"Musical instruments in 25mm" Topic

This is a followup on my earlier "Burgoyne, we're getting the band back togethe!" thread.

Basically, I would like some band instruments in 25/28mm scale, so I can recreate that great feat in military history, Baum's sneak attack on Bennington. He is supposed to have had a German band to accompany him on his lightning raid, so I need some figures.

I already have Hessian/Brunswick fifers and drummers, but I need particularly brass instruments. I don't care even if they had not been invented yet by 1777, as this is to be a "silly" game. I draw the line at a Fender, because I don;t think that the extension cord for the amp would have extended from Crown Point to Bennington. Or even Skenesboro. For one thing, the Indians would have cut it.

So, I am looking for bugles, trumpets, Jingling Johnnies, whatnot. I can convert fifers, ensigns, and sergeants with spontoons.

John ,

Didn't you find a grand piano a while back ?

Or would that be pushing it ? :0)

The Indians killed the oxen which were hauling it, for their bells. It never made it past Ticonderoga. Actually, it was part of Mrs. von Riedesel's personal luggage, so technically not part of "the band".

Pushing it? Did you ever try to push a grand piano? I did. I worked for a moving company in my youth.

John-

Tradition (the one in Minnesota, NOT London) has a British army band circa 1890 (they are sold as individual figures). They don't have a web presence, so you have to order them via phone, but the figures and service are excellent.

I don't remember the manufacturer, but there IS a French Napoleonic band available in 25mm. IIRC, it's sold as a set, but it would probably have a better selection of instruments for your period. If I can find it, I'll pass on the info.

-Tommy

The problem with an existing band set is that the instruments are cast on the figure. I don;t want to hack apart a perfectly good figure to acheive an imperfect conversion. What I am really looking for is a source of just plain instruments.

Look for jewelry. Someone may make musical instruments as cheap charms or earrings that might be suitable for 25/28mm. I've bought cheap jewelry for other items like lions in profile to use on building facades.

There are two French Napoleonic bands: both by Minifig. One is the guard drum corps: 16 drummers in bearskin, and the other is the guard music corps: 24 musicians in bicorne.

Tommy: you have some information about the Minnesota Tradition ? I still need music for my Eureka Victorian dance couples.

Regards,

Luc.

Charms! Of course. I'll check out Michael's and AC Moore's this afternoon.

I have used charms for GASLIGHT sprockets and doodads, not to mention the Phinnertite Environmental Phlogiston Extraction Apparatus, and have used a "sun in splendor" charm as a standard for Sea Peoples. I also found my grand piano while trolling the odds and ends aisle.

Two of my friends in the club were laughing about the weird looks they got while shopping together one time in the doll house aisle.

John, are you going to have baroness v. Riedesel solo with her oboe, oops, not that kind of scenario, understood. Seriously, I think you should look to your milliput my good man. I bet I could knock out a jingling johnny and a couple of trumpets or coronets for you if you're not up to it, you could glue them to open handed figs.

Prentice pewter might have a couple in their range of bits and bobs. I don't have a current catalog for them though.

Luc-

The Tradition band figs are 30mm, marching, and in 1890 home service uniforms. From memory, they have the following:

BAND
Bandmaster
Trombone
Large Cornet
Small Cornet
Large Euphonium
Small Euphonium
Tuba
Circular Bass (similar to a Sousaphone)
Bass Drum
Side Drum (shallow snare drum)
Cymbals
French Horn
Large Saxophone
Small Saxophone
Clarinet
Oboe

CORPS OF DRUMS
Drum Major
Bass Drum (with Lionskin)
Tenor Drum
Side Drum (full-size)
Bugle
Fife

The contact info is in the Manufacturers Directory under "Tradition of London", but be sure to call the number in Minnesota (the London shop doesn't sell the 30mm figs).

-Tommy

I was going to suggest finding one of the old RAFM packs of 25mm bardic instruments (for gluing onto fantasy figures). I think Ral Partha made a set as well. A game shop that's been around for a while might have some in the cheap mini pile. However, I can't imagine fusiliers with lutes and lyres.

