Wynton Marsalis official web site

Are the Lawler or the ZeuS Guarnerius trumpets any good? I only found out about them today and I want to buy a new trumpet.

Lawler trumpets are wonderful...as are Eclipse horns..I have never played a Zeus, but if you ever read the Trumpet herald website, the mere mention of Zeus is enough to inspire knock down drag out fights. Much of it has to do with the reputation of the owner of the company..but without getting into that..Zeus Guarnerius is suppose to be a replica of the Bach Mount Vernon Trumpet..It is manufacturered by Kanstul...so why not try one of Kanstul's horn's instead?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/19/2005 02:40PM by Rocky James.

Thanks Rocky James

Do you know anything about the price of the Lawler trumpets?
What is the price range?
Also, what are they known to be good for?

The best thing to do is to check the website of Eric Brewington..a trumpeter who owns a Lawler..you ca probably email him and he'll give you his opinion..I know that Lawlers are well made, and those who own them rave about them. There are many different models, including a "production model"..but all other Lawler horns are custom..and Roy will work with you to get the specs you want.

I have a few friends and students playing the Zeus horns and I have to say they are pretty good, I even heard Sean Jones play a new Olympus w/ LCJO and it was amazing (he sounds great on anything of course...) word is that the Kanstul factory is making as many Zeus horns as their own brand....I can't complain about them, the Guarnerius is a good horn as well....horns are just equipment...find something you can afford and fits you..good luck.

Thanks juanmustard.
I might try one this week because from what I understand, there's a shop across the river in Canada that has them.

Most likely I will buy the STOMVI Elite Bb though ($1145.00). I tried it and I find it to be very responsive and extremely good intonation in the upper register. THe lower register sounds amazing too! Overall I would say it has a LOT of finesse. You gotta be very careful about the way you play it because it picks up EVERY little thing you do.

I also tried a Kanstul Chicago CHI1001 (.464 bore) ($1345.00) and found that the upper register sounds very thin. It "cuts" your ears. It is allright but the Stomvi Elite sounds better in both the high and the low register and it's $200 cheaper.

I think the Stomvi will do for a few years until I make considerable progress and then I will move up to a very good horn.(maybe even a Monette). I am 22 and haven't played trumpet for 3 years (I have been playing baritone though so I didn't totally lose my embochure for trumpet). I told Wynton at the concert Sunday that I am a little discouraged that I am only starting to play trumpet seriously at 22 but he said that it was never too late to start.

I think wynton's right, it is never to late to start, as long as you get a good teacher and go about practicing right. I feel like just in the past month i've made some breakthroughs on how to practice.

Someone told me Joe Magnarelli started late too, around 22 i think

Do you really think teachers will make a significant difference in your playing improvement?


I want to get a teacher but sometimes I hear about people to which the teacher was more like a waste of time and money because they didn't stress the important stuff, the core. They would philosophize on stupid and less important aspects of being a really good trumpet player and the student will make very slow progress. Also, there's no way that by spending 3 to 4 hours a day on the trumpet you're not gonna be good even on your own.
I'm not totally against teachers but I think unless you get anything but a REALLY good one you're wasting your money and your time.


I live in Detroit and I was thinking of getting lesson with one of the trumpet players at the Detroit Symphony orchestra but I really don't think I have the money for that. I also don't have the time yet because I am still in college and I study Math, which takes a lot of my time. However AFTER college I plan on starting to play seriously.(2-4 hrs/day).


Sorry if I bored you with the long message but please let me know some more (detailed) advantages about studying with a teacher as opposed to studying by yourself(with a metronome, Arban's, and a horn).
Thanks

Scatanas,

If you are in Detroit, just head over to Wayne's music school and inquire w/somebody about trumpet lessons. There's gotta be a student who could give you the instruction you need. Besides that, get with Marcus Belgrave for jazz study ASAP!!!

thanks trumpetwool!


Is there any way that I can get in touch with you so that we can talk more about this because I am interested?

Thanks

Sabin Catanas

Gentlemen,

A great horn to check out is the V-raptor Reeves/Stomvi it is a great horn. www.bobreeves.com It has a strange name but it is a good horn.

