Helmut Voigt sackbuts
- heinzgries
- Posts: 250
- Joined: Apr 24, 2018
anybody here who had experience with Helmut Voigt sackbuts ? How they are comparable with Egger or Meinl?
https://helmut-voigt.com/barockposaunen/
https://helmut-voigt.com/barockposaunen/
- LeTromboniste
- Posts: 1634
- Joined: Apr 11, 2018
Short version: At the price they sell new, I would definitely not consider them, as they are miles behind Egger and Meinl, yet in the same price range. Depending on the price, I might consider a second-hand one for someone getting started who doesn't want to break the bank with an Egger, Meinl or Vajna.
Long version: You don't see them very often, so it's hard to make a strong opinion – but there's probably a reason we don't see them often! Based on the 2 or 3 tenors I've tried (some might have been Jurgen Voigt, but they're very similar), and from what I've heard from colleagues over the years, they are generally not particularly good – a bit hit-and-miss, some are decent, others less so. Rather hard to play. I know of one old alto (not sure if Helmut or Jurgen Voigt) that is really modern in construction and quite large bore, yet oddly very serviceable. The tenors I tried were made later, and more historical-looking, but from what I recall, had fairly thick and heavy bells, and I believe much more modern manufacturing techniques than you'd see at Egger, Meinl or the other usual makers. I remember noting that the "Anstoß" (the first bit of conical tubing after the back bow) was weird, and looked almost cylindrical, while there was already expansion in the back bow where there shouldn't be. The original they copy has extensive 18th century repairs in the bell section and is a half-step shorter, so I suspect they messed something up with the tapers when they had to adjust things to make it Bb length. Both the tenor and alto are based on a somewhat odd choice of originals, while the bass is very modified (they make it in F, the original is straight in G with extra loop to D). Overall the ones I tried felt like instruments built to look historical, and roughly the right size, but without the expertise in early instruments to actually make them really good. I don't know any professional sackbut player who uses them, except that odd old alto. You can get a new instrument from Brad Close in the US or Tony Esparis in Spain for cheaper than the Voigts, and Brad and Tony are actually trying to make real replicas of originals using historical techniques.
Long version: You don't see them very often, so it's hard to make a strong opinion – but there's probably a reason we don't see them often! Based on the 2 or 3 tenors I've tried (some might have been Jurgen Voigt, but they're very similar), and from what I've heard from colleagues over the years, they are generally not particularly good – a bit hit-and-miss, some are decent, others less so. Rather hard to play. I know of one old alto (not sure if Helmut or Jurgen Voigt) that is really modern in construction and quite large bore, yet oddly very serviceable. The tenors I tried were made later, and more historical-looking, but from what I recall, had fairly thick and heavy bells, and I believe much more modern manufacturing techniques than you'd see at Egger, Meinl or the other usual makers. I remember noting that the "Anstoß" (the first bit of conical tubing after the back bow) was weird, and looked almost cylindrical, while there was already expansion in the back bow where there shouldn't be. The original they copy has extensive 18th century repairs in the bell section and is a half-step shorter, so I suspect they messed something up with the tapers when they had to adjust things to make it Bb length. Both the tenor and alto are based on a somewhat odd choice of originals, while the bass is very modified (they make it in F, the original is straight in G with extra loop to D). Overall the ones I tried felt like instruments built to look historical, and roughly the right size, but without the expertise in early instruments to actually make them really good. I don't know any professional sackbut player who uses them, except that odd old alto. You can get a new instrument from Brad Close in the US or Tony Esparis in Spain for cheaper than the Voigts, and Brad and Tony are actually trying to make real replicas of originals using historical techniques.