Heavens2kadonka

I am just wondering if there are any old horns out there that are really overlooked?

Van

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bigaggietrumpet

You mean BESIDES Olds?

My bet is that Boston, while being amazingly popular amongst people in the know, isn't really that well known, and probably Reynolds belongs on that list, too.

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Heavens2kadonka

Something I'm going to check on: Did Reynolds make any pro level horns?

Also, I'm looking for a really decent (I.E. Good Beginner to Intermediate quality) vintage horn for a price comparable (ebay wise) to an Ambassador. Would The King Cleveland 600 fit that bill?

Van

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'94 Bach Strad 37
1900 Eb Cornet

LOUD Steve Patrick 10 1/2 C
LOUD LM93

tom turner

1. REYNOLDS PRO-LINE CORNETS
Reynolds made some good horns . . . and a couple of really fine models too (the pro-line Contempora in yellow brass and the equally fine Argenta in German silver (nickle-silver)!

At the other end of the Reynolds line-up, I wouldn't rate the Reynolds Emperor at quite the level of an Ambassador but they play pretty well. Below that horn was the Medalist.

2. KING CLEVELAND
For the price of a Cleveland, consider a vintage King Master . . . a really fine top-of-their-line cornet that is somehow still underpriced on e-Bay. Most were M bores, with the L bore being fairly rare . . . but they play really nice.

Tom

Robert Rowe

I must add two worthy mentions here:

The Getzen "Super-Deluxe" and the Buescher 400-series

Truly fine build-quality, and distinctive tone.

Robert Rowe

Heavens2kadonka

I looked up the Super Deluxe on vintagetrumpets.com (Thanks, Dan!). Real interesting bell. I couldn't find a pic of the Buescher, though I found a description of one for sale on brassinstrumentworkshop.com. I couldn't find anything on the Getzen's tone, but the description of the 400's was "bright and focused."

How would you describe the horns' tones?

Van

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Stage 1 California Light
'94 Bach Strad 37
1900 Eb Cornet

LOUD Steve Patrick 10 1/2 C
LOUD LM93

Jeff Stewart

I have to agree with all the above posts. I think the King masters and the King Silvertones are awesome. I love the Reynolds horns (I have 3 contemporas and 2 silver belled horns from the 30's). I really like the looks of the Getzen Super deluxes and having just acquired a 1965 Buescher 400 I can attest that they are great horns and seriously underrated. As far as the 400's tone it seems to be an a lot like the King super 20 (which I really like too) and I think the terms bright and focused to apply.

Robert Rowe

For Van & Jeff :
Re: Tone -- Buescher 400 and Getzen Super-Deluxe

I believe I can shed some light and creedence here on these horns....
I'll measure bore-size with my old non-digital inside calipers (the only thing "digital" around my place is/are my fingers)....

I have 3 Getzen Super-Deluxe (Deluxi, Deluxes, ??) -- 2 w/ Sterling-Silver Bells & 1 brass bell. B-T-W, one Sterling-bell horn is original (w/ lacquer) and the other has had lacquer removed - this particular horn is just stunning in appearance - yellow brass, solid-copper, solid-nickle, and Sterling Silver - 4 different hues, very "organic" (not filtered thru lacquer). I can't think of another "production" (non "boutique") horn that looks this nice; I constantly hear compliments about it's beauty from both non-musicians and musicians. It appears to be about a .458 bore and a "smallish" 4 7/16" bell end-diameter, with a Martin Committee-looking bell taper. It is not a light-weight horn. It has a compact/focused, very sweet and rich tone. I can take it down to a whisper-like ppp without sacrificing the warm and rich tone; slots nicely and does not get "thin" or overly-bright in the upper-register (probably due to Sterling bell). The brass-belled Super-Deluxe plays a little brighter, and not quite as smooth and rich. (B-T-W, they all have the cool Committee-type "side-saddle" waterkeys).

I have 3 Buescher 400-series trumpets from the 1950's & early 1960's ("pre-Selmer") -- a "standard" 400 that is lacquered-brass w/ nickle mouthpipe and slide-receiver tubes...is .460 bore and 4 3/4" bell end-diameter; also cool Committee-type "side-saddle" waterkeys...interestingly, has exact same, sturdy bell-braces as my New York Strad...has those characteristic flared (top & bottom) valve-casings with unusual (and expensive to machine) "male-threaded", knurled caps; also, the distinctive Buescher "pinkie"-hook is different than any other manufacturers'. Jeff Stewart, you are correct -- it plays and sounds similar to my King Super-20 -- the "regular" brass-belled model (more on that to come)...not too bright, nicely centered -- late-"Big Band" sound.
Now, the other two are the "Super 400" model -- a real "horse-of-a-different-color" -- the earlier one (SN 360156) is a .468 or .470 bore (!) with the cool Committee-type "side-saddle" water keys; the not-much-later one (SN 377248) is a .460 bore with standard-type waterkeys. Both are lt-heavy weight (according to me) with nickle-plated 5" bells (and yes, I removed the dreadful lacquer from the bells). Jeff - they play similar to my King Super-20 Symphony Dual-Bore Sterling-Silver bell "Harry James Special"... only the larger-bored Super 400 is more open and a "tad" brighter (probably due to nickle-plated bell) ... think of a Conn Connstellation on steroids -- this "beast" is a real "paint-peeler" ! I can't say if it is "nice" at ppp, because it just begs to "rule"... ("take no prisoners !") I have never needed to "mike" this thing -- simply buries any section .. just don't think about one of these if you smoke. *Interesting side note -- Gibson (guitars) had a huge, "top-of-the-line", hollow-body (Elvis coveted, and finally acquired and played one) model called the "Super 400".

I almost hated myself in revealing "THE TRUTH" here about these Super 400's ... I have a feeling I've just "out-priced" myself when they ever come up on eBay. Help me out, guys -- keep it to yourselves -- OK ??

Robert Rowe

MUSICandCHARACTER

No problem, everyone here will be wery quiet -- just like hunting wabbits. We won't tell anyone. It's not like this is a public forum or something like that


In a whisper,

Jim

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DCB

Well don't forget the Holton T101 (Symphony). I have one and it is a great horn. Mine may not be to old, but they have been making them since Bach left Mt. Vernon. I also have a Holton Collegiate and it is a very nice horn as well. Made the the 60's and has very good valves.

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