Restoring my baby shoes.

KansasTrumpet · Posted: Mon Dec 07, 2009 7:35 pm Post subject: Restoring my baby shoes.

My grandfather (my father's father) loved Harry James. So, his first son was going to learn to play the trumpet as soon as he was big enough to hold one. On my father's 12th birthday (1966) he received a Getzen 300 trumpet. 12 year olds quickly become 14 year olds and that being a time of less trumpet and more guitar on the radio most young men were far more interested in Jimi Hendrix than Harry James. So into its case that Getzen 300 went. Being the son of a musician, and having no desire to play guitar, I always had a fascination with the trumpet that was in that case. When I was 7 years old I started in the school band program on that getzen 300 trumpet and began my journey to becoming the musician I am today.

The next chapter in our story is when I hit the age of 15 and decided to do this.

This is ofcourse a recent picture of the instrument. I took the above picture immediately before stripping the black finish. A black trumpet. What in the world was I thinking. So began the labor of love.

What takes one application on a normal lacquer finish took SIX on this black beauty.

In the above picture I have stripped the disgustingness off of the horn. I think a few things that the overhaul company did are kind of ....interesting. First the front brace has been moved. There were no popped solders or anything weird before the horn was sent, but for some reason they moved some braces around. Im assuming they moved that brace so far forward becasue they found it fit better there. Solder was kind of globbed into the joints. Being as I was only 15 years old and had none of the trumpet knowledge I have now I didnt notice any of this flaws and loved everything about this instrument when I got it back.... I guess my 15 year old self and my 30 year old self just wouldnt agree on a thing like that.

With the lacquer gone I took off the bell and mouthpipe and began straightening both. If you look at the full pictorial linked at the bottom of this post you will see both were very much bent and had their fair share of dents.

The point of this project was to breathe new life into this instrument. Putting a pretty new finish on it was really just part of the process. The valves were very loose on this horn, so I decided to have them refit. I recall the last time I had played this instrument thinking there was something wrong with it. At the time I had just thought my newer pro horn was just better, but now I know that a lot of its hinderance had to do with the loose valves. Im sure the thick black paint on it didnt help too much either.

After countless hours of work I returned my "baby shoes" to what it was the day it was built. Everything on the horn is 100% original with exception of the added thumb hook... which is a getzen

Plays better than ever and now my dad wont be embarrased to play it in public

http://s101.photobucket.com/albums/m67/bbirshop/the%20black%20trumpet/
Click the above link for a full pictorial.

DQ
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trumpetup · Posted: Mon Dec 07, 2009 8:18 pm Post subject:

Beautiful project and great story! You should have titled your thread "Converting My Baby Shew" When it was black it looked like one of those Yami Anniversary Shews.

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Crazy Finn · Posted: Mon Dec 07, 2009 8:24 pm Post subject: Re: Restoring my baby shoes.

KansasTrumpet · Posted: Tue Dec 08, 2009 5:20 am Post subject: Re: Restoring my baby shoes.

Brian Moon · Posted: Tue Dec 08, 2009 5:48 am Post subject: Re: Restoring my baby shoes.

hansonsf · Heavyweight Member Joined: 11 Jun 2006 Posts: 670

I've seen guys a lot older than 15 do the black lacquer thing. Actually, your job was quite tastefully done what with the crooks, caps and the receiver being left left brass. Usually it's all or nothing! Six coats man!!! You weren't fooling around were you? Must have been some fun getting it off.

Nice restoration. Did you do the new lacquer? Are you set up to do that?

My "baby shoes" lives on in several other horns all over North America. Tromnipotent!

Steve

A.N.A.Mendez · Posted: Tue Dec 08, 2009 7:30 am Post subject:

Nice work!
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rolling360 · Posted: Tue Dec 08, 2009 8:01 am Post subject:

Here's mine!

KansasTrumpet · Posted: Tue Dec 08, 2009 9:22 am Post subject:

Capt.Kirk · Heavyweight Member Joined: 24 Feb 2009 Posts: 5792

I am sure I would have done a flame job on my Bach Mercedes if I thought I could have gotten away with it! LOL
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hansonsf · Heavyweight Member Joined: 11 Jun 2006 Posts: 670

Hey! Someone down at Conn-Selmer must have seen your horn back when!

Whoa Black Connie!!! Wham ba lam ba lam!!!

plp · Posted: Wed Dec 09, 2009 8:21 am Post subject: