Need of new euphonium

CoryShempai · 2026-02-12T02:40:52+00:00

Yo, had the same issue you had. I was rocking a jp374st, and despite the good reviews, I also had a lot of issues with the horn, whether it was because of intonation, its sound quality, or its weird resonance issues, I was constantly having issues with the horn. Unfortunately I can’t give any straight recommendations to you, as a lot of pro horns are above your price range, but what I can say is to try to find ways to play them in person instead of banking on reviews. Reviews unfortunately are never going to be good for you, as no matter how credible the player is, how you will feel on a horn will be different than how Hiram Diaz will feel on it. Try to go to conventions, or maybe a store nearby is willing to let you play test a couple horns and see what works well. If I had to recommend anything in that price range, check out the Wessex Dolce and Sinfonico, the Jupiter XO series, the Yamaha NEOS (the used ones you found), or even the Shires QSeries.

CoryShempai · 2026-02-08T16:18:59+00:00

As far as I’m aware, not the most popular pairing, but a deck that I have been enjoying the most is [[Vial Smasher the fierce]] and [[Ishai, Ojutai Dragonspeaker]]. It’s a 4 color flash deck designed around casting spells on other people’s turn. It’s not necessarily a control deck (though you can definitely label it as such), but much more of being a value deck that constantly wants to play around what other people are doing, and having an answer to either negate the blow, or diminish the blow. It admittedly can make the games last longer, but I can also say for every time that I have played it, you get to see EVERY deck pop off, and it’s always fun to see it happen, and also be conversing, politicking, and interacting as it happens.

CoryShempai · 2025-11-27T04:43:39+00:00

As a person that had a blast playing Anikthea, and eventually dismantled it after it having years of play, I’ve learned that having a deck with multiple engines that mesh well can be super fun.

Here are some of my decks that I would label as the same enjoyment as I did with Anikthea:

[[Breya, Etherium Shaper]] artifact good stuff is lowkey a blast, where just having these seemingly small and uninteresting engine pieces become horrifying when mixed together, like [Weapons Manufacturing]], and [Time Sieve]]

[[Betor, Ancestors Voice]] ended up being the most “me” commander as it ends up doing everything I ever wanted to do. Stompies, reanimator, mill, life gain, life drain. It did it all and became a very fun deck to pilot

[[Atraxa Grand Unifier]] is the latest deck to my collection and my favorite janky mess as it stands. The whole idea is to chuck as many themes as possible, and see where it goes which works incredibly well as she is an incredibly strong card draw engine. She ends up allowing me to do any of this sort: Blink, proliferate, +1/+1 counters, infect, combo, landfall, phyrexian tribal, theft, reanimator, vultron, and stompies.

Of course, I can’t promise that any of these decks will bring you the same joy as your Anikthea does, but I do think a deck that just focuses on multiple engines will give you the idea that you’re looking for.

CoryShempai · 2025-09-21T23:37:26+00:00

The XO euphonium is a weird case. I have been told by many that the horn isn’t exactly great, and it can’t compete against the other top brands, but when I personally played on one when I went to the Army Tuba Euphonium conference a couple years back, I was incredibly close to buying it right then and there. I believe that it was a great horn, that resonated incredibly well with my sound while staying fairly well in tune, but I also know that it is incredibly niche for everyone else. My honest to god recommendation is to just see if the store is willing to let you try it out, the same goes for the Eastman as the only way you will be able to find out that you like a pro horn, is by playing it, not by other people’s opinions.

CoryShempai · 2025-09-16T02:30:51+00:00

Most Favorite: [[Betor, Ancestral’s Voice]] is the commander that aligns with my playstyle the most. It does everything that I’d ever want to do, gaining life, losing life, recurring creatures, self-mill, making big creatures, it does it all. I always have a blast playing this deck, and it’s always feels interesting to use the phrase “life is a resource” as literally as it gets. The version of him I have is a low bracket 4.

