A horn you feel is clearly superior to an Eterna Severinsen

HornnOOb · Posted: Sat Mar 12, 2016 5:37 pm Post subject:

The Severinsen Eterna is a fairly free-blowing paint-peeler and tends towards the brighter sound. It would make a nearly perfect big band / lead type trumpet. When compared to a more Bachish sound, the Eterna seems slightly less refined -- perhaps a bit on the brash side. A Bach strad in comparison offers a richer, more full bodied sound quality.

If you want a great lead horn with laser-like projection, the Getzen Eterna Severinsen Model is a great choice. Especially for the money. There are currently a couple on E-bay in the $480.00-$545.00 range.

I have discovered that my Severinsen Destino 3 * is a very pleasant melding of the attributes of the Severinsen Eterna and a nice bach Strad. The open lower register on the Destino is to be played to be believed.
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chuck in ny · Posted: Sun Mar 13, 2016 6:53 am Post subject:

haven't played or even seen one but relying on reviews you could get happy with several of the shires models, stuff from oakes, scodwell, adams, eclipse, carol, and a dozen other outfits.
blowing is a tricky business and it depends on the player. bring your favorite horn and A/B it against the stiff competition out there.
there's been some progress and time and history since getzen produced back in the day. IMO you can do better, whether you need to is a personal decision.

cyber_shake · Heavyweight Member Joined: 16 Jan 2006 Posts: 769

I played everything I could get my hands on at the time, and simply found the SEV was my favorite, so I bought one in 1976 and enjoyed every minute playing it until 2004. The Romeo Adaci Referenz captured my heart in 2004 and my Adams A4 LT-S now is my favorite. I sold the SEV, but have nothing but good memories and a positive impression of that horn. I agree that it's ability to cut-through the section in jazz band or marching band is one of the strengths of the SEV.
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spach · Posted: Sun Mar 13, 2016 10:14 pm Post subject:

Really informative posts in this thread. This may be a bit off tack, but I vaguely remembered reading somewhere that Doc really liked the early Besson Meha, and found a reference to that on Trumpet Masters. So, I suspect the sound he looked for in his horns was much like the sound of those early horns.
Another interesting aside (mentioned on the abel site - http://abel.hive.no/trompet/playerhorn/ ) is that Doc gave one of his Severinsen-Akright Bel Canto horns to Maurice Murphy. Whether Maurice played this horn while with the London Philharmonic isn't clear.
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John Mohan · Posted: Sat Sep 23, 2017 12:15 pm Post subject: Re: Doc and Getzen

cbtj51 · Posted: Sun Sep 24, 2017 9:58 am Post subject:

I had the opportunity to play a Getzen Severinsen for about a year when I was playing 1st Trumpet in an Army Band back in the early 70s. I also had a Holton MF Horn in Green Lacquer for a field test Demo on loan from a local Music Store as well as my personal Benge 5x, so a very nice selection to choose from. As I recall, I used the Severinsen almost exclusively for outdoor performances. It made light work of cutting thru the band. I did use it a little for indoor performances but my personal Benge got most of that. So many great horns back in the day! A lot like today!!!
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Dan O'Donnell · Heavyweight Member Joined: 01 Jan 2005 Posts: 2287

Doc had Getzen use a Bach 72 bell.
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Crazy Finn · Posted: Sun Sep 24, 2017 2:22 pm Post subject:

I always thought it was a 37-style bell.

The new Shires Destino seems like one, though I don't have any special info.
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Craig Swartz · Posted: Sun Sep 24, 2017 3:44 pm Post subject:

To the OP- for the mixed bag I end up playing on Bb, my Schilke B3L. I also have a beryllium X3 bell for it as well. It's free blowing, slots well, quite flexible, comfortable at all the dynamic levels I can handle and works well in "concert" and commercial venues. And the pistons always go up and down- man, Ren got that alloy right 50 years ago.

DickieG64 · Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2017 6:39 am Post subject:

In the mid 70s I played first trumpet in a regional symphony in Springfield Illinois that was filled out with instructors from the University of Illinois and the St. Louis Symphony. We did a fund raiser concert with Doc as the guest soloist. He brought with him Ross Tomkins and a bass player and drummer. Doc played and conducted on the second half of the program.

Doc came down from the dressing room at intermission. When I met him I noticed he was carrying a Bach trumpet. I asked Doc why he was playing a Bach instead of the Getzen. Doc"s response was that he set the Getzen on the wing of the small plane they came in on and it fell off. So he had to play his back up which was a Bach. I didn't really buy it, but who knows. I assume he played the Bach for Symphony gigs.

