missednote

I love my Jazz Bb and my Jazz flugel. It does take a bit of getting used to as far as air goes but I just considered it a natural part of learning to play a bigger horn. Due to it's size though I don't use it for concert work. I find that I can't be delicate enough with it at softer ddynamic levels. On a side note I'm currently waiting on a Callet Superchops that the guys at Eclipse took in on a trade and overhauled and refinished. Can't wait to get my hands on that one! I'll let you know what I think when I get it.
-missednote

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oops! missed another.....

tom turner

Hi,

I am good friends with Lee Adams, the new owner of the Callet trumpets.

Lee has been doing a lot of research on the previous Callet horns and has discovered quite a bit of deviation, on some of the horns, from the original specs provided to the company that made 'em for Mr. Callet.

Needless to say, Lee is not happy with this discovery, to put it mildly!!! The Callet expandabore design MUST be executed properly, which means to seamless and steady taper . . . not a sudden flare in the tuning slide! The tone of a properly executed expandabore trumpet is beautiful indeed.

I've played some great Callet Jazz horns . . . and some older ones that weren't so great. When made properly they can be awesome. My son has a great one that I'd have no reservations about switching to if my beloved Wild Things didn't exist.

Lee has been doing extensive research on the problems that he's found and is taking steps to totally eliminate future inconsistencies. Expect future Callet horns to be awesome . . . for Lee is a real perfectionist!

To Harald in Norway . . . hang in there . . . you'll be glad you did! Hopefully it won't be too much longer.

Sincerely,

Tom Turner

abbtpt

Hi

Should be due to shippment yesterday or today. Lee was making adjustments to the horn and fitting parts and valves this week.
Just hope I get it sooooooon..... I have sold my Shew Horn and cant wait.
playing a heawy Edwards L bore horn at the moment (puh).

To Tom T. : What is your opinion on MP selection to the Callet. I use Bob Reeves 40ES with the 492SL bore (copy of a piece they made for Roger Ingram) bent 12 degrees. Should I try something else... I realy like the Bob Reeves. And what do you think is the BIG difference between the Shew 6310Z and the Callet Jazz??? Am I in trouble changing betveen these to horns?



Harald

tom turner

Hi,

I'm glad Lee was finally able to complete your horn! I'd discussed it with him a couple of weeks ago when he was visiting me and he replied that he wanted to make sure it was perfect for you. Custom-built horns take time, and that's exactly what you have coming to you! I believe you'll be stunned with how well it sounds and plays!

I'd recommend checking with Lee about mouthpiece choices. He's truly experimented with hundreds of "pieces" during his decades of playing and is quite familiar with what works great in a Callet Jazz.

I suspect that the mouthpiece you were playing will be just fine, and I suggest you first use it with your new horn so that both the horn and mouthpiece don't change at the same time.

Later, there are lots of mouthpieces that work great on the Jazz, and Lee can give you some great recommendations . . . IF you don't love your new Jazz with your current mouthpiece.

THE DIFFERENCES . . .
You asked what the big difference was between the Z horn and the Jazz. The Callet Jazz is the perfect Z horn that Yamaha has yet to build. As nice as the Z is, your new horn is in a different league.

If you are a master of the upper register you'll notice instantly how the Jazz doesn't tighten up above the G over High C. As a matter of fact, the Jazz remains open and responsive all the way up to, and beyond Triple C! Additionally, the Expandabore design on the Jazz is a more conical-type flare, giving the Jazz such a warm, rich sound (even in the stratosphere) that you'll have a fuller sound on it at all dynamic levels.

Sincerely,

Tom Turner

LeeAdams

Hi

Nice to hear that the Jazz works well for you with a 1 1/4 size mouthpiece.If a player is willing to spend the time to get the right mouthpiece combination and dial in the gap for their Callet Jazz trumpet most players usually become avid rabid Callet Jazz fans.Also most backbores in many one piece model mouthpieces are too open and are designed to free up tighter blowing ML bore horns that are out there.

