Heavens2kadonka

WOW!! And I thought the art on a 1940 Naked Lady was the crap

Hmm, seems like with everything else in the music business, one can find ANYTHING, but it takes a little looking around (Or in my case, it takes harassing those who know where to look, lol).

The sea engraving on the Kohlert would look awful sexy on a trumpet bell (What the hell is he doing wasting his time on WOODWINDS!?!?! ).....

tom turner

Hi,

ALL trumpet makers today have cut soooooo many corners that their corporate "bean counters" deemed as insignificant that truly the horns they make today and nowhere near the same as what you got in the past.

Naturally, the best example of this constant change would be the Bach Strad, since it has in theory remained the same horn since 1924. Nothing could be further from the truth. Gone are the elaborate steps in making each valve part, the connecting pieces are all different, the trim, the way the bell is cut and made . . . even the way the bell wire is attached.

When one compares a modern Strad with an early Mt. Vernon, or a late NY Bach the differences are dramatic in both materials and workmanship. When one compares an early Mt. Vernon or late NY Bach with earlier NY Bachs from the 20's and '30s, again the differences are great.

This doesn't mean that today's horns aren't great . . . and least some of 'em . . . but it does mean that all the little parts . . . all the workmanship detailing that took so long on the line . . . all the hand adjustment, play testing and further tweaking IS gone.

Luckily, there are still a few "little guy" perfectionists seeking to offer tweaked instruments for players who can appreciate the differences and are willing to pay the price. However, this part of the business represents less than 1/2 of one-percent of the market . . . and bean counters don't worry about such a small segment.

Sadly, the part of the market willing to invest in "Presentation Grade" instrument is vastly smaller than the 1/2 of one-percent of the trade going to the custom market . . . and making a living as a great engraver who does work the quality of 90 years ago would be virtually impossible today.

Today we even face a NEW threat to production of even the bare-bones production requirements of today's horns. That threat is the China manufacturing lure. We simply cannot compete with a factory paying extremely poor workers virtually nothing to make lawn mower parts and trumpets on the same line.

ENGRAVING TODAY . . .

Vintage horns of 90 years ago, in the real boom-time heyday of brass instrument popularity, were offered in various levels of finish and engraving. Some were totally drop-dead-gorgeous works of art . . . all exquisitely engraved by master engravers at the factories! Conn had two of the most famous . . . and thier work is STUNNING today to see!

These days, most people ask, "Where can I get the lowest price on a _____?" Back then more people took pride in having an instrument that was an expression of who they were.

Today . . . well . . . we have a lot of OTHER things we want too as a culture that people didn't have to buy 90 years ago: computers, high-speed internet, DVD players, Hi-Def. TV, jet skis, microwaves, cell phones, leather interior land cruisers, etc.

In those simpler times many people of means put their money into their cornets. Back then too, many huge competitions were held to crown the hottest cornet soloist in a state or a country. Lots of "presentation-grade" instruments were offered as prizes.

Some of these horns show up today on e-Bay. Rarely are they damaged, for their owners were the pickiest of adult performers . . . and they truly babied those horns.

Ain't checking out vintage horns fun?!!!!!

Tom Turner

Heavens2kadonka

I sometimes feel like I was born in the wrong generation...

Van

mark935

I was sitting listening to some live music with my dad and he has an old Super Recording.

He was telling the sax player that he was bidding for it on ebay and it kept getting higher. He kept thinking who in the world would pay 800 for an Olds? So he bought it at a thousand.

And the next week four more showed up on ebay and the ads said, "The last one sold for a 1000! "

Heavens2kadonka

Ebay, what a fickle mistress is she....

Just the other day, I found the horn I had a fit over this summer. A Couesnon trumpet, the one with the 1900 medal engraving (Tom, you are trying to track them. How could I guess the serial? There are only two numbers that could seem to be it. They both are in the double digits only!).

When I bid on the same model Couesnon less than three months ago, the particular horn had a "career-ending" dent on the bell curve, and another horrible one on the tuning slide. It came with an equally distraught case, and two mutes; a brevette and one with a "maple resonator" or something. They seemed usable.

The horn went for over $300, including the overseas shipping. I was so pissed!

The one I am to receieve any day now is the exact same model, with no dents (but a ding on the bell), and the original case in good condition. I got it for $61 exactly, including shipping and insurance. The only thing that will probably need work will be the valves, I am guessing they haven't been unjammed in several decades!

By the way, Mark. I hate your dad.

Van

bigaggietrumpet

The other day, a 1937 Super Recording sold for 1444.50. Wow.

Heavens2kadonka

Ahhh... To have a golden egg-laying hen..... Sucks being po' folk.

Handballsteve

I have put my 1937 Olds Super Recording up on e-bay for anyone interested.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...756792312&rd=1

Heavens2kadonka

Strange that this was posted exactly one month after my last post....

Sucks to be po' folk...

Van