Posted by dp on June 09, 2002 at 19:00:33:
In Reply to: Built like a tank posted by Tim C on June 09, 2002 at 14:30:34:
workmanship?
Hirsbrunner very pretty, sound construction, handbuilt solid instruments witha LOT of time spent ragging them clean and prettifying them.
Meinl Weston's workmanship is consistent the way well-controlled factory processes s/b
B&S Perantucci line is not popular with my local repairperson - always requires more work than first visual will indicate (factory processes appear more cost-related than superior results-related) from what I have seen I'd agree with him.
Rudolf Meinl's crafted in a hand-finishing shop by master craftsmen
Alexander horns are absolutely first-rate, also from a small shop of master-crafters, plating and laquering are subbed-out.
Cerveny so many horns exist with this name on them, who knows what their factory will do from one year to the next.
Yamahas are run from a cookie-cutter factory where cost control and instrument consistency have equal weight in decision-making on "how to make a buck"
others you didn't mention:
Miraphone very consistent solid instruments
UMI (King/Conn) surprisingly inconsistent workmanship-wise, although this is likely the result of cost controls to put out a decent instrument for targeted price ranges