My best advice, never buy a horn because of its name or who plays it. Buy it because it plays great for you and you can afford it. Try every horn you can and play the ones you like best back to back. Take an exercise with you to read. Playing by memory alone can give you a false read on the horn. Take a tuner!

I have just been notified of this forum, and thought that I would provide my $0.02 worth!

To begin with, I am a dealer of ZeuS instruments. I sell ZeuS instruments primarily because they are GREAT instruments, and secondly because I cannot fathom the idea of students/parents in my local market (greater Houston, TX area) having to pay $2000 for a Bach Strad in the retail stores!

Now, to clear up some confusion...

Though the ZeuS may be manufactured by Kanstul, it is about as much a "Kanstul" as Monette is a Getzen. Is the Wild Thing a Kanstul? Is the Callet Jazz a Kanstul? If you asked the designers of those two instruments, I bet that they would say not! They are instruments of a unique design that Kanstul was contracted to manufacture. Same here. The ZeuS trumpets are proprietary in design, made to the exact specifications as requested by Alex of Zachary Music. Also, these horns are not sold in retail stores, but through authorized dealers.

The poster is correct when he mentions that Sean Jones plays on an Olympus - the Olympus is a FANTASTIC trumpet!! However, I don't believe that a person of Sean's abilities would play on just a "good" trumpet. No, I believe that Sean would choose a trumpet that he felt would maximize his talents and abilities...and he chose ZeuS! There are several "good" trumpets in the market...I believe that people of Sean's abilities seek out GREAT trumpets...and ZeuS is one of the best! Quite frankly, at our prices, I don't know of another horn that competes with the Olympus!

If you have never tried a ZeuS trumpet, you really owe it to yourself to do so!

Finally, ZeuS trumpets are not the only ZeuS instrument that is getting the attention of world class players...there may be a member of the LCJO using one of our incredible trombones...

When you do all the research, and once you've tried one, you'll finally realize that ZeuS is poised to become a serious player in the musical instrument world!!

If any of you live in the greater Houston area and want to try a Zeus...let me know!

I must concur with that remark. I have a friend in Dayton who plays on a Zeus.
I tried it and thought it was a great horn. I've also tried a Lawler, I thought
that was a great horn too.

Who deals these horns in the Philadelphia or New York area, i'd like to try one

The Zeus trumpets may be good horns, but I made an attempt to purchase a horn and I found the guy that I contacted "Alex" to be extremely rude and impatient with me. He even posted a private email that I sent to him on his website without my consent, and I find that to be extemely unethical. I would much rather spend the extra money and experience good customer service than to deal with such unplesantries.

Hey jason

that is well out of order mate. why is it that quite a few music shop cats get like that? sometimes even just going to the shop to try something ends up feeling like an audition!

I heard a funny story onece. A friend of mine worked in a brass shop in london. he came home and said

"hey, this american guy came into the shop today and asked if we had any **** ? mouthpieces." snobbishly the guys in the shop gave him short thrift.

"anyway, we said no but we got ***** if you want to try. with this he took out this blue martin horn and practically blew the roof off the shop, imagine it, sparks flying, the lot!!"

I asked the guy if he knew who it was. Not knowing much about jazz, he said

"yeah, i think he was called..erm..Wallace Roney!"

Nice one Wallace!

Mr. Bach,

In the New York area, try:

Rashawn Ross bigdontrump@yahoo.com 718-302-1619


Don't know that we have a dealer in Philly!

Good luck!!

hey brassclass, do you play in a brass band too? what country r u in?

Hello Susan,

I primarily operate a music ministry and am a soloist. I'd love to form a small combo and play for wedding receptions, private parties, etc.!

I'm from the good ol' USA...greater Houston TX area!

Just checked Sean Jones's website (seanjonesjazz.com), and in the photos it doesn't really look like an olympus, its got bracing for one, and no weighted valve caps. It looks like a G without one of the bracings, did he switch to an olympus or what?

-Mr. Smarty Pants