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bnbechtel
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Joined: 26 Oct 2021
Posts: 66
Location: US
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 Posted: Wed Nov 03, 2021 12:56 pm Post subject: Getzen Super Deluxe cornet ramble : ) |
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So, I'm a comeback player, but I played for years on a Bach Strad 37 reverse leadpipe (lightweight body.) I was in high school / college playing that horn, and I always felt like my sound was a bit abrupt and strident in the upper register. Who knows why? It could have been anything. It's probably down to the shape of my lips, or my lip position. Sold the Bach to pay rent when I was being a poet in Denver.
Going off of comments on this board, I picked up a couple of inexpensive vintage horns this week from eBay. One was a Conn Victor 80A.
The other is a 1950s Getzen Super Deluxe Tone Balanced cornet.
What can I say? It's a nice horn. It has very unique styling. It has a lightweight bell, so I think it responds quickly to attacks and so forth. The valves look different from a Strad, I think they look shinier, for certain. Glassy.
Honestly, I think using the same mouthpiece (a Curry 3VC) I end up sounding pretty similar on the 80A or a Getzen SD if I try to produce the same kind of sound. I'm trying to A/B the horns. Obviously, they respond differently, and I guess you have to adjust how you blow to play any given note. I'd say the 80A sounds more open, and if I play softly, has a breathy quality that I can bring out, but it's like the Getzen just responds with full tone immediately. Well, I can sort of do breathy, but not like on the 80A. I can really feel the bell respond to everything. The 80A, it's awesome because it's so heavy, you have to push to get loud, but when you do, I think it's louder than the Getzen, though the Getzen has some high end sparkle that might help it project. I don't know.
I guess 2006 was the last time I played a Strad, buy I think the old, "intermediate" Getzen SD is a very fine instrument, especially for $125. (Okay, it had a slight wrinkle in the bell that will cost $50 to get out.)
My Strad was the first year they came out with the reverse leadpipe, I think. When you pulled the tuning slide out, there was just an unfinished line of bare brass; it looked messy. My friend got a 43 reverse leadpipe, and it had an ending on there so it didn't look unfinished. Soon after I got my Strad, I discovered a pit in the third valve that my instructor had me use toothpaste to smooth out. I always kind of felt like I got a bum horn. Bought it from WWBW. Didn't know enough to send it back. Alas, it must have been a bad Bach. Valves on this Getzen look nicer than the Strad's ever did.
So anyway, I like the Getzen; the fit and finish on it and the 80A actually seem higher quality (kind of reading an estimation of original condition into this) but then again, I wasn't a professional, and I'm not sure what a pro would think.
Oh, damn! Now I remember. My teacher really wanted my parents to spring for a more expensive Canadian Brass horn, which was made by Getzen. Had to go with Bach, though. Getzen has nicer valves! Geez.
I'm turning into someone who favors vintage horns, it does appear. |
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romajore
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Joined: 17 Nov 2001
Posts: 78
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| Posted: Wed Nov 03, 2021 1:16 pm Post subject: |
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| I own 1950s versions of both those horns, along with way too many others according to my wife. The Getzen valves are shinier because they are nickel plated vs the more common monel. Both horns are fun to play. Enjoy them! |
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bnbechtel
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Joined: 26 Oct 2021
Posts: 66
Location: US
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| Posted: Thu Nov 04, 2021 6:12 am Post subject: |
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| romajore wrote: | | I own 1950s versions of both those horns, along with way too many others according to my wife. The Getzen valves are shinier because they are nickel plated vs the more common monel. Both horns are fun to play. Enjoy them! |
Ah. Thank you. I am doing a lot of recording, A/B-ing the two horns, and while neither is magical (I still sound like me, unfortunately) I think I hear more low-mid frequencies coming out of the Conn. I'm trying to decide which to concentrate my efforts on, and I'm in love with the 80A, but the Getzen might be giving me better tone around the top of the staff. But I can't put the Conn down.
It might be time for me to find a trumpet instructor locally who can listen to me and give me advice. Of course, that's a gamble because there are so many sounds you can go for.
(Everyone else I have to test with says: "Sounds like a trumpet" and can't tell an audible difference in different horns.) Trumpet players might be the only people who can discern, as connoisseurs.
If anything, I'm having more fun than I've had in years. I played for about six hours yesterday, overall.
Sincerely,
Brent |
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Patrick Hasselbank
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Joined: 02 Aug 2021
Posts: 49
Location: German
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| Posted: Tue Nov 09, 2021 11:37 pm Post subject: |
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| romajore wrote: | | I own 1950s versions of both those horns, along with way too many others according to my wife. The Getzen valves are shinier because they are nickel plated vs the more common monel. Both horns are fun to play. Enjoy them! |
Hello is it possible to find and buy such rare horns?
