Besson 1000

[TrumpetPlaya97]

I want to know if this Besson 1000 I found would be good for a 1st chair highschool player and eventually colllege player.
https://m.ebay.com/itm/Besson-London-1000-Silver-Plated-Bb-Trumpet-w-Case-/182698221964?hash=item2a89a9a18c%3Ag%3A0M0AAOSwvv9ZgYzX&_trkparms=pageci%253A64fe638f-b6d2-11e7-9636-74dbd1801eda%257Cparentrq%253A41f428c115f0a861cae20075ffff2e47%257Ciid%253A5

[Andy Del]

To be pretty brutal, no. It looks like a student horn, and Besson doesn't have a great reputation, apart from some instruments made in the ~1980's by Kanstul.

You'd be better served by a more mainstream instrument.

cheers

Andy
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so many horns, so few good notes...

[AJCarter]

I'm going to vehemently disagree with you, Andy.

I had one of these in high school and used it for a couple years in college before I bought a used, 1980 Strad 37. They were not equal horns, but this did the job fine! there were no issues in build, response, or tuning that would stop me from telling a student to get one if it's what they had to buy due to financial issues.

Plus it will make a good back up horn when you do get a professional one.
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(List horns here)

[Robert P]

I have one. I first encountered one in the pre-owned section at a local music store and out of curiosity gave it a try. I liked it. They wanted more than I wanted to spend on an impulse purchase of a horn I didn't need so I waited for one to show up on Ebay.

I'd say it would be fine. Has plenty of potential for very good sound - I don't think you'll sound any better on a Strad. Intonation is fine. I'd play it on a gig without hesitation. I'm going to assume Andy above hasn't actually played one and is being cautious based on experiences with off the beaten path horns.

However, I'll add some caveats. I feel like the one I have sounds like the one I tried previously - that is very good, however the valves on the one I got on Ebay aren't as slick as the one I tried in the store. The first valve in particular was a bit iffy even though the horn is in very pristine condition, it obviously doesn't have a lot of miles on it. I've hit them multiple times with toothpaste lapping which has improved them a lot. Maybe manufacturing inconsistencies? The valves on the one you're looking at may not have any issues.

IMO the price they're asking is a little high if not obscenely so. It's in decent shape and $360 isn't a huge amount of money but besides the ding in the bell he mentions, looking closely you can see at least three others on the leadpipe. It's going to cost something to take them out if you're inclined to do so. And there aren't clear pics of the various bends where dents happen a lot. If you look at "Completed Items" you'll find some in good condition that have sold for less. I paid considerably less for the one I have that's probably in better condition.
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Getzen Eterna Severinsen
King Silver Flair
Besson 1000
Bundy
Chinese C

Getzen Eterna Bb/A piccolo
Chinese Rotary Bb/A piccolo

Chinese Flugel

[BobD]

Isn't that a Kanstul insignia over the Besson name?
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Adams/ACB collaborative
Yamaha Shew Jazz and Bach 7C

[Robert P]

[GordonH]

The Besson 1000 series were made in India but in a factory that belonged to Besson. It was set up as a joint venture with an Indian company in order to meet their legal requirements and the factory itself was set up by Boehm & Meinl using some tooling that had come from the UK part of Besson. I have never played the trumpet but the 1000 series cornet was surprisingly good. It felt like an older style cornet but was good for what it cost to buy.
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Bb - Scherzer 8218W, Schilke S22, Bach 43, Selmer 19A Balanced
Pic - Weril
Flugel - Courtois 154
Cornet - Geneva Heritage, Conn 28A
Mouthpieces - Monette 1-5 rims and similar.

Licensed Radio Amateur - GM4SVM

[shofar]

Andy;

Where on earth do you get the idea that Besson doesn't have a good reputation. The pre-war French Besson Meha and Bravette where some of the best horns ever made, and used by many all over Europe and the United states.

They were also the horns that Benge and also Bach initially designed their horns from. The Meha was one of the most gorgeous sounding horns ever made.

My private teacher, Ralph Scaffidi, work for Boosey & Hawks that distributed these horns in the states. He also played the Meha and was the lead player on the Ed Sullivan Show and did 27 live radio shows every week in NY before retiring and moving to SoCal.

Roger Lloyd Wood
MD BattleOfTheBigBands.com
Private lessons
screamin_raptor@mac.com

[ghelbig]

[Crazy Finn]