One more quick story--During the program Ross had a cadenza- like piano solo in one of the pieces. He started pretty simply and then got into a very complicated fugue. In the end it resolved to just one note. Doc looked at him
and smiled. Ross looked at Doc with a smile and shrugged his shoulders. I still get goose bumps when I think about that solo.

Buy the way, Doc played great that night.

Dick G.
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John Mohan · Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2017 8:04 am Post subject:

Dan O'Donnell · Heavyweight Member Joined: 01 Jan 2005 Posts: 2287

Regarding the accuracy of my Bach 72 bell statement...let's just say that if Doc is the #1 accurate source; my source was #2...

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"Praise Him with the sound of the Trumpet:..."
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kehaulani · Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2017 10:46 am Post subject:

Rod Haney · Heavyweight Member Joined: 22 Aug 2015 Posts: 937

In order
Either of my solar bell eclipse or Any eclipse I've played
My Lawler c7 silver
My 52 Holton Strat
My 67 King Silver Flair
There are a few more but I always thought these were vastly superior.
Same with the new Shires.
?? Just me maybe
Rod

kehaulani · Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2017 11:10 am Post subject:

Vastly superior?!
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Rod Haney · Heavyweight Member Joined: 22 Aug 2015 Posts: 937

In the case of the Eclipse's and the Lawler yes vastly would be my word. For the Holton and King noticeably better. I've had a lot of horns in the past 3 years but not one Getzen or Bach they just didn't have "my sound". I don't have a thing against Getzen and would like to support a US company first and I love my Lawler which uses quite a few Getzen parts but has a much better sound to me. Yeah the eclipse is good enough that I paid 2x what the new Lawler cost and feel it's a bargain ( but it does have a solid silver Andy Taylor bell on it too!). I tried everything at ITG this year and nothing even came close to my 10 yr old Eclipse. I can only say try one! Even their lower cost trumpet the Celeste was better than all the others to me. Granted the Lower cost model is around 3k. Try one I think you will agree it's super easy to play and has huge sound , noticeably better.
Rod

Vin DiBona · Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2017 1:53 pm Post subject:

I just took a look at the October 2000 ITG profile on Doc.
Doc loved the bell on his 1927 Bach s/n 650. The valves were shot and he had Bach himself replace the valves. From that vintage, it is not likely it had a 72 bell.
That is the horn he took to Getzen and later to Dick Akright to copy. He was satisfied with the Akright horns with their modified Bach 25 pipe and old Bach bell style. Akright became too busy to keep up the pace and couldn't find the skilled workers they needed.
Doc noted that he would play different horns on occasion such as his old Bachs and old Bessons but never played on a horn he didn't like.
The old BachLoyalist website seems gone or we might know what bells came from the 20s.
I've played a few Getzen Severinsen models and found them quite good, although not exactly what I would choose as an all-around horn.
R. Tomasek

blbaumgarn · Heavyweight Member Joined: 26 Jul 2017 Posts: 705

This is one of those topics among, particularly older trumpeters, that is akin to holding a load of plutonium approaching critical mass and having your finger on the switch. The destruction could be devastating! Knowing how horn players are staunchly attached to horns. My experience with a "doc" horn was late sixties where I could go borrow one anytime I wanted to play it, as I had a Conn 36b and I liked the Getzen better. I got to play an Eterna cornet in symphonic band in college, so I would argue that Getzen valves are the standard and it is a ways back to second place. Having said that and probably thrown more gas on the fire. The only trumpets I loved more than playing the Getzen Doc or cornet are my 73 Benge, and an occasional Schilke. I thought my Benge was a rocket ship capable of space travel and loved the Schilke cause Bill Chase played one. I had tickets to hear him at the Jackson County Fairgrounds in '74 about 30 miles from where I lived at the time, but he died tragically. The "Doc" Eterna was the first trumpet that ever let me do things out on the edge so they are still worth every penny. I just started playing again, at 67 after 18 years off and I know I will never hit double high C again, but I am looking at a couple vintage Benges and a Getzen Proteus, which is from there Eterna line. Whatever your choice from the past, there are many, many great manufacturers out there now. I wish everyone joy with the music and good playing.

kehaulani · Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2017 7:53 am Post subject:

Bud, is my reading of your response dealing with only sound? If it is, doesn't that have more to do with apples and oranges than with "good" or "bad"?
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nieuwguyski · Posted: Thu Sep 28, 2017 12:45 am Post subject: