Model Review
Jupiter 1150 Review
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Editor Review
Jupiter 1150
Pros
- Good value
- Newer model
Cons
- Not widely played
- Considered a student horn
Summary
Jupiter French horn line might be called the red-headed stepchild of the horn world, lacking the popularity and reputation of competitors such as Holton and Conn. Jupiter's sole focus is the mid-low price range market and as a result their horns are not taken seriously and are virtually unheard of in the professional world.
But while other more popular brands have been resting on their reputations without much innovation, Jupiter has recently invested in a new model that's starting to gain some attention: the 1150. A Geyer-style wrap, the 1150 shares many of the design qualities of more expensive horns but at a significant price discount.
The horn has a compact, warm sound that is clear and consistent through the ranges, especially the upper register where the horn really rings. To hear the Jupiter 1150 screaming some high notes, check out this video.The Geyer design makes slurs on this horn especially nice. And at loud volumes, the horn does not lose clarity giving it good projection in a concert hall. More mature players may consider this horn to be limiting in tonal flexibility, however it is a solid recommendation for beginning and intermediate students who want a new horn at a more reasonable price. The detachable bell version is especially attractive compared to competitor prices.
Cost: The Jupiter 1150 currently sells for $3,300 new.
Also consider: The most direct competitor is Yamaha's model 567. Another horn in this price range worth considering is the Holton H379.
Player Reviews
2 published reviews
- 4.0
Untitled review
Was this review helpful? - 4.1
I am well pleased!
I didn't want to write a review right after purchasing this horn; I decided to wait about half of a year before making an informed review. I have the JHR1100 model which I believe is the same as the JHR1150 model (I was told by the music store). I bought this horn brand new, luckily for half the price! I performed in four concerts with this horn, and so far am really pleased with this horn! There are several positives that I want to mention. The levers/keys are really smooth! That's the first thing that I noticed. The thumb lever is comfortable and adjustable. It is true that Geyer horns (such as this one) have a "brighter" and more gentle tone than Kruspe horns. I played a Conn 8D before this horn. If I wanted to play a triple-forte with the Conn, it was easily achievable. It also had a much more "dark" and "sharp" (not pitch sharp, but like accent sharp) tone. With this Jupiter horn, it's quite the opposite; the tone is very gentle and smooth. You can't bust a triple-forte with this horn, it almost feels like there's a "restrictor" on the horn, even though the bore is not that small. Legatos are nice and easy to play in particular, and sound gorgeous. The high range is decent, and the low range is also. With my Kruspe, I was able to really stand out in the symphony. However, with this Jupiter horn, the sound blends in well. Solos sound nice on it. Accents and staccatos are a bit tricky with this horn, they were much easier to do on my old Kruspe. It took me about a month to get used to the differences between a Geyer and Kruspe horn, but the more I play this Jupiter horn, the more I love it. Is it worth the price tag? Hard to tell because I was lucky enough to buy it new for half of the price. The only negative things about this horn are the pinkie-rest (it really hurt my pinkie for the first month because it is slightly elevated compared to other horns) and the horrible mouthpiece it came with. I tried several mouthpieces; my best success is with the Holton-Farkas MDC. Stork c12 is okay. The standard Yamaha mouthpieces are okay - louder but harder to hit the right note. Overall, I am satisfied with this horn. I would love to give it a five-star rating, but that wouldn't be fair because it's not the absolute best horn that I've played. I once tried an $8000 V8D - now that was by far the best and easiest horn to play that I have ever tried (a true five-star). But, I will say that I like this Jupiter horn more than my old Conn 8D!
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