However, go to a doll house shop. Given the wide ranges of doll scales, you should even be able to find a pewter tuba in the right size.

If all else fails, I few judicious snips of the clippers on some brass rod will produce flutes, fifes and piccolos. Especially when painted appropriately.

Wyatt

John
Amazon MIniatures sells musical instruments
small drum, large drum, small horn, large horn, guitar, lute
I used thgem to convert numerous figures both ancients and ecw.
Peter

Nobody seems to do crumhorns in 25mm.

This obviuosly isn't what you're looking for but if you want a set of drums that you can display inside a soda can, check this out. Some of the coolest stuff I've ever seen in miniature.

goranmartini.com

Foundry make a Kleist Frei Korps band in their SYW range

Nick

Tommy: thank you for your help ! I'll check them out.

Regards,

Luc.

I was going to mention the Prussian band that Foundry make, but nj552uk beat me to it. A bit outlandishly costumed, but a genuine 18th century band, nevertheless.

Here's a pic:

first, if it has fifes and drums it is not a band. the band are apaid proffesionals but not part of the army. they are paid for from the officers mess. also, remember how those fiugres would be painted.

a piccolo is a mini flute.

Just found this thread with a search on musical instruments.

Ordered from Amazon doe my WAB El Cid Andalusians – interesting to see if they are really suitable!

Eureka has an oboist and a bassoonist in their SYW Saxon range, both in marching pose. You may even be able to paint-convert the unifom rather than taking the figure apart.

Thanks Musketier.
Added to my Historicon shopping list.

Giles has two Eureka musicians painted as Brunswickers with Lt. Col. Breymann on his site, excellent figures.
If Perry ever does mucicians i'll purchase 8 oboists for Col. Rall's regiment band.

The Amazon instruments will do the job for me

Didn't Reaper make a set of Musical Instruments?

Ah yes.. here we are: link

(Personally, I'd put the Fender in anyway, possibly with Amp Carriage)

Dixon makes a few ACW bandsmen with saxaphone, horn, trumpet & fife link

Nancy
Wargamesminis.com

Bicorne did a nap French band should not be that difficult to convert?
link

the goatskin Bagpipes are a treat in the foundry range , I have 3 of them in my band , with bassoons and oboes from eureka..must paint it

Tradition of London sells a 30mm Willie 18th century band set. It's a typical band of hoboists (2 horns, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons). The figures themselves are about 2nd quarter to mid-18th century. The good thing is that the figures come with separate instruments…

traditionoflondonshop.com/en/product_info.php?products_id=7&p=DB24_T.S._Willie_Box_British_Guards_Band_Kit

Maybe someone here can answer a question that's preyed on my mind for many years:what,in a military band is the purpose of an oboe, an instrument which,to paraphrase Peter Shickele,can't be heard if there's another instrument in the room with it,much less playing?

"Cease fire! I can't hear the oboe!"

youtube.com/watch?v=FcOkiNLc7qI

youtube.com/watch?v=9m_4A5YUY_k

youtube.com/watch?v=gXakJyXzhnQ

What did you say?

@historygamer

Well known picture.

This shows an enlarged late 18th century regimental band (in this case a guards band of c.1790), called Harmoniemusik in German, Besides the usual pairs of oboes, clarinets, horns and bassoons, new instruments were added such as trumpet and serpent, both of which can be seen here. The music played by such bands would have sounded like this:

amazon.com/gp/product/B001N93YVE?ie=UTF8&keywords=christopher%20eley&qid=1454257836&ref_=sr_1_3&sr=8-3

As you certainly know, the picture you added shows more musicians behind the Harmonieband, namely the time beaters, in this case both blacks and boys. They played the "Turkish" instruments (cymbals, triangle, small kettledrum, big drum, tambourine; later, a Jingling Johnny would have been added). So, what we actually see here is what was called a Janissary Band:

britishempire.co.uk/images3/scotsguardsband1790large.jpg

They are followed by the regimental fifes and drum, and that's why the drum major is leading the whole lot. Usually, the band would have played alone. In this case the band master would have been the leader. He was one of the musicians and would have played an instrument as well, usually the clarinet.