Originally Posted By: Matt Finley
Dcuny, some use a Mark Curry piece to approximate a flugelhorn response out of a trumpet. It's popular with those travelling who can take only one horn.

And there's always a flumpet.

What I really wanted was a C flugelhorn! laugh

I got a Bb trumpet off Craigslist last year for $70. It was in decent shape, and the poor guy was letting it go because his arthritis had bent up his finger something awful. I eventually got a Tromba plastic trumpet in C. Lots of fun, but I'm still nowhere near to being good enough to play in public.

I've seen some attempts at 3D printed trumpets, but the technology isn't really there. And a completely plastic trumpet isn't all that great - that's why I went with Tromba instead of Tiger - some parts still need to be made out of metal.

I've managed to acquire an inexpensive flugelhorn since then, as well as a used plastic Tromba flugelhorn. I think the Tromba trumpet works better than the flugelhorn, but it's nice to have an instrument and leave out and not worry about breaking.

The flumpet looked cool, but it's way out of my price range! The Phatboy looks even cooler, and just as out of reach! wink

My birthday is coming up, and I was considering getting a Wedge mouthpieces (made of Delrin) or even the Trent Austin I had cloned, when I found out that Nuvo had come up with a new instrument: the jSax, a plastic kid's soprano sax in C. I've already go their plastic flute and Clarineo (a C clarinet) - both of which are very cool.

Although their instruments are made out of plastic, I don't think you could 3D print them - getting a flexible plastic spring would be quite a trick. And that's ignoring any issues with the pads. (The jSax looks like it's got plastic o-ring seals).

I ended up getting a C Melody sax on Craigslist instead, and am getting ready to disassemble and re-pad it, because that's what happens when you buy an old sax. Wish me luck! crazy

I probably should have stuck with the jSax. It's a toy, but cute!

-- David Cuny
My virtual singer development blog

Vocal control, you say. Never heard of it. Is that some kind of ProTools thing?