Hi ... from reading the other posts here, it looks like I am also in the 'comeback group' I was gone quite a long time.

I played through HS, and then hung it up to focus on studies to get into college. Well that was 24 years ago ... ugh.

A recent 20% furlough in my job gave me a day off per week, and I decided to take music lessons. Wow, I'm glad I did, but I consider myself a rank beginner.

My goal is to be able to play well enough to play some funk with my friends that play guitar. It may take awhile to get there, but I'm enjoing the ride.

I am also intersted in learning about and starting a small collection of vintage brass. This looks like the right place to start the learning.

For now I'm playing my Olds Ambassador that I played in HS marching band. It's not pretty at all ... but sounds alot better than the TR300 I borrowed while the olds was in service.

I also recently bought on ebay a Fllugelhorn, just because I wanted one sooo bad in HS, and can afford it now. I'll post elsewhere about it ... I kind of jumped in before doing research, and wonder if I bought a good one. I at least read enough to avoid cheap imports, and got a Conn horn made by 'Willson Brass.' I'll post elewhere about that.

Anyways, just saying hi!

Welcome to TM, C_H! 24 years is a relatively short layoff. The Ambassador will serve you well for now. Are your music lessons with a trumpet teacher?

As far as collecting, you have two horns now. I predict within two years you'll have at least 10. Enjoy!

veery

Welcome to TM, enjoy your stay.

Be careful, they are like tribbles.........

Welcome to TM - I was away 37 years.

Well thanks for the welcomes, this looks like it's going to be a cool community. To answer one of the q's above, I'm taking private _trumpet_ lessons, not just generic music lessons.

I'm very thankful to have a house rather than an apartment or condo, so I don't have to impose my subpar honk-ation on others until i get a bit more time.

Right now my 'chops' give out like clockwork at 25 minutes. Last week it was 10 minutes, so I am getting better endurance back. I'm practicing about 50 minutes (two session) per day.

As far as the collection goes, I think it would be neat to have an example of all the trumpet types (Bb trumpet, Piccolo trumpet, flugelhorn, coronet, etc), just for variety. I think these instruments are quite beautiful and look good displayed in the music room (actually guest bedroom) rather than locked away in cases.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKFZMwE6B3I&NR=1]YouTube - Star Trek TOS - The Trouble With Tribbles[/ame]

Welcome comeback_honker - at least you are honest about your status - most of us tried to convince ourselves that WE were still good but our horns had lost their tune after 30+ years (in my case). But, in the end, the horn was fine and we were the honkers.

As far as starting a collection, that is not hard. When I started my comeback attempt 4 months ago, I had one horn - my 1960ish Selmer Invicta. I decided to find one that sounded better and now I have 31 horns - 13 of them are Olds models - and so far none of them sound better (egads! It really is me!). So, like Tribbles, it doesn't take long for them to multiply. I have not ventured into Flugels or Pic's yet. My next venture is a 'C' trumpet then maybe onward from there.

Good luck. We are interested to hear how things go from time to time.