wk3

Hello all...great site!

I have inherited my father's Benge trumpet which he bought in the mid 60's. It has "ML" stamped on the second valve and the serial number is 3149. It has a few small dings and some tarnish, but all the parts are free moving. I would appreciate any info you all might provide on this horn.

I also have another trumpet (that he played in the Navy Band in WWII) and a cornet. But they are still at his house so I can't post their particulars just now.

Thanks!

BigBadWolf

http://www.dallasmusic.org/gearhead/Bengedata.html

According to this your Benge was made in the early '50's. Does it say Los Angeles, Chicago, Burbank...?

wk3

Thanks for the link!

It has Chicago stamped on the bell.

bigaggietrumpet

Um...I can't say that I'd recommend letting this one outta my sight if I were you, if it really is a Chicago. Tom would know better, but I believe at one point Benge printed the location of a previous point of manufacturing, due to players saying the newer horns weren't as good. Can't remember when or where they did that though.

Edit: See? Told ya Tom would know better. Just disregard that last statement...

__________________
Michael Smith
Hullabaloo: The official band of Texas A&M Basketball
Kanstul 1537/ Schilke 14
LA Olds Studio

tom turner

Hi,

Welcome to the forum!

You have a very desireable, 1951 Benge that was indeed made in Chicago before Benge moved to California. It is also in the most popular bore size.

Folks would almost kill for a "Chicago" these days in the condition your describe.

We'd love to see photos of your horns!

Hope you put this site in your "favorites" section and visit here often!

Sincerely,

Tom

wk3

Thanks so much for your responses so far!

My next question is not what you might think..... (how much can I get for it!).....money is not my motivation here! Please don't laugh at my naivete, but my fondest hope is to somehow put this horn in the hands of someone who will PLAY it.....not some goddamned wheeler and dealer!

My only idea so far is an index card "for sale" on the bb board at NSO. Daddy played this horn at the Kennedy Center in the 70's and had a dear friend who still plays there (double bass). He said he would ask around for me.

I guess this is a pipe dream.....there's no feasable way to REQUIRE that any buyer/donee play this horn long-term but, I sure hope it works out that way. It would honor my dad's memory....

Incidently.....I do not play trumpet (much to daddy's dismay). He tried to teach both my brother and I.....with no success. To his further dismay, my musical calling came when "Bonnie & Clyde was released in '67.....I just HAD to learn to pick banjo like Earl Scruggs! Well, I'm still not there, but I've gotten pretty durn close. I have a pre-war Baldwin-Ode 5-string banjo that almost always draws offers at the dozens of bluegrass festivals I play every year. Highest so far has been $14K. I hope to find my B'Ode a home on stage well before I die......so as not to put my heirs in the same predicament I'm in with this Benge!

Thanks again.....