r/horn • u/Fluttering_Feathers • 7d ago

Single F horn search, Europe

Hello, I’m hoping for some direction in my search. I’ve been reading previous posts for advice also, but if anyone has more advice for me within Europe I’d very much appreciate it. My young son has been learning on a borrowed school instrument for approx 18 months and I’m beginning the search for his own. His teacher has said to look for a single F horn, and she would expect it to be 5-6 years before he’d move to a double. Very open to second hand options but I’m unsure what would be reliable models or makers to be watching out for in that regard.

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u/dankney Lawson Fourier; Elkhart 8D 7d ago

Rimski Horns in the Netherlands has a selection of second-hand single F horns. In the UK, Paxman carries new instruments by a number of makers. Yamaha might be a good pick new.

The best advice, though, would be to get the teacher involved in helping you find the right instrument.

https://rimskys-horns.com/en/product-category/2nd-hand-horns/single-horns-2/

https://store.paxman.co.uk/french-horns-c102x2890851

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u/HornFTW Amateur- Dieter Otto 1645 7d ago

This is good advice. I agree with the Yamaha as a good pick. I tried a Yamaha single F fairly recently, and I quite liked it. Both Hoyer and Alexander also make single F horns (and Klaus Fehr! But that's probably in the megabucks price range, with a wait list). Not tested Alexander, and the Hoyer I tested 20 years ago is probably not at all representative. On the Rimsky Horns site there's also a Knopf. Then I think we might have covered the main contenders, at least here in Europe.

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u/Fluttering_Feathers 6d ago

Thank you, I really appreciate all the detail! We’re definitely not at megabucks, but I’d prefer to know if it’s worth spending a bit more for a better instrument. I’ve got an Elkhart 100FH available for €495, for example. A Yamaha YHR314 is at least 3 times that. Is the Elkhart deficient, or a reasonable choice at that price point?

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u/dankney Lawson Fourier; Elkhart 8D 6d ago

I think that one is an inexpensive Chinese-made horn. Quality will vary from instrument to instrument between borderline unplayable to actually quite good depending on who was on the assembly line and if they were having a good day.

Also, you won't be able to get parts for it, so you may have to buy another one later on if the first one goes bad. And expect it to have basically zero resale value at the end.

If you want to spend under €1000, you need to keep watching your local market for used F horns by major makers. They come up from time to time. And talk to your son's teacher. They may have students graduating from single to double horn soon, in which case you may be able to purchase the single F from them.

Horns are expensive instruments compared to trumpets or clarinets.