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scottfsmith
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Joined: 27 Jun 2015
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Location: Maryland
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 Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2017 3:21 pm Post subject: Check out this Courtois trumpet circa 1895 |
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Check out this Courtois trumpet circa 1895! As far as I know this is the oldest Bb modern-style Courtois trumpet still around. I am guessing 1895 based on Courtois 19th century trumpet serial numbers, this one is 8XX under the 3rd valve cap.
It was a piece of twisted metal when I got it but Robb Stewart worked his magic on it and made it whole again. Nearly all the parts are original, but it required several patches and new valve buttons. |
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JazzMetal
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Joined: 22 Jan 2017
Posts: 5
Location: Southern Wisconsin
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| Posted: Tue May 02, 2017 9:38 am Post subject: Some questions |
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Have you tried to play it?
If so, how's the resistance?
How does it sound?
Does it move well fully lubed?
Also how heavy is it? |
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unicornis
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Joined: 27 Apr 2017
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| Posted: Tue May 02, 2017 11:18 pm Post subject: |
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| small bore, I mean |
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scottfsmith
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Location: Maryland
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| Posted: Wed May 03, 2017 4:33 am Post subject: Re: Some questions |
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| JazzMetal wrote: | | Have you tried to play it?
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Yes, the problem is I can't put the thing down. Its got the most amazing tone I am completely in love with. Unfortunately it also has high resistance and doesn't slot all that well so its more of a challenge to play.
The valves are leaky, I put up a post here in fact about thick valve oil for it. It seals well with the thick stuff I am using but also has high valve resistance. Since its the earliest such instrument I decided to keep the original valves and just put up with it. I am going to start lowering the resistance a bit on the oil; I discovered I can get the slides to pop when the oil is thick enough so it gives me a really good way to test each valve for seal (the standard test I don't know the name for: from valve slide all the way out push it in, then push on the valve and see if it the air "pops").
In terms of weight its your standard trumpet. The bore is also more or less standard size, but its "dual bore" in the slide area. All the really early Bb trumpets I have seen are dual bore, cylindrical through the tuning slide seems to have come in later. I am sure the bore has many subtle differences in it which accounts for the tone and way it plays. Another amazing quality is I can't over-blow it, it just gets louder and louder the sound never falls apart. |
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robbrand
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Joined: 29 Dec 2014
Posts: 120
Location: Cape Town, South Africa
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| Posted: Wed May 03, 2017 10:12 am Post subject: |
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Congrats on your trumpet - Courtois horns are great. Mine is about 90 years younger than yours and I love it. I would also love to get my hands on one of the older ones - I suspect the old French horns were relatively small bore. Have you thought of getting a vintage mouthpiece to got with it?
_________________
B&S Challenger 1 3137
Courtois 113ML
B&H Imperial Flugel
Besson USA 620 cornet |
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scottfsmith
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Location: Maryland
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| Posted: Wed May 03, 2017 4:49 pm Post subject: |
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I have a vintage Courtois trumpet mouthpiece, but I think its from the 20's. In that period mouthpieces had pretty short shanks, something not common before or after.
I'm not really clear on what kind of mouthpiece these early trumpets used. Right now things are going well with a longer version of this vintage mouthpiece - same cup but longer shank. My guess is they were designed for something like F trumpet mouthpieces. There are several really old French Bb trumpets found with cornet mouthpieces on shank adapters.
I am a huge Courtois fan, I have several of their classic cornets along with several other old Courtois trumpets. I hope to score one of their more recent trumpets some day. |
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scottfsmith
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Location: Maryland
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