New Getzen Severinsen?

Brad361 · Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2016 1:19 pm Post subject: New Getzen Severinsen?

I've been casually on the lookout for an older Getzen Severinsen 900 Eterna, as I've heard great things about them....though I've never played one. It just occurred to me though that maybe that same horn new might be a consideration, especially as they appear to sell for around 18-1900 (?).

Anyone know how the new Severinsens compare to those from, say, around 1970?

Brad
_________________
When asked if he always sounds great:
"I always try, but not always, because the horn is merciless, unpredictable and traitorous." - Arturo Sandoval

Dayton · Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2016 1:55 pm Post subject:

I haven't played one of the older Getzen Severinsen Eterna's but did just play a new Getzen 900 Eterna Classic last week. I was really impressed. It was more versatile than I had expected, and a lot of fun to play.

Ed Kennedy · Heavyweight Member Joined: 15 Jan 2005 Posts: 3187

My main horn is a Getzen Severinson '72 vintage. A few years ago, Getzen reworked the production to the original specs reversing the few changes that had been made over the years. I have played the new models at music educator conventions and I think you'd be very happy with one. (Brett Getzen may chime in any time).

Mine had a precision valve alignment some years ago and it really made a great horn better.

bluejazz33 · Regular Member Joined: 02 Dec 2016 Posts: 14

I had a large bore Severinsen in college, and I loved that horn so much !

PakWaan · Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2016 5:00 am Post subject:

Hi Brad. I have both horns - a brand new Eterna Classic and a 70's Severinsen. I have gone back and forth between them dozens of times trying to find a difference and am hard pressed to do so. Getzen has done a really great job with the new Eterna.

I'm getting ready to sell the vast majority of my collection, but am keeping the Eterna Classic. I thought I'd hang on to the Severinsen forever, but since I can't tell the difference between them, I've decided to keep the brand new horn with it's lifetime valve warranty.

You can't go wrong with either. (I've got a Severinsen for sale if you want one!)
_________________
Taylor Chicago Standard • Getzen 900 Eterna Classic • Yamaha 731 flugelhorn
--- Sold everything else ---

markp · Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2016 6:58 am Post subject:

Do they make the new ones in LB and ML?

The vast majority of the old ones were ML, but people talk about the large bores as if they were REALLY something special.

Kind of like the Martin Committees. The large bores are much rarer and hard to get.

I wonder why both companies made so few large-bores?

Nixer · Veteran Member Joined: 10 Feb 2005 Posts: 129

The OCD part of me demands that I post first of all to point out that to apply the "Severinsen" label to the current 900S is incorrect. Getzen took "Severinsen" off the bell of the horn back in what, the late 80s or thereabouts?

I played a ML Severinsen from the mid-70s till mid-80s, at which point I set the trumpet down and didn't pick one up until 2014. Since then I've played a recent 700 Eterna II and a 900S. My memory of my Severinsen is dimmed with the years, but from what I can recall I'd say a current 900S is an overall better, more versatile horn. The Severinsen was meant to be more of a lead horn I believe. If that's what you want, then by all means get one. The 700 I played also compared pretty well to the old Severinsen. Just my opinion. They're all good horns.

adagiotrumpet · Heavyweight Member Joined: 31 May 2006 Posts: 906

I played a LB "Severinsen" model about 25 years ago and used it for pretty much everything. It was a good lead horn, but it was also quite versatile. I currently own a ML "Severinsen", pre Amado water keys, and a LB Eterna, post "Severinsen" label on the bell. Although they play differently for obvious reasons, it is pretty apparent that they have the same blood line. Keep in mind that, as I understand it, they only difference between the ML and LB is in the leadpipe and tuning slide. The rest of the horn is the same.

HornnOOb · Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2016 3:30 pm Post subject:

If you can use a bright horn with tons of projection, the 70's Severinsen model is the way to go! It's a screamer! However, after playing both my Getzen Severinsen and my Severinsen Destino 3* back-to-back for many years, I would say that there are better choices for an all-around player than the 70's Severinsen model. Occassionally you will find a Severinsen 5* or a 3* for sale here on TH. I would seriously consider a Kanstul made Destino if I was in the market for an all-arounder. If I was playing jazz or pop or maybe even action adventure movie scores, the Getzen Severinsen model would be my hands-down 1st choice.

