Mendini MEP-N Nickel Plated B Flat Euphonium with Stainless Steel Pistons

5.0 out of 5 stars

By SlugmanAD - Reviewed in the United States on January 21, 2018

One week in and so far so good. Will update this review if it all goes ...

One week in and so far so good. Will update this review if it all goes awry. For now, this appears to be a solid, well built instrument. Recognize what you are buying - it is the cheapest version of this instrument on Amazon. No, if you are in a world class orchestra, you shouldn't bring it on stage lest an old lady in the balcony with those tiny old binoculars sees it amongst the Steinways and Yamahas and gets the vapors. But for me, somebody who not only played it for 4 years as a kid, but also got a BA in music, it sounds more than fine enough, and trust me it's not because I'm just that good because I suck. No, the instrument simply sounds good. It feels good too. Yes, I had some keys go slow. So I put in some valve oil. Like you're supposed to. One got a little extra stubborn so I took it apart, oiled it up, then put it back in. Like I used to do as a kid with much pricier instruments. This was the very first instrument I learned to play, and 20 years later and countless other instruments under my belt, I still have a soft spot for this one. And the Mendini sounds good. If you're here, then price is an issue for you. Let me personally give you the go ahead to buy this, it is a fantastic value. I fell in love with music all over again because of this gem.

2.0 out of 5 stars

By R. Miller - Reviewed in the United States on February 20, 2018

Returned due to valve issues...

Former Euphonium-ist here looking to get back into playing after a 28 year hiatus. I picked up one of these Mendini horns in hopes of playing it in my community band. Here's what I found: 1st and 3rd Valves/Pistons were slow on release, and occasionally did not return to a fully open position. Sometimes I had to pull them back up, maybe 1/4". I removed all pistons and wiped them and their casings with a lint free cloth. I thoroughly oiled them, and put them back in. The sticky/slow piston issue remains, which makes it virtually impossible to play any fast moving passage, or to play legato from any note that uses a 'slow' valve to one that doesn't. I understand that new horns have a break in period, and that new valves may sometimes be slow, but it seems unacceptable to me that the valves would actually stick and not fully return to open position, even right after a thorough oiling. The case is pretty decent. Included extra items are just meh. The horn itself is beautiful, and although it feels lighter than a Yamaha YEP-321 (which I played for many years), this horn still feels solid. Tone quality was acceptable to my ear. Intonation seemed slightly off with first valve notes, and notes using 4th valve combinations. The mouthpiece seems a little small for my mouth. I suspect that my perceived intonation issues would improve with a better mouthpiece. The piston position is also a little odd - they feel too close to the top bend. And the fourth valve is level with 1-3, which makes pinky work a little harder. Would be nice if 4th valve was lowered by even 1/2 inch. Perhaps given enough time, and some ol' timer valve tricks/hacks, I could have gotten the valves to loosen. But I decided to return the horn to Amazon. I may consider trying one more Mendini horn - maybe I just got a lemon? If I get another, I'll update this review with that experience.

5.0 out of 5 stars

By Stephen McKinney - Reviewed in the United States on December 11, 2015

This thing is a steal! Awesome horn!

I bought this euphonium after reading every review I could find on it. I read reviews and debated buying it for months. My primary instrument is trombone, but I double on euphonium in a small group. I've been playing a small bore King from the 1960s and really wanted to try a large bore horn, knowing the difference in sound from a small bore to large bore trombone. I finally worked up the courage to try this horn, figuring the worst thing that can happen is my kids have a "small tuba" to play with. I could not be happier with this horn! To start with, the case is nicer than my ProTec soft case. I like the fabric covered hard case. I would be OK checking this case in my luggage on a flight. The horn itself seems to be very solid. The nickel plating is beautiful. The sound is awesome! I couldn't believe the richness of the sound from an instrument at this price point! There were one or two notes that were a little out of tune, but that is the nature of a non compensating valved instrument (coming from trombone, I compensate for individual notes with slide position). The couple of notes that were out of tune have been helped by switching to a different mouthpiece. What I didn't like as much... The mouthpiece just didn't "feel right" when playing the horn. I switched to one of the many I have for my trombone collection and instantly liked the horn. The white gloves that come with the horn are rather small for my hands. The valve guides are plastic, but this may not be an issue, as they simply keep the valve from rotating, the stress should be minimal on this part. I've not used the included tuner, so I cannot review it. I would recommend this horn to anybody who has an interest in a decent euphonium at a very good price. I had nothing to lose, so I took a chance. When my girls grow up, I may buy another one to play duets. I am no threat to Steven Mead's livelihood by any means, but I have been playing long enough to play a lot of instruments. I could never justify a $10k euphonium for my needs. This instrument was perfect, and I am very satisfied with the quality and the sound!

5.0 out of 5 stars

By Sarah Joelle Moloney - Reviewed in the United States on November 11, 2018

Affordable and has a beautiful tone!

We ordered the Mendini Euphonium for my daughter who plays in her high school concert band. She finds it easier to play than the school’s euphoniums. The horn has a beautiful, warm sound. The valves need to be oiled with a good quality valve oil before playing. Once the valves have been properly oiled, they are smooth and quiet when played. I was a little skeptical, but after reading previous commits, I felt confident to place my order. It arrived in a timely manner. The case it comes in is pretty sturdy and has straps so that it can be carried like a backpack. One more thing, don’t forget to purchase slide grease. This will make routine tuning and cleaning easier and lessens the chance of your slides getting stuck. My daughter is loving her new euphonium!