Wow, have I got a super fun thing for you Brass Fans today!
You don’t see many of these, and this one even has its original case, warranty cards and mouthpiece, so it’s pretty special. This horn, though it does show signs of previous damage and repair, is in overall good playable condition.
Compression is good, silver plate is in good shape and is about 99% overall. These flugels are very interesting in that they have an odd wrap with main tuning next to the first valve slide, and they also have a smaller bell than most flugels. They take a cornet shank mouthpiece, and this one played best for me on a very deep BBB style short shank cornet mouthpiece. The bell flare will not fit on a flugel peg, so a stick-type peg is your best bet for this guy.
I couldn’t help taking comparison photos with my personal Martin Committee flugel, and as you can see, they are very much alike! The Committee has a slightly larger wrap and third valve slide ring, as well as an extra bell to body brace. While they do play very similarly, the Imperial is a slight step down from the Committee, but still very playable.
This Martin Imperial appears to date to the mid1960s, and is ready for your next gig. Grab it before it disappears!
Wishing you some flugel joy!
Amanda
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What’s on My Bench? High-End French Horns
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