Quote:

So, now it is for a school system. Shouldn't matter. Sounds like you really want somebody to tell you: "Why, YES! You're so right! The Bliss is the BEST!"

Sorry, you won't hear that from me. The Bliss is an okay intermediate instrument, and that is all it will ever be. A pretty looking student horn. I do have some friends that purchased a Bliss for a second "road" horn. They sound quite pedestrian to me. Sorry. [\quote]

"The Bliss is an ok intermediate instrument." We're in agreement here. I'm not saying that I need everything to be perfect all the time. What I'm saying is that non-musical factors can be important to the people with the purse strings when they approve or deny a line-item or a school bid, and I need to be sensitive to all of that in order to actually get the instrument in the kid's hands. I think the Bliss excels in these areas, and is not-half-bad as a player. Also, know that I am referring to the wood instrument, as the plastic isn't even offered anymore.

From everything I'm hearing in this thread, I've actually had a bit of a turnaround of opinion on the Ridenour A. I still wish it looked better, and I wish I'd have liked in the exhibit hall, but who knows maybe I was in a stuffy corner or I had a bad reed or something. I'm human and I'm willing to give it another shot.

My bigger gripe than with Ridenour is the fact that he has to have a cornered marked at all. The E12F and the Bliss should both be offered in A, The YCL-450 is so good that Yamaha should be able to make a killing offering a version in A, RIP Leblanc, etc. Crickets. OH and the Selmer Artys A is 2300 Euros which should come to south of 3k stateside, but they won't sell it in the US apparently.

At this point, my intention is to tout the durable nature of the Ridenour on my write-up and include the E11 as an alternative. We need so much else that I doubt I would be able to get a pro set approved, and this is a school that has grown fast; last year was the first time in years we had more than 15 kids at solo and ensemble; this year we'll have about 120. Next year we'll program our first full symphony. So any instrument these kids get, with the proper set-up, will be a positive musical experience for them and I'll be thankful for it.

Thanks to all for the spirited discussion, and happy Thanksgiving!