Meazzi (CCC = Conn Connstellation Copy)

[krax]

So, I bought a strange trumpet which is called "Meazzi, modell Oro".

I cannot find more than one reference on the entire internet, O. J. says in his player/horn combinations list that Woody Shaw played one and that it was an Italian Conn Connstellation copy.

Do you know anything more?

The serial number is XX00, so I tend to believe it really is only XX. Unfortunately the seller thought that he did not need to stabilize it in its case before he shipped it so now the bell is pretty screwed up. Everything else is in perfect condition, but I have no photos yet as it went (almost) straight to my repairman.

However it looks like a Conn Connstellation but gold plated and without the vertical leaderpipe brace. I think Woody Shaw plays his in this Youtube video. It has a VERY sweet tone.

I have understand that Meazzi made other instruments, mainly drums, but also guitars and basses.

[krax]

I make another try, now with photos!

Has anyone heard or seen anything like this?





I have seen on the net that there also were amplifiers called Meazzi, does that ring any bell? Are there any nice drums or amps forums to question?

[sunburstbasser]

For drums/amps, you could try Harmony Central. I've never heard of Meazzi amps, were they guitar amps?
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[krax]

I do not know, just saw a side note when I googled it that some guy in South America had one... Drums seem to be most prominent with Billy Cobman playing a "Hollywood Meazzi" drum set according to some comments on Youtube. Here it is with great playing by Bill Hardman on trumpet:


Link

[BenH]

Deleted.

[Uberopa]

Hi All,

Meazzi was an Italian band instrument company. I owned one of their rotary valve trumpets for many years. The company no longer operates, I believe. According to one source I found the instruments were considered to be mediocre at best. I played a gig with an Italian dance band with a sax player using a Meazzi. He played so out of tune that I nearly herniated my chops trying to lip into tune with him.

As for the rotary trumpet, I sent it to Jason Harrelson to "experiment" with. He has never produced a rotary trumpet yet so I thought I would give him a base model to work from. Maybe one day we will get to see it with a heavy wall mouthpipe and receiver, sheet bracing and a titanium kranz ring
or not.

Cheers,

Brian

[Norman]

I remember from when I was a guitar player that Meazzi were distributors of musical instruments and accessories for Italy, for example Marshall amps. I seem to recall that there was a line of products under their name, but they were all 'entry level', cheap stuff for beginners.

From when I started playing trumpet (10 years ago) I never heard about Meazzi trumpets here in Italy, so I guess that production must have been discontinued several years ago.

I cannot find any specific info on the internet, only an Italian wikipedia page regarding Meazzi musical publishing branch, which refers to Meazzi as one of the leading Italian musical instruments manufacturer, but we're talking about the sixties.
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"Don't play like a trumpeter, play like a singer!" Andrea Giuffredi

[krax]

A few more pieces to the puzzle, thank you both!

However this trumpet is clearly not "mediocre at the best", but one of the most pleasing trumpets I have ever tried! The craftsmanship is very good, so is the sound. No question this is a top trumpet. As I mentioned earlier it is gold plated and engraved. The engraving covers the entire bell up to the bell bow and is well done although it lacks the "depth" that makes it artistic.

After a few more googles it looks like Meazzi mainly was a dealer with own brands. The instruments were often made by other companies. Calderoni for example, made their drums. This page about their drums is pretty informative.

http://www.vintagesnaredrums.com/meazzi_history.html

Drums and guitars were their main products and there is a guy with quite many of their guitars. Seems like they made their early guitars by themselves.

http://www.fetishguitars.com/index/meazzi.html

Looks like they made both high and low quality guitars until 1969 and then focused on selling entry-level guitars. Maybe that counts for other instruments too? I guess this trumpet was made in the 60:s or 70:s. That also feels right if I look at the case and the mouthpiece (Bach without a dot after corp., puts it at 65-70 according to other threads here).

Probably they had some guy/firm to produce a few of these trumpets to sell under their own brand. As this trumpet is a very true copy of a Conn Connstellation (except for braces, plating and first valve trigger) it ought to be possible to find out which company build it as the design is as odd as it is with those special Conn valves for example. I guess you also need to have special tools to make that wrap.

So, the only other European Connstellation copy I have seen (once on ebay) was made by one of the German Meinl companies, I believe it was Rudolf Meinl. Sad I do not remember if it had the same braces. If it had then the case had been solved, I believe.

[nashbop63]

I can say for sure that Woody Shaw played one of these in the early 80's, and it was ( a very worn ) gold plated horn. Did look like a 38B copy, and of course he sounded just incredible on it. I have no idea what happened to that horn, but never saw another one until these pictures. I'd love to know if there are any more floating around.

George Tidwell, in Nashville