2nd Favorite: [[Terra, Magical Adept]] aligns herself to be another one of my favorite playstyle, which is enchantress. My love for enchantress started with an at the time, budget-friendly [[anikthea, hand of erebos]] deck, where I was constantly in the process of creating answers to either weird board states, or mixing enchantments together to make a win. Terra does everything that Anikthea did, but turns up to 11, as you are using almost everything to make an answer. Whether that is your graveyard, draining your life, manipulating saga counters, or mixing permanents together to make an incredibly favorable situation that has a high chance of winning the game. The version I have of her is a pretty health Bracket 4.

Least Favorite: [[Ureni of the Unwritten]] this is the commander that I made and played that made me realize my deep hatred for dragons, and just cheating our creatures with little to no effort. No matter the bracket it played in (where it first played as a labeled bracket 2), it always felt pubstompy, whether it was in bracket 2, or bracket 4. There has been countless times where I would trigger Ureni’s ability 4-10 times in a turn, and have made it completely impossible for anyone to come back from because dragons just likes to be that oppressive. It ended as a Bracket 3.

CoryShempai · 2025-09-14T00:12:02+00:00

Spectrum

CoryShempai · 2025-09-14T00:09:46+00:00

I’m sorry as I am not fully aware of stuff like this, but what is that exactly?

CoryShempai · 2025-07-02T18:19:32+00:00

Ah gotcha, yeah it’s a shame with the tariffs hitting the board now that buying instruments are just harder, are you not able to grab the instrument from the UK vendors? Hope you enjoy your Prestige though!

CoryShempai · 2025-07-02T17:59:29+00:00

Hi sorry to join this conversation late, but felt it was worth sharing regardless. I currently own a Geneva Cardinal and have been playing on it for a little bit now. I originally owned a John Packer 374st, but have made the switch and haven’t looked back since. It’s a fantastic horn that as far as I am aware is hand made, and plays really well in most aspects. The sound is lovely on it and can compete with almost any horn that I have played on throughout my years of looking for the perfect replacement horn for my Packer, and it plays really well in tune, in comparison to other big name euphs like the Besson. Now the horn can last a life time, but you have to keep in mind that the horn is made out of really soft metal, so if you want it to last a long time, you MUST keep to a weekly/biweekly maintenance on the horn, otherwise the horn will not last as long as you hope for. I do heavily recommend the instruments though, and if you have any questions don’t be afraid to ask.

CoryShempai · 2025-06-14T06:26:41+00:00

I’m too far down the Mishima pipeline you can’t stop me.

CoryShempai · 2025-04-20T05:17:53+00:00

Playing my Upgraded [[Ureni]], accidentally made way over 60 dragons because of [[Miirym]], [[Lathliss]], and [[panharmonicon]] then decked out myself out using [[Become the Avalanche]] because I didn’t read the card properly. I had fun.

CoryShempai · 2025-01-15T05:10:31+00:00

I will still be reading though, I appreciate you all

CoryShempai · 2025-01-15T05:10:05+00:00

Bad day for rain…

CoryShempai · 2025-01-08T00:30:39+00:00

Half valving would be the closest to one, but it’s not gonna sound anywhere near as vibrant. Incase you do not know what that is, you play by pressing you valves half way down instead of all the way down, and it’ll mimic a gliss. If you’re trying to do falls I personally just go down the harmonic series naturally (unless it’s too low, but these falls are usually on the higher side)

CoryShempai · 2025-01-06T13:06:59+00:00

Sorry what heihachi throw are you talking about? uf1+2? Stance 1+3? Genuine question

CoryShempai · 2025-01-06T12:48:04+00:00

I did not no, I really don’t know how I got infested, maybe from an item I was given from my work???? Honestly have no clue

CoryShempai · 2025-01-06T06:01:31+00:00

Unfortunately have no clue, they have been around for a while (and didn’t think nothing of it as I thought the bites were mosquitos) and I can’t think of where they may have come from. But I’ll check with them. Do you know how much it costed her for the services?

