| 1. Tell us how you would improve a trumpet with a new feature or design.
• Heavily rounded edges on all finger hooks and rings for comfort
• Lead pipe and tuning braces to follow theme but designed byEclipse… see theme below
• Sheet bracing to follow theme… see below
• Gold/silver plating or silver/gold
• new design feature: taper w/ a chamfer or radius the edges of the "male extensions" (very thin material so it wouldn't have to be much) and edges of the tuning slide. It seems that when the slide is open these become abrupt edges that can disrupt air flow or cause cavitation in the airstream.
2. Give us a theme for a trumpet!
The Eclipse Fire Farter, my first thought was to design around a post where I received a record number of PM’s praising me for a literary masterpiece…… but “flying around a coop flashing like a beheaded multicolored, fire-farting chicken” would have been difficult to recreate on a trumpet. (At the time I did wonder about some of my fellow TM’ers too….. masterpiece?) For some odd reason, I thought Leigh might be able to come up with something along these lines that frightened me a bit more. But, “fire farting chicken”……… oooohh, the imagery, but alas, I had to shelve this one.
The Eclipse Tail Pipe, this baby was going to be the mother of all big bore brass trumpets. I’d make this tamale a .790 bore. I’d have to blow so hard it would have inverted my lungs. The blast would have removed every last follicle on any cornet player in front of me. I retired this idea too, namely because I figured I’d have enough energy for one good rip and I’d be in cardiac arrest. I did check under my Suburban, unfortunately the tailpipe was still in good shape so I couldn’t use it for a spare there either. I like the idea of using the same horn for multiple situations.
The Eclipse Eagle, the design is simple, the front sheet bracing will have a silhouette of an eagle’s head and the rear will have an eagle’s talon. The bracing, if possible would resemble the twisting branches of an eagle’s nest. Additional ideas can be incorporated by Eclipse. The gold/silver will be in theme with the two tone appearance of an eagle. This is the one I’m sticking with.
3. Write a short story using each of the following at least once.
I was doing my typical Saturday evening routine, flipping through the channels with my remote control, nope WWF sucks, reruns of I Love Lucy to 50’ish and for the moment and was settling on American Idol. Suddenly, breaking the intensity of my channel surfing, there was a terrifying scream coming from the bedroom. I raced down the hall, my heart nearly beating through my chest and my pizza dinner about to come up from the surge of adrenaline and fear. Thoughts raced through my head, “What the hell happened?” or “Should I call an ambulance?” I madly flung the door open.
I wasn’t sure how to respond, it was one of those surreal moments when time suddenly ceased. On all fours, buck naked, there he was, my room mate with his trumpet protruding straight out of his ass as if he were going to announce the entrance of royalty. In a flash, I wondered if combining alcohol with his discussion of Karma Sutra and Monette body alignment with his girlfriend had sent him over the deep end and this was his attempt to be the perfect trumpet player. (I told him that beer run was going to get him in trouble) He started muttering something about slipping on the wet tile after getting out of the shower and while falling backward landed on his trumpet sitting in the corner. He asked me to pull it out (I never imagined a naked man would ask me such a question). I knew I was in trouble when a blank, almost clown-like look came over his face. I knew it well….. he had a reputation for flatulence (especially while hitting the high stuff on long gigs) but this was NOT the moment for his display………… the shrill was loud and deafening.
I awoke, disoriented, an eagle flying over head, screaming, and the sound was eerie, haunting and familiar, as it swooshed down the Yakima River to snap it's next meal in its talons. I realized that it was nothing more than a nightmare and somehow the screams were part of my dream. I had been lying against the log, drinking my last cold one when I dozed off. With a hugh smile, I put my vest back on, grabbed my pole and was back into the water. Fly fishing, good Canadian beer and an amusing dream. I thought it couldn’t get any better than this. Now all I had to was daydream about the Eclipse trumpet I wanted.
4. And last but not least!
Life offers those who grab hold, the abiltiy to take opportunity and run with it. It’s been a blast designing for the Eclipse contest. I have been able to think beyond the realm of status quo and imagine my own Eclipse trumpet for weeks. Why should I win? The Eagle will allow me to touch my imagination.
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53' Olds Ambassador |