Big Daddy

I'm new to trumpet playing this year and was able to find a nice 1956 Olds Recording in very good condition, no dings or dent. Just lacquer wear in spots for a decent price. The next trumpet I would like to possibly purchase would be a 1940-50's Martin Committee. I have been seeing Recordings and Committees on ebay with asking prices that are crazy. I ask this to my trumpet master friends. Are these prices over inflated?

Thanks
-Big Daddy Meyers

ComeBackKid

Well, Big Daddy - That is the question of the century. Of course not just for Olds Recording and Martin Committee trumpets, but for all collectible items and even to some extent for commodities and services (look at the price of gold). After all, the value of most things is determined by what a knowledgeable buyer is wiling to pay to an open seller (one who accurately represents the item). So, the real question is, for $1000 or more for a particular trumpet, are you getting value for your money. If you are looking for a player, it needs to be something that you enjoy playing. If you are looking for a collectible, you have to decide if the pleasure of owning it is worth the value (as well as the probability that it will appreciate in value).

So, just speaking personally, I think that the vintage trumpets are well worth what the market demands. The only one that I have bought new is the Eastman and that was so I could at least compare new production methods with vintage ones. But I really like every vintage horn that I have and feel every one is worth more than what I paid.

If you want a Committee, the only real issue is where to find the best one that you can find for whatever your budget is. Keep us posted on your search and good luck - and...watch out for the N+1 virus that is stalking the members here.

__________________
Come-Back Kid
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Selmer Invicta London (T)
Olds SuperStar (T)
Olds Super (2T)
Olds Special (2T+C)
Olds Ambassador (9T+7C)
Andreas Eastman (2T)
Conn Director (T+C)
King Cleveland Superior (T+C)
Holton (T602+C605 Shep Crk)
Holton Collegiate (T+C)
Blessing (T+C)
Yamaha (T+C)
Getzen 300
Amati ATR213
(+Revelle, Bundy, Alcazar, & ?)

EdMann

I'd go beyond the asking prices and do a look see into completed sales, which will give you a better read on the mkplc for horns. Most of these outrageously priced horns never sell.

Ed

Big Daddy

Thanks CBK. I didn't purchase my Recording off Ebay and I wanted to ask after seeing a 1948 ML Bore Committee for $17,000.00. There is also a Large Bore .468 that started last week at a buy it now price $7500.00 and is now down to $4500.00.

A.N.A. Mendez

I snapped up that $17,000.00 bargain,it was just what I needed to complete my set of that year......

__________________
(Above) Alexanders ragtime band-circa 1960

"Baby, I'm already the coolest, and the hippist, now you want me to be on time too?" Buddy Love

"We appointed all our worst generals to command our armies, and our best generals to edit our newspapers." Robert E. Lee

JoeBlack

Good one! I'm an ALS medic of 20 yrs so I actually caught myself pondering the possibility of a new virus. Then my math mind snapped me back...




Joe

whathefayla

I saw the ML 1948 also. As I understand it, the existence of ML bore (.460-.462) Martin Committee's is open to question. There are rumors that there were a few made. The most common were the #2 medium bore .453 horns. They either have a 2 or no mark on the serial number side of the 2nd valve. The 3 bore .468 horns are relatively uncommon and command rather high prices. That $17000 ML bore horn is either an extremely rare and valuable horn, a figment of the seller's wishful thinking, or a fraud. In 3 years of watching eBay horns, it appears that 2 bore Committees under sn. 200000 tend to go for between $1200 and $2000 depending on the condition. There are a lot of horns with patches and repairs and it pays to be a bit cautious wrt Committees. I guess that a lot of them spent their glory days in the hands of jazz players who were, shall we say, less than 100% coherent, so a lot of them would seem to have been dropped, run over by cars, sat on, stepped on, and otherwise treated with a 2AM last call lack of respect. The Deluxe's and early Handcraft Committees go for a bit more. I've seen a couple of 3 bore horns go for between $3500 and $4500. And then there's Marek HotDeal who is always pushing the price envelope for Martins. More power to him for running up the value. He may chime in here as well. He tends to ask (and apparently get) as much as $2500 for '40s 2 bore Martins, but they usually go for less in open auctions.

This information is based on MY experience watching eBay auctions and may or may not be in agreement with other people's experiences.

Indian

I think many of the "Buy It Now" auctiouns for vintage trumpets are vastly over priced. Evidence of this is if you check the completed listings many did not sell even after repeated tries. One in particular is a King liberty in nice shape with initials and QuaterMaster engraving. The seller is asking over $700.00 as if having someone elses initials makes the horn worth more. Many of the Martin, Bach and Selmer horns also seem overpriced. A few sell to either someone willig to over pay to get something they but no one else wants or to people not knowledgable in the current market. I NEVER bid on a reserve or BIN auction. Why would I when I can bid on standard auctions and get as nice an example for much less. It also amazes me that many of the over inflated horns are mass produced student models even though the auctions claims it to be a rare and hard to find vintage horn.

I do have mixed emotions though. When someone over pays for a model I have does the value of my horn go up? Maybe. When people over pay it may drive up the over all value of similar horns making it harder to buy vintage horns ar fair prices. I know some will say that is what free market is all about and the increase is real value. I diagree. As evidence I point to the inflated housing market bubble that occurred that we are still having to deal with and probably continue to deal with for years. It is not that people can not get financing, the problem is the housing prices in some areas have been inflated past where most peoples salaries are able to buy. The values were not real but imaginary hence the dead market. Just my $0.002 worth.

__________________
Rob,
King Liberty SilverTone (3)
King Liberty (7) Super 20 (2)
Conn Vocabell 40A - 40B - 80A (6) - 81A (1) - 38A Victor (2) - 22B - 16B, 12B Coprion bell
Getzen Tone Balanced Super Deluxe
Holton French LeBlanc (1) - Al Hirt 550
Olds Studio (1) - Special (1)

veery715

I hope you have candles to fit it so it looks good on your piano, Mendezace!

v