Hello all,
I have the chance to buy a second hand lacquered Getzen Capri with a trigger on the slide to the first valve. I inspected it last night and rejected it because of 1. the brazing? scar about 15 cm from the bell rim & 2. a shallow depressed dint of about 3 or 4 mm on the bell rim (I mean if the trumpet is standing on the bell about 6 cm of the rim would be lifted off the flat surface).

About 1. is that what is meant by a two piece bell?
About 2. would there be a noticeable adverse change in sound caused by this damage?

Can the trigger slide be used from extended to closed to emulate a slide up the fingerboard with a violin?

Has 'Capri' been used with various levels of Getzen? Sometimes I see a model number mentioned (994?). Where should I look for any model number?

The price is Yen 52,500, about 550 dollars at the current exchange rate.

Please advise.

Michael

The Capri is ONLY an intermediate instrument.
1) a two piece bell is made out of 2 pieces of brass either soldered or brazed together. On this level horn it is a less expensive way to get a decent bell
2) you will not notice a difference in the blow or sound, but will be annoyed by the fact that you know it is damaged. That will probably affect you psychologically in a non-positive way.

The trigger slide does not even cover a half of a tone so no, it will not emulate the finger slide.

That is a lot of money for a damaged trumpet. Depending if there is a crease in the bell or not, the repair may not be that expensive. A crease will increase the cost.

Thanks for information and comment. I was interested in the Getzen after reading comments about the slickness of the valves.

As far as the 550 dollar price is concerned it may reflect the previous strong dollar exchange rate and dealer mark up in Japan. I've seen other Getzen Capri advertised a bit higher here.

Or it could be rarity value. For comparison a Yamaha YTR - 2320 E (lacquered) is for sale at about 315 dollars here but 425 dollars at Zachary.

But I've seen several reports about clunky Yamaha valves.

Michael

Why don't you post a couple of photos showing the damage? There are several members here who are knowledgeable in repair procedures that may be able to advise you how tough a repair it might be. I don't know how available repair services are in Japan so this may not help or relate directly to costs there but it is worth a try. If the damage is not going to cost a lot to repair, the price you mention, in comparison to the Yamaha, is not too bad. A good Getzen Capri here will sell for well over double the price of a 2320. The real question is which one you like to play the best. I have a YTR-232 (earlier version of 2320) and it is a great player. For a 30-year old horn, the valves are still in good condition so I wouldn't reject the 2320 outright unless the valves are already showing signs of wear.