I posted a fairly comprehensive review comparison of the 70's Severinsen model and the Kanstul made Destino 3* if you care to read it, use the search feature.
_________________
I rode in on a horse and can't seem to get out of L.A.

Severinsen Destino 3*
1971 Getzen Eterna 900S Severinsen Model
1984 Getzen Eterna 896 Flugelhorn
1951 Olds Special Cornet

Denis Wick 1C Heavytop
Getzen Flugel 3C

HornnOOb · Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2016 2:56 pm Post subject: Re: New Getzen Severinsen?

Brad361 · Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2016 5:27 am Post subject: Re: New Getzen Severinsen?

Mr.Hollywood · Heavyweight Member Joined: 14 Dec 2002 Posts: 1730

You guys have got some things wrong here.....

It was around 1979 that they took Doc's name off the bell around (SK39000)

In fact I had one of the very last "true" LB's, and I bought it in the summer of 79'.

I was very close with the plant manager over there in those days as well as Charlie.

A few words about the LB's....

They played GREAT (that is the model Brisbois played) The problem they company was having with the LBs was that they were losing too many valve sections during the buffing process. The LB was a true .468 in the valve section but the leadpipe was the same as the ML, also, the bell was the same as the ML except that they ran a small "ball' through the bell tail to make it ,468.

I used to be a total freak with those old Getzens, back in the early 1990's you could find them everywhere. Every pawn shop had at least 3 or 4 hanging around.

I counted once and at one time I had owned over 25 of the MLs and 5 of the LBs.

After they took Docs name off the horn changes followed. They went to a solid nickle leadpipe and the LB went from a true .468 to a .464 so they wouldn't always be buffing through those thin knuckles on the old 468s.

Wheres my friend Tony Scodwell when I need him???

Take Care everybody.

Chris LaBarbera

adagiotrumpet · Heavyweight Member Joined: 31 May 2006 Posts: 906

Brad361 · Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2016 3:23 pm Post subject:

Just got a large bore Severinsen from Trent Austin, looks to be around a 1975 vintage. It's not a "time capsule" example, but appears very solid, no major trauma, just some surface finish wear, few minor scratches, etc. I've only played it a little so far (and am using it on tonight's gig), but on first impression it seems to have a GREAT lead type sound.

Looks promising!

Brad

markp · Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2016 8:49 pm Post subject:

Robert P · Heavyweight Member Joined: 28 Feb 2013 Posts: 2596

Croquethed · Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2016 7:08 am Post subject:

Brad, I'm dying to hear how the horn worked on the gig.

I bought a new one in 2013 from M&A, scored on a dual Black Friday Sale/coupon thing, and walked away with it for $1300 (including a couple mutes).

It's only my second horn. My folks bought me a 1969 Mercedes that I played through high school and it was a dog. The 900 feels like I have been poured into the cockpit of a jet fighter.

Brad361 · Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2016 8:35 am Post subject:

Brad361 · Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2016 8:46 am Post subject:

Tony Scodwell · Heavyweight Member Joined: 17 Oct 2005 Posts: 1961

The LB Getzens came about by way of utilizing a thinner wall tubing giving the I.D. of .468. When the company was supplying two tuning slides on the standard model one was .458 and the other was .460. Doc was always certain that a horn needed to be .459 and even when he was having the first generation Destinos made by Franzie Straub in Germany, he was under the impression they were .459 when in fact the Bauerfeind valves and all the tubing was .460. What you don't know syndrome I guess. The next Destinos with Getzen were .459 I believe but not at all to his liking leading to the 3* and 5* Kanstul/Buffet-Crampon venture, a Besson type and a Bach type horn. I believe those were also .460. He got upset with Kanstul and Buffet-Crampon with those as well and was introduced to Steve Shires who wanted to break into the trumpet biz after his very successful trombone project. They built what he wanted at .459 and after a few "bumps" with finances he's still with the fourth generation Destino Shires is making.

Tony Scodwell
www.scodwellusa.com