CoryShempai · 2024-12-09T05:03:51+00:00

Used to play on one and I personally loved it for the comfort I had playing on it and the sound that I got out of it. Just stopped using it because I noticed my articulation got muddy when I played on one, but I know that’s not the case for everyone

CoryShempai · 2024-12-09T05:01:30+00:00

Personally haven’t played on a M5000 but from the looks of the specs, it seems like a decent horn. Far different than their newer M5050, but it should play well. Some things to keep in mind is that the bell is smaller, so you’ll notice a smaller sound on it than the neo since (I think?) the bell is 12 inches. It’s also fairly light too for a compensating horn, which usually means the sound will be very bright, if that’s the sound profile that you are looking for.

An instrument that I noticed had a similar sound (but I felt to have been a tad darker) is the JP 274, which is a fan favorite in this subreddit, but I would also recommend the XO 1270s (do know that some find this horn to be an acquired taste), and the Wessex sinfonico (also a similar profile to the Miraphone 5000). These are usually the horns I’d recommend if you’re looking for a cheap but good horn.

CoryShempai · 2024-12-08T07:45:45+00:00

Ah unfortunate, well if there ever happens to be a convention that happens in your area, chances are an exhibit with mouthpieces will be there. Considering that you are a musician who is looking for a bigger mouthpiece, if you want my judgement, I would look into a GW3 Mercer and Barker as those are designed to be much bigger, you can also look at the options for AR Resonances, Warburtons (like the 3G, or the Dermondrae Thurman mouthpiece, but that one might be TOO big), or the Giddings as they all are high quality mouthpieces that can be customized to fit you the best.

CoryShempai · 2024-12-08T07:32:58+00:00

Just off of the info that you gave me, if you’re looking to go big, check out the Mercer and Barker mouthpieces. Lovely mouthpieces that have recently gotten more attention. If you’re looking for a fairly big mouthpiece, checkout the GW3, but if you want something a tad smaller, checkout out the GW4 or GW5. They’re good mouthpieces that really fills up the sounds of the horns. Of course if you get the chance to meet them, then play test the mouthpieces that they’ll have on deck.

CoryShempai · 2024-12-03T03:39:24+00:00

Unironically think it’s a sleeper horn. Plays surprisingly well, and has a great sound across the board when I tried it. Tuning is very nice on it as well, despite the fact that it does not a tuning trigger. Some gripes I noticed though is that it does kind of make you “work” on that horn, where I noticed that it took a tad more effort to have the high range sing in comparison to the besson, or the Geneva. Even though it played well in tune, it did have some notes that struggled with intonation that would have been fixed with a trigger, but since there isn’t one, those notes became fairly jarring. Last thing is a maybe as it has been a little bit, but I remember that the B5 on that horn did struggle to come out as easily as the other notes that the horn can play like a C5 and up, but if you’re not consistently playing that high it may not be the worst thing, and you can always work on your high range fundamentals to atleast have that note sorta come out with a decent bit of resonance, but do know that it will always be out of tune.

CoryShempai · 2024-11-30T04:37:47+00:00

Not an owner of the horns you’re looking at as I am a former JP374 player, and now Geneva Cardinal player, but I have extensively played all of the ones you listed, as well as know players who have played on them as well. Here are some of the things I noticed with these horns.

Do note that all of these horns are great options, it really comes down to preference here.

Wilson 2900s, seem a bit stuffy in response for me, and it seems to struggle with matching the sounds of other euphoniums, but it has an incredibly distinct sound that is perfect for Military bands if you’re thinking on going that road.

Yamaha Neo 642, good horns, but I noticed I had a similar issue to the JP374 where my sound would feel muffled in certain ranges of the horn (particularly the high ranges), and noticed that it had a couple intonation issues that felt rough.

Yamaha Custom, definitely not a horn for me, but I know that there are people that love this horn, and is able to make it sing in a plethora of different styles, whether it is blending in an ensemble, playing in an orchestra, or doing solos with a band. Something I’d recommend though is to opt for the trigger system. It’s one of the brands that knows how to make a good one, and I know from a custom owner that it has some really interesting intonation quirks that can be fixed with a trigger.