A mouthpiece with a backbore that is too open actually ends up sometimes choking out like the horn is stuffy because the backbore is not helping to generate the vibrations needed for a solid sound core. Making sometimes even a slight adjustment to tightening up a backbore will to the players surprise fill the sound out better than going to a larger backbore.
When ample time is spent dialing in the right cup depth,shape,size and backbore the Callet Jazz has the potential to do an excellent job of providing one of the best compromises of a great all around trumpet that responds evenly in all registers and with the modern designing for slotting and responding in the upper register.
It is not uncommon for most Jazz owners to have a cup and backbore set up for legit, and a different set up for lead/commercial.
The potential of the horn to do both very well is definately there. Some can do it all on one mouthpiece and others use specific set ups.

For this reason I have been a big advocate of modular mouthpieces for many years. Not only for the sake of dialing in Callet trumpets but for many other brands as well. For example many of my friends were down on a new brand of trumpet that hit the U.S shores about 10 years ago.Many players were not happy with the trumpet and neither was I if I used a common sized one piece model mouthpiece comparable to a 3C.
I spent an afternoon with my modular cup and backbore kit and found a combination that literally woke up and properly balanced what I had originally thought to be a slow lazy responding trumpet.


Unfortunately Callet leadpipe receivers were designed to most accurately compliment the taper and length of Callet mouthpieces. Because of this many mouthpiece brands end up fitting into a Callet with way too much gap which tends to shut the horns potential down. A gap over 1/8 inch usually is too much and around 1/16 is optimal.I have special tooling to adjust the receivers for anyone needing help with their Callet receiver gap.
However with the proper gap and mouthpiece the Callet Jazz horns potential for ease of playing,projection of a very pure and pretty sound or projecting powerfully over a 20 piece big band is quite exceptional.
After viewing some of the pro and con comments it is important to remember that many of the SOLOIST and JAZZ horns usually had a great deal of hand tweaking done to them and originally the horn could of been set up specifically for a players mouthpiece that is far from what some players might use. Which can cause a horn to not respond properly.

Also many Original Callet owners are lead players (the upper register slotting has drawn many to the Callet's) who had their Jazz opened up because of their small diameter and shallow cup mouthpieces that they were using.
So when someone comes along and puts a 3C in one of these tweaked Jazz's it feels entirely too big.
I know this is true because I see many 10, 15, and 20 year old Callet trumpets that have had their leadpipes opened up way beyond what could be handled by anything other than a lead/commercial mouthpiece.

I am gradually gaining ground on having horns in inventory once again so that trials and orders can be done more quickly and easily.
Trying a new unaltered horn should be considered as the most fair way in judging the performance of a Callet along with my suggestions of getting the optimum mouthpiece balance of cup shape,depth and backbore are prime considerations to find a horns maximum potential.

Best Regards
Lee Adams

dbacon

Lee,

Excellent info and congratulations on your work with the Callet Jazz. Any idea when you'll have trumpets ready for sale? Sounds like you are doing business now, we just may not all know about it.

All the best!

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Dave Bacon

bandman

I'm confused here..... I thought that the Callet horns were being made by Kanstul and custom work done by Callet????? Someone help me out. Has this ever been the case with Callet?

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tom turner

Hi,

Years ago the Callet horns were made for Jerome by Getzen (New York, Soloist, etc.).

Later, Kanstul assembled the Callet Jazz, Symphonique, Superchops, etc.), as well as provided many of the parts except for leadpipes and such, but Jerome would make adjustments to them. Lee followed in Jerome's footsteps.

However, I know that Lee is not happy at all with some of the deviations from the original specs that he's discovered. Time will tell what is next in the progression of the fine Callet horns. One thing is for sure though, Lee ain't gonna put something out unless he's totally happy with it!!!

I suspect we'll all know what's goin' on when Lee is ready to talk about it.

Sincerely,

Tom Turner

Tom

abbtpt

Hi

Sounds great. good to se Lee here again.

I hope others will consider the Callet tpt line. The service from Lee Adams at www.trumpetchops.com has been great!!

Looking forward to see how my bandmembers like the horn also.

Harald
Norway
Arendal Big Band