Adams F2

About the Adams F2

At the heart of the F2 is a one-piece, hand-hammered gold brass bell measuring 170mm (6.69 inches), paired with a .413-inch (ML 10.5mm) bore and a choice of two leadpipes - a No. 2 (.402 inches) or No. 3 (.413 inches) - to let a player dial in blowing resistance and tonal character. What sets the F2 apart within Adams' own lineup is its unusually heavy 535-gram brass valve section with nickel-silver balusters and matching heavy bracing, earning it the nickname "the heavy brother" of the lighter F1 model. Three top-mounted stainless steel valves run alongside a trigger on the third slide, finished with wood-inlaid brass finger buttons and an Amado water key. The body is finished in brushed lacquer at 0.55mm gauge, and it ships in a dedicated Adams/Gard case.

Where to buy

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Sound character of the Adams F2

The hand-hammered gold brass bell and heavy valve section combine for a thick, broad, warm and distinctly dark tone with a smoky quality players specifically seek out, staying full and rich without losing openness or focus.

What owners of the Adams F2 say

Feedback consistently centers on the F2's distinctive thick, dark tone, with players who've directly compared it to other premium flugelhorns describing it as richer and easier to play through long phrases than well-regarded alternatives. The heavy valve section and bracing - the detail that separates the F2 from Adams' own lighter F1 - comes up as the likely reason for that fuller, more stable feel rather than being treated as dead weight. No significant criticisms surfaced in the sources checked, with discussion leaning entirely toward enthusiasm for its soloistic character.

Playability & handling of the Adams F2

Reviewers describe the F2 as a perfect soloist's horn, with a thick, broad sound profile that stays warm and full without losing its sense of openness. One flugelhorn player who compared it directly to a well-known Bobby Shew-style horn called the Adams richer, fatter, and easier to flow through phrases. Another review highlights how the instrument balances a focused, articulate core with the dark, mellow color players expect from a flugelhorn, crediting smooth valve action and a responsive third-valve trigger for making that balance easy to control in performance. The dual leadpipe option adds a layer of tonal customization most flugelhorns at this level don't offer out of the box.

Recommended accessories & strings for the Adams F2

A dedicated Adams/Gard case ships with the instrument, covering transport and storage. Standard brass-instrument upkeep applies: valve oil, slide grease, and periodic cleaning with a flexible snake.

Technical data for the Adams F2

The history of the Adams F2

Adams built its reputation on customizable, modern flugelhorn and trumpet manufacturing, and the F2 reflects that build-to-preference philosophy in a professional Bb flugelhorn.

About Adams as a manufacturer

Adams Musical Instruments was founded in 1970 by André Adams, born in 1945 and raised in a musical family in Thorn, Netherlands, where he played trumpet in the local wind band. During his military service he earned a professional instrument-making diploma, then worked as a repair technician in his brother's music shop in Weert while converting a shed behind his parents' house into a workshop in the evenings - that's where his brass instrument repair business began in 1970. Music was his hobby, engineering his passion, and after gaining experience at several well-known European instrument makers, that combination grew into one of the world's largest percussion and brass instrument manufacturers, still based in Ittervoort, Limburg, where production and development continue to combine hands-on craftsmanship with modern technology.