are blessinf flugels nice. advice please. i`m looking to buy a four valve.

IMO Blessing are a good high quality Brass Band instrument. I am not sure about solo or Jazz. For Brass Bands they used to be the standard (back 20years ago).

I have never played one, but try an Olds NF13MRT before you part with your bucks. It is a 3 valve unit, and great for Jazz/solo, I play an Olds Clarke Terry, and cannot fault it. A four valve unit does cut down the number of manufacturers and models you can choose from. Go and play them before you buy. Out of interest what do you pay for a Blessing 4 valve unit? The Olds is around the USD$900.

the 4 valve is also around 900$. It`s a model 155. i think i can get it close to 800$ new or 500$ used. I take lessons from the store manager so he gives discounts to his students. I have played the Olds and i liked it ok but i didn`t like the way it felt. I guess i just wasn`t comftorable enough playing it. I also liked a yamaha that i tried but it was 1600 dollars with the discount so that`s out of the question. WHat model blessing would you suggest if i were to go with that? thx for your help

i just checked it`s 50 dollars more for the blessing than for the olds. Getzen also has a four valve flugel it`s a model 896 but i`ve heard bad things about it. Do you know anything about those?

The Getzen Eterna 896 is also a 4 valve horn, and pretty much respected. I have not heard too many bad things, and a lot of good things. I think I would go for the Getzen over Blessing for a Jazz horn, and a Blessing over Getzen for Brass Band or Ensemble.

Your price sounds really good for the Blessing. Maybe look at Bach Stad 183 before you buy. It may not be much more if you shop around, I think I have seen them at 1100 to 1500 bucks. The Yamaha YFH631G is supposed to be free blowing and a good horn, but I am not sure if that`s the one you tried. Not sure of the price, but you have the right contact to try them before you buy.

In the end the Blessing probably sounds excellent value, and if it has the sound you want then buy it. Good luck...let us know if you do a direct comparison between the Eterna and Blessing. You`ve got me thinking...

I would go for the Getzen Eterna instead of the Blessing....
The Eterna is used by a well respected pro that I have contact with and he has used it on many recordnings. The most inportant thing is that the flugel is in tune....many of the horns out does not.

I can really recommend the Vintage One by Conn though....takes a little time to save up to unfortunatley.

Although I`ve never fplayed a Getzen flugel I`ve heard good things about it from Pro`s that use it.