is produced out of stock rosewood, while the nut is traditional bone.

The whole is topped off by a set of gold plated Grover machine heads set on a headstock that is very similar to the large crown of the D’Aquisto. The “house designed” humbucking pick up with its gold tone and volume controls is set into the body in the ‘mid-way’ position a la Gibson ES 175D and although well balanced, it is not an ideal match for the maple top, giving a very lively and bright sound. We would have preferred something more mellow, along the lines of a ‘Seth Lover’ or a ‘59. Unusually, the instrument comes in a satin/matt sunburst finish with a rather classy abalone/white binding that you will either love or hate! Strung as standard with a set of D’Addario 12’s, the Jazz City has a good overall balance and a feel that will please even the most discerning player. It comes in a plush, traditionally shaped hard case.

www.peerlessguitars.co.uk

Jody Jazz DV Saxophone Mouthpieces

We looked at both the alto and soprano versions of the 24Kt gold plated DV mouthpiece. Hand finished, this mouthpiece oozes quality and comes with a leather ligature, velveteen pouch and truly exquisite cylindrical wooden case with a leather tong tie and tab. Tested on Selmer instruments, both the alto and soprano versions produced a big, bright, hard , ‘American’ metal sound. Harmonics were good and popped out cleanly, and control in altissimo was excellent, allowing the player to pitch with complete confidence. Although we found the lower and upper registers played well, we weren’t quite so happy with the mid-range which we felt lacked definition and sounded stuffy.

We were also a little disappointed that there wasn’t more character and individuality to the sound, and that the much hyped concept of the “golden section” proportions, producing the perfect chamber/bore/facing combination, wasn’t exactly setting our world on fire. However, the DV does have remarkable power and projection and when blown softly, has a richness to the tone that is so often missing in metal mouthpieces. Not perhaps the ideal unit for acoustic ensembles, but we reckon that it would be the perfect foil for amplified instruments, where power and projection is paramount.

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