Introduction:
Although the professional level cornet market in the UK and Europe is dominated by the big players of Besson and Yamaha, a number of high quality manufacturers are starting to make inroads - especially with players with ready cash in the pocket and a mind set to not follow the crowd.
Some are pretty well known themselves, such as long established bands like Willson or Vincent Bach, whilst others are making a name for themselves through aggressive high profile marketing and player endorsement.
There are now choices galore: Geneva, Sterling, Stomvi, Getzen and Smith-Watkins to name a few; each with their admirers - and each with their critics.
Quality though comes at a price - from around £1,600 to the eye watering end of £3,400, so trying to make a dent in an already crowded and highly competitive field is a difficult thing to do.
Now though comes another manufacturer hoping to create a specialised niche for themselves – London Fohqudill Instruments.
Background:
Fohqudill has already tested the waters with the successful launch of it flugel horn (which was reviewed by 4BR in April).
It remains a name that may not trip off the tongue with ease to start, but it is one that is increasingly been sought after in many professional players telephone directory.
Owned by the parent company of F.H. Lambert, which is renowned for its engineering expertise in decorative metal plating, brass instrument repair and renovation within the music trade, the success of its flugel horn has led to the development of their new large bore cornet.
The Fohqudill factory is connected to its main business premises in Watford, with a small team of highly experienced craftsmen, producing instruments to order.
4BR has had its hands on their new cornet for a while - and with a little help from a few friends has given it a thorough road test looking at our usual four main areas: Build Quality/Design; Intonation; Ease of blowing/Tone and Overall Performance/Value for money.
Our overall star rating will be given at the end:
: Sub standard quality and characteristics in all four areas
: Average standard quality and characteristics in all four areas
: A mix of average and good standard quality and characteristics in all four areas
: Very good standard quality and characteristics in all four areas
: Exceptional standard quality and characteristics in all four areas
Build Quality/Design:
As with the Fohqudill flugel, you can grasp the high class build quality of the cornet from the moment you take it out of the plastic wrapper: It’s hard not to be impressed by the way it’s been put together.
Options abound: Gold, Red or Yellow Brass bell; Raw Lacquer, Silver or Gold (polish or satin) finish; heavy bottom caps and two choices of leadpipe. The materials used have the stamp of engineered quality; nothing flimsy or cheap. The hand lapped valves are smooth, facile and remarkably quiet.
The mechanics - from the Saturn waterkeys to the clever ball joint connections on the triggers work and work well - time and time again, whilst at the beating heart is a valve block that has the look of an engine from an Audi sportscar.
As with the flugel, the nifty mini-bal adjustment mechanism on the triggers shunts the slides out like wheel beams on a steam engine. Everything else is fitted together with care and attention to detail: Cornet playing engineers will love it.
The standard of the finishes available for the instrument are also the best we have come across by a country mile. If you want retina- scorching ‘bling’ they can give it you - something more subtle, and you will be well catered for.
What they may have a query over though is the compact design: As an estate agent may say - its bijou and compact.
Size isn’t everything - and the cornet is remarkably well balanced in the hand, but if you have mitts that can hold three tennis balls in one go then the Fohqudill may not be for you: It’s much like a Willson, Stomvi or the Vincent Bach in that respect - slim around the waist.
It means it can be a little difficult to get used to at first, but it does reward a delicacy of touch and hold when playing.
We found that after a little while, it also stopped you from trying a wrestler’s stranglehold to keep in position on the chops - something which can be a problem with the bigger cornet designs.
Overall:
The care and attention to detail, and the quality of the engineering is as good as any rival - and considerably better than most.
The only question mark comes with the design - the compact size maybe putting off players who feel more at home with a cornet they can grasp with a vice-like grip in their hands.
Intonation:
High class cornets should come with high class intonation as standard - and the Fohqudill does.
As with the company’s flugel horn there is tempered neutrality about the instrument that rarely falters at either end of the notational or dynamic range: It is very secure.
