Review of new Marcinkiewicz Claude Gordon .470 CG-2 Trumpet

[John Mohan]

Hi there one and all,

I just received the new Marcinkiewicz-made CG-2 .470 Bore Claude Gordon Trumpet (the one that is a clone of Claude's Selmer-built design).

It arrived today and I'll be spending the next two weeks or so giving it a good workout and also letting some of my students try it out as well. Then I'll post my opinion of the horn and send it on to Jeff Purtle and Ken Scoville who will also be evaluating it.

I didn't get a chance to play it today - but I can tell you if it plays as good as it looks, it's going to be a real winner. The build quality is fantastic. It is an absolute jewel to behold.

Bach/Selmer/etc. eat your heart out - I don't think that conglomerate of eaten and digested musical firms has made a horn of this build quality in half a century, if ever.

Sincerely,

John Mohan
http://mattgraves.netfirms.com/john_mohan.htm
_________________
Trumpet Player, Clinician & Teacher
1st Trpt for Cats, Phantom of the Opera, West Side Story, Evita, Hunchback of Notre Dame,
Grease, The Producers, Addams Family, In the Heights, etc.
Ex LA Studio Musician
16 Year Claude Gordon Student

[richardwy]

John, thanks for letting us know. Take some photo, if you please, from diffent angels. Would be nice to see.

Looking forward to your evaluation!

Richard
_________________
1972 Selmer Radial

[EBjazz]

Where the heck have you been John? You missed this http://www.trumpetherald.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=63399
What you've been waiting for.

Eb
_________________
Eric Bolvin
http://bolvinmusic.com/product/the-modern-jazz-trumpet-method/
www.bolvinmusic.com

[John Mohan]

I think that when a critic writes a review, whether it be for a car, movie, or other product, if the reviewer finds that he or she truly loves the item being reviewed and can find absolutely no fault in it, then the reviewer has a bit of a dilema on his hands. As he writes his review, he will worry that he will appear ignorant, or too easily swayed, if later after his review is published, other reviewers provide a less-rosy review of the same product.

I find myself in this position. But fortunately, my take-no-prisoners, hit-it-hard-and wish-it well, plow-straight-through-the-middle, no-fear (okay, enough superlatives) lead-trumpet player attitude relieves me of any such worries. So here's the news:

The horn is pretty much perfect. One and only one very minor flaw: The third valve slide is a little too tight to easily be manipulated for low Db and low D. And this obviously can be adjusted with a bit of steel wool and less than a minute of one's time. Perhaps some will say I’m being way too picky to even mention such a thing, except I really am trying my best to let you all know everything there is to know about the horn I am testing.

Given the fact that loosening up the 3rd Valve Slide is really just an adjustment issue, for all intents and purposes, I have encountered the perfect trumpet. In the way that it plays, to me it feels exactly the same as two different Selmer-produced CG Trumpets I compared it to (one being one of mine, and the other being one of my student’s). The upper register is lively and really is easier to play then on the typical Bb Trumpet. Many brochures for many different horns make this claim. I've only found this to be true for two horns in the past: The CG Benge and the CG Selmer. Now I can tell you that this claim is true for the new Marcinkiewicz-made CG-2 .470” Bore Claude Gordon Trumpet as well. And I've got no reason to tell you anything but the truth here. I have no stake and no claim in these horns. If I buy one, I'm going to pay as much as you do (around $3500 I believe, maybe more, maybe less).

Sound-wise, the new horn is just a tad darker than the CG Selmer. I'm not sure why that is, but I think the horn might be just a tad heavier. I'm going to weigh it on a Postal Scale and compare its weight to both of my CG Selmers to see if I’m right.

Whatever the reason for the slightly darker tone, to be honest, I think that for most players, this is a good thing. I have found that I usually reserve the use of my own CG Selmer for rock and screamy-type stuff due to its very bright sound. This new horn's sound is a bit closer to the sound of my prized, early-'70's hand-made, custom Burbank Benge .468" Large Bore that was ordered from Benge by Claude Gordon for one of his students and fitted with a .464" Bell "choke" much in the same fashion as Claude's two later trumpet designs. I have never found a trumpet that emulated the sound of my beloved Burbank Benge, but now with Joe Marcinkiewicz's CG-2 Claude Gordon Model, I have come close to it.

This new horn is every bit as flexible as the Selmer-built CG, and it just feels exactly the same when I play it (please bear in my that "exactly" is meant in a relative way - no two horns play "exactly" the same - I can identify my two different personal CG Selmers from one another by playing them blindfolded). The new horn's intonation is every bit as good as the CG Selmers. In particular, just like the CG Selmer, Low Db requires about one third less 3rd Slide throw as a typical Bach does, and Low D requires hardly any, if any slide throw.

And finally, the build quality:

As stated before, the 3rd Valve Slide is just a tad too tight - but this is easily adjusted. I'd sure rather the horn came with it too tight, as opposed to too loose! And it isn't so tight that it must be adjusted. I just finished the Easter weekend playing four different services at two different Churches with the horn and I was able to throw the slide out as needed. On a side note, it made for an exciting weekend - especially when the one Church's 10:45 am service ended at 11:56 and the next service started for me at a Church about two miles from the first Church at noon. I didn't even put the horn away! I just sat it on the car seat next to me and made a banzai run for it to the next church which by the Grace of God began their service about two minutes late, so I made it! (SHHHH!!!!!!!!! Don't tell Patricia Gordon or Joe Marcinkiewicz that I traveled with this horn outside of its case ) To Patty and Joe: Don't worry - no dents and no scratches. Just some real, good High E's on each of the three Catholic Masses on one of the pieces that have now caused the flute player who was sitting in front of me to have rather violent, sinful thoughts about me...).