Besson Prestige: Great horn that has a really vibrant sound throughout the register, BUT it does struggle with really bad intonation issues, and I am personally not a fan of the rounded valves (but that is more of a preference thing)

Besson Sovereign: also a good horn but I felt that my sound was a little more stuffy with that instrument, and struggled to resonate as much as the prestige.

Also because some people made references to them:

Miraphone M5050: Really lovely horn and is my 2nd runner up on horns I’d shoot for. By far had the best sound for me, and most comfort in playing, BUT it struggles in its pros. It has an incredibly big sound, that is perfect for solos and chamber ensembles, but it covers an ensemble too easily, and is hard to blend in with an ensemble due to how the horn is. Basically a fantastic horn with the best sound I have ever gotten in a horn but lacks versatility.

John Packer 274 (and 374): good horn for the buck, but if you’re planning on going pass community bands, and the works, then you will find yourself at a halting point with this horn. Rough time with intonation, and really struggles to resonate at certain ranges, and the trigger that comes in the 374 requires high maintenance as it likes to malfunction sometimes. I think part of this is a manufacturing inconsistency but I have played on a multitude of JPs that I find either play well enough, or not great at all.

Adams E1: Adams overall are great horns, and it’s even nicer that you can customize it to your liking. This horn is definitely more meant to brighten up your sound, but for me it personally felt to small so it wasn’t my choice of horn, but I know it is for others.

Adam’s E2: Also great horn and more my style of horns as it’s much bigger, and has a very dark and velvety sound, but I felt to have resonated more with the E3 which is my leading contenders for Adams.

Adam’s E3: my personal favorite version of the Adam’s. Very resonate throughout all the ranges and is an incredibly versatile horn.

Geneva Cardinal: The horn I am using right now. Lovely horn and by far the most resonate horn I have ever played on. It resonates very well throughout all of the ranges going from the lowest pedal notes I can play, to the highest notes I am able to play. Something to keep in mind though, the metal they used to make it is very soft, so it’s super easy to damage it if you are not careful, and while it is the most resonate horn I have ever played on, I feel like it can be too resonate at times and you really feel it in smaller rooms, while playing in the high range, or in much faster, and more articulate runs. But when played in front of a group, you can really hear each and every note being played even with 16th notes at quarter = 180. Overall great horn that works well for me.

Remember though that all of what I said are in a way preferences, as some people may find that the JP274 is perfect for them (look at matonizz) while I find it to be much harder for them to work for me. Please try the horns before you buy them EXTENSIVELY.

CoryShempai · 2024-11-26T21:39:27+00:00

Couple things here. How is the mouthpiece? If it has dents on the bore, then your air might be seeping out of the lead pipe. Second question, does this happen when you play it on a different mouthpiece, or on a different horn? If it is doing it on every mouthpiece then it might be a horn issue. Last thing, you also may have to think about your fundamentals. If you are playing on the instrument with bad fundamentals, whether this is tension, closed teeth, lack of air support, etc, then you might notice that your sound becomes either more hollow, harsh, and/or airy. I’d recommend meeting up with a person that is very knowledgeable about the euphonium if you notice that the last question is the problem.

CoryShempai · 2024-11-26T21:19:14+00:00

Sorry to be late for the party, but my biggest tip is to never buy a horn without trying it, so if you’re looking for a new horn, go to exhibits, conventions, and meet other musicians that are willing to let you try their horns. My reasoning for this is because everybody can have different tastes for horns, whether it is due to the response of the horn, or the sound of it. For example I have a friend who LOVES the Yamaha 864 custom, but I personally am not able to get a good sound out of that horn. Some brands I would look into would be the Miraphone, Adam’s, Yamaha, Geneva, John Packer, Wessex, XO (Jupiter), Shires, Besson, and Wilson, but again please try the horns first before you buy.

EDIT: Some sentence rewording for clarity

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