JP 274 Euphonium!!!!

[Pauvog1]

Hi everyone,

I ordered a John Packer 274 compensating Euphonium from Joe Sellmansberger @ Mid-South Music and it is VERY impressive!

It sounds great. Very pleasant tone, and very easy to steer. Pitch is very good. A couple light drops of oil and the valves felt great out of the box. Slides move well. The case is a high quality hard case. I thought the mouthpiece would be a 6.5AL clone, bit it looks and feels very Wick 4AL -esque (huge plus for me) and works well with the horn.

The overall price is great, better than any other dealers advertised prices I found. If you are in the market, call or email Joe and Debbie, they are awesome!

[bloke]

Yes… They are equipped with “real“ euphonium mouthpieces.

They’ve promised me that the amazing model JP333 Rath-licensed bass trombone is soon to be equipped with a “real“ bass trombone mouthpiece. (When I sell this amazing model of bass trombone, I’ve been swapping out the mouthpieces, and now have quite a collection of - well… – spare euphonium mouthpieces, which I have pulled from JP333 bass trombone cases…)

… but I digress, and thank you so much for the complementary words.

[LeMark]

I'm on the record about 100 different times praising the 274.

It's the most in tune compensating euph I've ever played.

last year, at TMEA, I played my packer and an adams back to back for 30 minutes, with the full blessing from my wife that if I wanted to upgrade, I should do it. If was a straight up trade, I might have, but of course I would have had to fork out another $6000 to make the swap. Not even close to worth it

I have tried a dozen or so mouthpieces with mine, and the one I keep going back to? The one that it was shipped with. I don't know what it is modeled after, I think it's close to a 51D. I've had this one for a few years, I'm not sure what it's being shipped with now. Mine looks a little like a bach megatone with no writing on it at all.

[bloke]

With the supply chain thing, a ton are arriving at the warehouse (between hand-wringing waits) and most of them end up being pre-sold, and a reasonable share are to my customers.

[djwpe]

Yes… They are equipped with “real“ euphonium mouthpieces.

They’ve promised me that the amazing model JP333 Rath-licensed bass trombone is soon to be equipped with a “real“ bass trombone mouthpiece. (When I sell this amazing model of bass trombone, I’ve been swapping out the mouthpieces, and now have quite a collection of - well… – spare euphonium mouthpieces, which I have pulled from JP333 bass trombone cases…)

… but I digress, and thank you so much for the complementary words.

Yes. The mouthpiece that came with the JPR333 I had was quite a bit smaller than my normal Euph mouthpiece, much less a bass trombone mouthpiece. But no big deal, as it’s a great horn (not just for the price).

Don

[bloke]

That’s being addressed, I’m told.
I don’t know if I said this in a previous post, because I can’t remember, and because it’s hard to scroll back on my phone without the app, but JP mailed me a box of those Wick copy bass trombone mouthpieces that they sell, and I swap those into the cases, when 333’s arrive here, but I can’t do that when I drop-ship 333’s to customers that live far away.

[Doc]

I love the 274. There isn't a snowball's chance in Hades that I would buy something more expensive when it plays so well. I just wish I had a chance to play it more.

[iMav]

Great deals on JP274 horns to be had currently via a Madison-based (WI) reseller on eBay:

Currently accepting $1250 offers on the lacquer finish (free shipping):
https://www.ebay.com/itm/175424707616

Currently accepting $1525 offers on the silver-plate finish (free shipping):
https://www.ebay.com/itm/175456218390

(I picked up one in lacquer finish for $1250...arrived today. Great horn!)

[ronr]

Glad to hear that Packers are being delivered. Patiently waiting…

[iMav]

Glad to hear that Packers are being delivered. Patiently waiting…

Capital Music Gear in Madison, WI (the eBay seller referenced above) seems to have about half a dozen JP274 horns (in both lacquer and silver-plate).

[iMav]

Capital Music Gear in Madison, WI (the eBay seller referenced above) seems to have about half a dozen JP274 horns (in both lacquer and silver-plate).

Actually, looks like they just drop ship them. They haven’t seemed to run out yet! (I picked up a JP274 for $1250 and a JP374 (w/ trigger) for $2635.

I DO like the 374…but definitely not worth twice what the 274 cost!

[Tubaryan12]

I bought a JP 274 a few years ago from Joe. Worth every penny. The thing almost steers itself.

[Pauvog1]

I bought a JP 274 a few years ago from Joe. Worth every penny. The thing almost steers itself.

Agreed, I couldn't ask for a better horn for my situation (tubist who doubles). It is wayyyy better than my old King 2280 (tone, pitch, etc). If I was doing normal euph work, the supplied MP was great, but I order a Doug Elliot to supplement for a mini bass style mouthpiece.

[arpthark]

What is the 274 based on?

[LeMark]

One of the Bessons, but in my experience, the intonation is better than any Besson I've ever played

[ParLawGod]

Am I correct in assuming this takes a large shank?

[LeMark]

Yep

[ParLawGod]

Bummer. If there was a euro shank available I'd definitely try it.

I've owned (probably) a dozen compensating Bessons and Yamahas over the last couple decades. Every Besson has had a terrific sound (but terrible pitch), and every Yamaha I've owned has had great pitch (but the sound is so dull). I tried out the Willson 2900 last year and will never look back. So much more efficient, which makes it a lot of fun to play. I don't feel like I'm fighting the horn to get what I want out of it.

[bloke]

I have a few old Besson intermediate shanks in a drawer, and just gave one to someone. (They paid me to shine it up, silver plate it and mail it to them.)

I don't have an unlimited quantity of these, and I'm not looking to give them away willy-nilly.
Further, you can order an intermediate receiver from Kurath through Getzen and install it on most any euphonium.

Also, it's really easy to purchase a Yamaha 201/321 standard small shank receiver (as these are set up to accept a generous bore mouthpipe), chuck it in a lathe, and ream it out to intermediate with a Jarno #4 reamer.

Bummer. If there was a euro shank available I'd definitely try it.

I've owned (probably) a dozen compensating Bessons and Yamahas over the last couple decades. Every Besson has had a terrific sound (but terrible pitch), and every Yamaha I've owned has had great pitch (but the sound is so dull). I tried out the Willson 2900 last year and will never look back. So much more efficient, which makes it a lot of fun to play. I don't feel like I'm fighting the horn to get what I want out of it.