Okay, sorry about the digression - back to the review:

The craftsmanship and build of this horn is the best I have ever seen from a production instrument in my entire life (though since these are being hand-built, they aren't really "production" instruments). The finish, and the fit of everything is marvelous. The Valves are as silky and smooth as I have ever felt. Yet, when I take them out to oil them, I find that I must have them perfectly straight up and down to refit them, or else they won't go in. I cannot believe how tight the tolerances are, given how smoothly they work when they are in place.

So, to summarize:

* As easy to play as any horn I've ever played.

* Sounds absolutely wonderful - lively, bright, musical, emotionally alive.

* Intonation is as good as it gets.

* Build quality is the best I've ever seen.

If and when I buy another new trumpet, it'll be this one, unless I find I like Mr. Marcinkiewicz's rendition of the .468" Bore CG Benge even better. Oh no! If I find myself tempted to buy both, I'll either have to raise my teaching rates a whole lot, or I'll have to sell my beloved 240-Z... or wait until I've finished medical school and residency. Then I can have it all (assuming that someday, malpractice insurance rates stop rising)!

Sincerely,

John Mohan
_________________
Trumpet Player, Clinician & Teacher
1st Trpt for Cats, Phantom of the Opera, West Side Story, Evita, Hunchback of Notre Dame,
Grease, The Producers, Addams Family, In the Heights, etc.
Ex LA Studio Musician
16 Year Claude Gordon Student

[John Mohan]

Forgot to mention:

I'll post pictures soon, and if I can figure out how, I might post a video of me playing the new horn on youtube.

JM

[Trptbenge]

John, THanks for the review.

Mike
_________________
It's the sound that makes the difference!

[crzytptman]

Hey John - I agree with every thing you said, except I can't compare to a Selmer as I've never played one. I have played Benges, and I really liked the Marc version (.468). I did feel that the .470 (CG-2? Selmer) was darker than the .468 (CG-1? Benge), which has a glorious fat vibrant sound. Personal preference for sure - both are exceptional horns!
_________________
Crazy Nate - Fine Yet Mellow Fellow
"so full of it I don't know where to start"
Horn: "just mismatched Kanstul spare parts"
- TH member and advertiser (name withheld)

[John Mohan]

Hi Nate,

They'll be sending me the CG-1 (the Benge version) soon for testing and I'll write something up about that one, too. Thanks for sharing your thoughts about it.

Was the craftmanship on the horns you tried as impeccable as the one I am testing?

Cheers,

John

[Bill Bryant]

pictures!

[crzytptman]

John - I am extremely impressed with the workmanship! I had just purchased the pre-Celebration, which is along the same lines as the new CG's, so I wasn't in the market. Had I not made my recent purchase, I would be scraping up the extra bread crumbs for one. I am very particular about the way horns are put together, and I had every slide out and was checkin' port alignment etc. If they are always built as meticulously as the 2 at NAMM, then it's one fine horn. One of my pet peeves is rotational valve play, and these horns were as tight as possible and still work.
_________________
Crazy Nate - Fine Yet Mellow Fellow
"so full of it I don't know where to start"
Horn: "just mismatched Kanstul spare parts"
- TH member and advertiser (name withheld)

[Mark Bradley]

Marcinkiewicz makes excellent horns. There may be a few other trumpets made as well but I know of none that would exceed them (makes his own valves and everything else by the way). I had his Copola which is a large bore copy of an old Martin Committee and it was great but the big 470 bore was just too much for me over the long haul. It would be interesting to compare the two.

[B4player]

Oh man these are great horns!! I got to try them last month or so. They told me the one I tried was like the CG benge so it must have been the CG-1.

It played fantastic. It had a really open blow but I never felt unsuported. Intonation and eveness were better than nearly anything I had ever tried.

I played on a Claude Gordon Benge for years and when I let it go it was the biggest mistake (trumpet wise) of my life. But now I've got this yamaha RGM, picked out of ten different Yamahas(better than the Chigacos or NY's). I love my Yamaha more than any man should love his trumpet...... (that came out strange) But if I had to get a new horn it would be without a doubt the CG-1. You can allways count on everyone of Marcinkiewicz's horn to be a true gem.



-Mario

[John Mohan]

[StevenPSparks]

Hey John,
Looks like you're giving us the bird in that bottom picture.....lol
Is the lack of a first ring standard, or was it a personal request from you? Is the intonation such that it's truly not necessary, or......what do you think?
Gorgeous horn!
_________________
Sparks in Daytona

"I'm older now, so don't be a blowhard"
¦\___oTTT_____
¦/ (__o¦¦¦o__)

[Winghorn]

I seem to recall that the original Selmer Claude Gordon trumpet did not have any tuning appointments on the first slide. I owned one briefly many years ago. It was a great horn, as were the 2 or 3 Benge Claude Gordon trumpets I owned over the years.
Regards
Steve Allison

[StevenPSparks]

[John Mohan]

[inbflat]

Oh man, I would love to get my hands on one of these! I currently play a CG Selmer that Claude picked out for me, and I love it. I've never needed the 1st valve throw.

Barb

[Bill Bryant]

The CG Benge Claude picked for me in 1977 had no thumb throw. Likewise the CG Selmer I picked for myself several years later (long story).

[inbflat]

As a matter of fact, I'm so used to not having one, that having one would probably annoy me!

Barb