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 Post subject: Atkinson Double Horns
PostPosted: Mon May 04, 2009 8:39 am 
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Joined: Fri Dec 12, 2008 12:35 am
Posts: 172
Location: Cambridgeshire
What are Atkinson Double Horns like to play? They seem to be based on Kruspe and Conn 8Ds with prices ranging from $3,975.00 for the Erfurt Model to $6,950.00 for the Atkinson-Geyer Model.


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 Post subject: Re: Atkinson Double Horns
PostPosted: Mon May 04, 2009 9:35 am 
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Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2008 4:42 pm
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Location: Wellington NZ
The cheaper ones are made in the far east (not Japan unfortunately) and are very poor in quality of construction. Rattley valves and thick, dead bells. :roll:
Avoid :!:


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 Post subject: Re: Atkinson Double Horns
PostPosted: Mon May 04, 2009 9:48 pm 
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They said that Barry Tuckwell played a Holton but what horn was it in fact? A custom Holton (?) but what had he had done to the horn?

:?


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 Post subject: Re: Atkinson Double Horns
PostPosted: Tue May 05, 2009 12:10 am 
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Joined: Wed Apr 08, 2009 10:53 pm
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Tuckwell stuck his name on the Holton model 104

Quiz: Anyone tell the difference between the Holton horn models just by looking at this page: http://www.holton-horns.com/frenchhorns/category.php?category=Farkas/Holton%20Horns

Ethel Merker is the new Tuckwell/Farkas. Go grab one of her beautifully designed horns here: http://www.holton-horns.com/frenchhorns/category.php?category=Merker%20Horns

Oh, hang on, they all look the same. Holton - famous for zero design ideas for 100 years. Boring to look at, boring to play. They have no soul. They have been re-designed by the devil herself, Ethel. Paxmans have a gorgeous picture of her wearing her valve caps as earrings. Oh, FFS.


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 Post subject: Re: Atkinson Double Horns
PostPosted: Tue May 05, 2009 2:11 pm 
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Joined: Tue Dec 02, 2008 8:57 pm
Posts: 221
Location: USA, San Diego, California
Atkinson horns are not made in the Far East or Japan. They are made in Burbank California. They are actually very nice horns to play. Yes, many are Kruspe based and seem very similar to a Conn 8D in many ways. Mark knows the Conn and Kruspe horns like no one else. However, Mark loves his Geyer wrap horns and they are very nice.

Mark Atkinson actually plays each horn himself. He has a staff of about 7. None of them are horn players. He has a very firm rule about who he hires and he doesn't want horn players either A) messing around testing the horns instead of working and producing them, and B) possibly changing the horn to meet their own idea of a horn instead of Atkinsons'.

I have played every model Atkinson makes. Yes, the lesser priced horns are not as good as the higher priced horns but I find they are appropriately priced.
My favorite all around horn is the NR501. The NN508 I think makes a great horn for playing 2nd or 4th horn. It has a great low end to it.

The AG2000 (Geyer wrap).
I have played 4 of these and 3 of them I loved playing, the 4th I didn't like at all as it had too much resistance for me. After playing it I found out the resistance on that horn was specifically requested by the customer. The other 3 were really very nice to play. A very clean and easy high register and well speaking low end.
I was raised as a die-hard Conn 8D player, but I am seriously thinking about buying one of Marks AG2000 Geyer models.


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 Post subject: Re: Atkinson Double Horns
PostPosted: Tue May 05, 2009 5:13 pm 
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Location: Cambridgeshire
KevinF wrote:
The cheaper ones are made in the far east (not Japan unfortunately) and are very poor in quality of construction. Rattley valves and thick, dead bells. :roll:
Avoid :!:


KevinF sounded as if he knew what he was talking about until the reply was posted saying that these are good horns.

Which of these two opposite opinions is right?

:?


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 Post subject: Re: Atkinson Double Horns
PostPosted: Tue May 05, 2009 8:09 pm 
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I have never had my hands on an Atkinson horn, and have heard that the cheaper ones are made in China. I will seek an authoritative opinion and get back to you.

Tom


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 Post subject: Re: Atkinson Double Horns
PostPosted: Tue May 05, 2009 10:28 pm 
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Location: USA, San Diego, California
Well, I've been to his shop several times and seen him make horns.
He has a machine for making his own rotors and his own bearing caps. He has molds for each slide for each model horn. He's got about 8,000 square feet of shop space.
He doesn't have dozens of horns just laying around , they seem to get sold soon after they are made.

I am going up again at the end of May or begining of June - I'll ask him myself. Or better yet, maybe I'll call him this afternoon; although I'd rather ask that kind of a question in person.


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 Post subject: Re: Atkinson Double Horns
PostPosted: Wed May 06, 2009 6:33 am 
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Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2008 4:42 pm
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Location: Wellington NZ
Quote:
and have heard that the cheaper ones are made in China

Indeed so.
John, we are not refering to the Atkinson 'high-end' horns here, just the 'cheapo' ones. Maybe some (or all) of the parts are made in China, India, Korea, Pakistan etc. and then assembled at the Atkinson workshop?
It would certainly explain the very big discrepancy in prices between his bottom-of-the-range and high quality instruments.


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 Post subject: Re: Atkinson Double Horns
PostPosted: Wed May 06, 2009 2:04 pm 
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Given that this is a public forum it would be a mistake to make claims about the origins of Mark Atkinson's products - and pointless really since so many makers bring various parts from various places to form their final products. The comment above about the prices is probably the way to go - caveat emptor etc.

Tom


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