Van Laar

Linda · Posted: Fri May 10, 2024 12:53 am Post subject: Van Laar

Hi all, does anyone have a Van Laar trumpet? What can you tell me about them? thanks
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Linda
B6L Schilke
Marc Geujon Signature Series B flat, Schilke
The very last lacquered copper- Flip Oakes, Wild Thing Flugel

Dayton · Posted: Fri May 10, 2024 1:16 am Post subject:

I don't have a Van Laar trumpet, but I do have a Van Laar flugelhorn. They make very fine instruments. I've played several of their B, C and OIRAM series trumpets and was greatly impressed with their line up.

BRM2 · Posted: Fri May 10, 2024 1:54 am Post subject:

Van Laar started off just making flugelhorns. Their flugelhorns are outstanding!!. I think Chuck Findley or another trumpet player told him that he should try to make trumpets as well. I tried out several of his trumpets at an ITG conference back in 2014. Hub Van Laar was a super nice guy. Unfortunately, he is no longer with us (RIP).

All of his horns were great and I was super impressed with a gold plated C.Findley Signature model. I told him I would purchase the horn when I went to Germany that summer. His shop is in the Netherlands. I sold off 4 of my horns and drove up to the Netherlands that summer to buy the horn. I lucked up and purchased a used silver version of the horn for a little over half the price. It has been a great horn for all of these years.

I let a co-worker try it. He was playing on a Yamaha 8310( The Shew trumpet) in preparation for an audition with one of the DC military bands in the US. While he sounded good on his horn, when he tried mine, there was an extra thickness to the sound(more overtones). Almost buttery....

He sounded amazing. I hated that was moving or I would have let him use my horn for the audition. I hoped I sounded half as good as he did when he played my horn.

Definitely try one if you get the chance. The fit and finish of the horns are top notch. The valves are incredible. You will never be able to out play them. Great horns!!!
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BRM
Van Laar Chuck Findley(silver)
CarolBrass 5000L YST
GR 67M
Marcinkiewicz E13 C. FINDLEY
Lotus 2M (Bronze)

patdublc · Posted: Fri May 10, 2024 2:02 am Post subject:

I have an older van Laar trumpet that I bought from a Broadway player. Great horn with a big sound. Also the most in tune trumpet that I've ever played. I never seem to have to work to play this horn in tune.

It looks like you're in Australia so I have no idea who to contact there to try horns. Maybe you could just ask van Laar if there is a dealer in your country.
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Pat Shaner
Play Wedge Mouthpieces by Dr. Dave exclusively.
Experiment with LOTS of horn makes and models.

claf · Regular Member Joined: 01 Oct 2017 Posts: 49

I own a raw brass B7 trumpet.
It's the best trumpet I've played on in terms of mechanics: the valves are awesome, the slides are perfectly adjusted, everything is spot-on in terms of adjustement.
The tone is somewhat dark, this is why I have another trumpet when I need a brighter sound, but when it is the sound I'm looking for, I'm very happy to play it.
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Bb: Schagerl James Morrison, Van Laar B7
C: Bach Philadelphia

Gonzalez · Posted: Sat May 11, 2024 7:00 am Post subject:

I’ve had several Van Laars, B2, B4, B5 and Oiram I! Closed my search with the Oiram Light 1 trumpet, and the Oiram Ack flugel. The Ack was shipped from Van Laar 12.23.22, and he went out of time 12.24.22.

Anyhow, amazing horns! For sure in the top league!
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Van Laar OIRAM light I
Van Laar OIRAM Ack
Bájoc mouthpieces Lead and Pops

Linda · Posted: Sat May 11, 2024 6:38 pm Post subject:

Thankyou all.
No, we have no dealers in Australia. In fact it is hard to get anything other than Bach or Yamaha here in any selection. Ed Diefes now has schilke (in Sydney) as does a dealer in Brisbane. IN addition to the usual Bachs, Yamaha and he alkso has Schagerl.

The kick off to my question, was because I believe I am playing sharp in certain areas, and the comment from a (very) pro commercial player recently who later sat down with me (OMG I almost expired with excitement), was that "Yamaha play sharp"-but I play Schilke and he thought it was Yamaha! He then cited Van Laar, and some of the innovations in the curvature of the instruments and their ability to be consistently in tune. I confess, this has me seriously intrigued-even more so when the comments in this forum endorse this quality-that they are consistently, in tune.

I am thinking about the Oiram light. Any comments on that/this? Although its light it seems to have an all round sound. I like a heavier darker sound.
_________________
Linda
B6L Schilke
Marc Geujon Signature Series B flat, Schilke
The very last lacquered copper- Flip Oakes, Wild Thing Flugel

Gonzalez · Posted: Sun May 12, 2024 12:12 am Post subject:

The Oiram light is outstanding, and not light as other light horns. It is light for an Oiram. The light has become their flagship. There is three models, I with yellow brass and 37-ish bell, II with red brass and 72-ish bell, and III with a 43-ish bell. The II is pretty dark, but also sparkle when you want it to. The I is my favorite, but is on the brighter side, although very easy to play soft too. The leadpipe/receiver construction makes the response ridiculously good.

I’ve had mine for two years, and I still get that «wow»-feeling every time I play it. I’m pretty sure this is my holy grail.
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Van Laar OIRAM light I
Van Laar OIRAM Ack
Bájoc mouthpieces Lead and Pops

Winghorn · Posted: Sun May 12, 2024 1:43 pm Post subject:

Oh Oh…These comments have got me thinking…?

Manuel de los Campos · Posted: Sun May 12, 2024 11:38 pm Post subject:

A few years ago I went to Hub with my trumpetmate to pay a visit. Hub was a very nice and warm person, he showed us his factory, let us try all his makes and we had a beer with him.
The trumpets where outstanding, the beer was nice.
Very sad that he passed away recently but the instruments that still carry his name are definitly worth trying out
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Technology alone is a poor substitute for experience. (Richard Sachs)

Linda · Posted: Mon May 13, 2024 12:20 am Post subject:

Yes, I read that he prematurely passed and this is so sad because when someone is so innovative and passionate, it is like a light goes out. I understand that he shared his knowledge and skills and that the team there have carried on. Thanks for the inputthe Aquino also looks and sounds very intriguing.-
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Linda
B6L Schilke
Marc Geujon Signature Series B flat, Schilke
The very last lacquered copper- Flip Oakes, Wild Thing Flugel

Brassnose · Posted: Mon May 13, 2024 2:25 am Post subject:

Linda, w/ respect to playing sharp: there is no horn that is perfectly in tune. I have found that some mouthpieces will match certain horn much better than others (which is why I play a different piece on the pistons, the rotary, and the C). So some of your initial story may also have to do with that rather than the horn as such.
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2019 Martin Schmidt eXcellence
1992 Bach 43GH/43
1989 Kühnl & Hoyer Model 15 flugel
1980/2023 Custom Blessing Scholastic C 😎
1977 Conn 6B
1951 Buescher 400 Lightweight
AR Resonance, Klier, (Frate or Curry)