The adjustable main tuning slide trigger can accommodate a great deal of play - to enable subtle changes from a soloist to honking great variances up against a wayward section of nervous colleagues on a contest stage.
The usual problem areas around third slide intonation are also well catered for - from low C# to top G#, so you don’t need to employ more false fingering techniques to get the perfect end result than Sepp Blater’s accountant.
An experienced player can make the most of these well-centred characteristics - giving scope to feel secure with intonation throughout the range.
Overall:
We expected high quality and we got it. It has to be said, that at this level there shouldn’t be any significant problems, but it always nice to play an instrument that feels comfortable and focused top to bottom and side to side.
Ease of Blowing/Tone:
Size isn’t everything - and the Fohqudill does punch well above its weight when it comes to ease of blowing and tonality.
Despite looking like a well honed middleweight, the experienced player can get it to thump out a fair bit of heavyweight volume if so inclined. At the other end of the scale, it retains its well centred tonality when played at a whisper.
That came as surprise to start with (although the .465 or .470 bore depending on which leadpipe you choose is the same as the Prestige and Neo and a smidgen bigger than a Geneva or Sovereign).
It’s a bit like tickling Barbara Windsor: You just don’t expect that sort of noise to come out of something so petite. It also has the flexibility of a Chinese gymnast.
That said, it does sound at its best when not trying (like Sid James looking on from afar in Carry on Camping) to find its bursting point under athletic manoeuvring - with a lovely burnished sound and a distinctive timbre all the better for not exploding out all over the place.
It’s ideal for the soloist rather than the shoveller - rewarding subtle changes rather than huge turbo charged exhaust playing.
Overall:
The Fohqudill is at its best when treated with respect, subtle care and attention. It’s an instrument best played in considered hands.
Try and make it into something it clearly isn’t and it just won’t work.
Overall Performance/Value for Money:
There were initial reticent opinions from our test drivers over its compact design, but even they were eventually won over by the build quality, ease of blowing and accurate intonation characteristics of the Fohqudill.
They were also impressed by the price tag too - a nip under two grand rising to around two and a half for the full gold plated bobby dazzler. Check the options out though - the finishes are simply superb.
Given that a Prestige comes in around the £2,600 mark, a Yamaha Neo around £2,000 and assorted ‘niche’ rivals anything from £2,300 to £3,300 plus, then you can see why it raised more than a few eyebrows.
All that and it comes with a 12 month guarantee, Protec hard case, Ultrpure oil and grease and a cleaning cloth.
Up against those other rivals from the likes of Vincent Bach, Geneva, Stomvi, Willson and Smith-Watkins it does give you plenty to think about and consider - especially if you are a player that wants something that gives a touch of individuality.
Whether or not it can change the minds of players who wish to keep with the high class quality and more generous proportions of the market leaders though is another matter.
Overall:
The Fohqudill cornet is a fine addition to the professional level cornet market place - and a bit different.
It may not to be everyone’s liking - and the compact size can either be a plus or minus, but its high class virtues in terms of build, intonation, ease of blowing and value for money make it an instrument to consider for the serious player.
Overall 4BR star rating:
: Very good standard of quality and characteristics in all four areas
Specifications:
Bore: .465 ML bore/.470 L bore
Slides: Brass inner, Nickel silver outer, 1st & 3rd triggers/MTS & 3rd triggers
Bell: Gold brass, Yellow brass or Red brass
Finish: Raw Lacquer, Silver, Gold (Polish or Satin)
Options: Heavy bottom caps, choice of two leadpipes
Accessories: Protec hard case, Ultrapure oil and Grease, Cleaning cloth and a 12 month guarantee
Prices:
Raw £1,945
Lacquer £1,995
Hard Silver £2,095
Gold £2,495
Direct from Fohqudill Instruments
Watford West Works
85a Hagden Lane
Watford
Hertfordshire
WD18 7UA
Tel: (0044) 01923 229 444
http://www.fohqudill.com