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OldSchoolEuph
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Joined: 07 Apr 2012
Posts: 2440
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| Posted: Wed Nov 10, 2021 6:00 am Post subject: |
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| Patrick Hasselbank wrote: | | romajore wrote: | | I own 1950s versions of both those horns, along with way too many others according to my wife. The Getzen valves are shinier because they are nickel plated vs the more common monel. Both horns are fun to play. Enjoy them! |
Hello is it possible to find and buy such rare horns? |
Getzen Super-Deluxe trumpets and cornets appear regularly on EBay - usually in need of body work (the one at the bottom of this post was $50 with a crushed bell now roughly reshaped). Conn Victor cornets such as the 80A are also frequently found on EBay, typically in well worn condition, though full restorations of these are a little more common.
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Ron Berndt
www.trumpet-history.com
2017 Austin Winds Stage 466
1962 Mt. Vernon Bach 43
1954 Holton 49 Stratodyne
1927 Conn 22B
1957 Holton 27 cornet
1985 Yamaha YEP-621
1975 Yamaha YEP-321 Custom
1965 Besson Baritone
1975 Olds Recording R-20 |
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bnbechtel
Regular Member
Joined: 26 Oct 2021
Posts: 66
Location: US
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| Posted: Wed Nov 10, 2021 6:56 am Post subject: |
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| OldSchoolEuph wrote: | | Patrick Hasselbank wrote: | | romajore wrote: | | I own 1950s versions of both those horns, along with way too many others according to my wife. The Getzen valves are shinier because they are nickel plated vs the more common monel. Both horns are fun to play. Enjoy them! |
Hello is it possible to find and buy such rare horns? |
Getzen Super-Deluxe trumpets and cornets appear regularly on EBay - usually in need of body work (the one at the bottom of this post was $50 with a crushed bell now roughly reshaped). Conn Victor cornets such as the 80A are also frequently found on EBay, typically in well worn condition, though full restorations of these are a little more common.
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I picked up my Getzen Super Deluxe cornet (50s) from eBay with a small bell wrinkle for $125. The pictures and description were very poor, so I was able to get it at a good price. I am having trouble playing mine compared to my 80A; I think I may be overblowing, or the mouthpiece isn't a good match. The slots are in different locations and I have to think very narrow and straight ahead. I think it is a very unique looking horn, and really like it, so I'm going to figure out a way to play it. The spit valves and extra bling are just perfect. Not a broad tone like the 80A, I really am befuddled at how small I sound by comparison, but it seems like it projects with a sweet tone above the staff.
Mine doesn't need major surgery to restore it, but I may have to find a mouthpiece with a longer shank or something. |
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bnbechtel
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Joined: 26 Oct 2021
Posts: 66
Location: US
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| Posted: Wed Nov 10, 2021 10:03 am Post subject: |
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| Patrick Hasselbank wrote: | | romajore wrote: | | I own 1950s versions of both those horns, along with way too many others according to my wife. The Getzen valves are shinier because they are nickel plated vs the more common monel. Both horns are fun to play. Enjoy them! |
Hello is it possible to find and buy such rare horns? |
I got mine a week and a half ago on eBay for $125. They are not super rare, I don't think, but the listings on Reverb typically want $350 for one with a damaged leadpipe and a bent receiver, so I would periodically check eBay as a best bet.
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deleted_user_687c31b
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Joined: 03 Apr 1996
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| Posted: Wed Nov 10, 2021 12:10 pm Post subject: |
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| OldSchoolEuph wrote: | |
That one looks awesome! |
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OldSchoolEuph
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Joined: 07 Apr 2012
Posts: 2440
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| Posted: Wed Nov 10, 2021 12:23 pm Post subject: |
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| hibidogrulez wrote: | | OldSchoolEuph wrote: | |
That one looks awesome! |
Thanks - it could use more work though - s a lot nicer than when I got it with the bell going sideways and the crumpled middle of the flare sticking out an inch further than where the crunched garland/rim resided
_________________
Ron Berndt
www.trumpet-history.com
2017 Austin Winds Stage 466
1962 Mt. Vernon Bach 43
1954 Holton 49 Stratodyne
1927 Conn 22B
1957 Holton 27 cornet
1985 Yamaha YEP-621
1975 Yamaha YEP-321 Custom
1965 Besson Baritone
1975 Olds Recording R-20 |
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Halflip
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Joined: 09 Jan 2003
Posts: 1918
Location: WI
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| Posted: Wed Nov 10, 2021 1:13 pm Post subject: |
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| Didn't these have some kind of complicated valve mechanism that featured little rollers serving as valve guides? |
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OldSchoolEuph
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Posts: 2440
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| Posted: Thu Nov 11, 2021 5:03 am Post subject: |
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| Halflip wrote: | | Didn't these have some kind of complicated valve mechanism that featured little rollers serving as valve guides? |
The cornet I showed has what appear to be fairly normal bottom-sprung pistons except that there is a hole in each piston below the guide block that might have once held a small roller wheel of some sort. Whatever was there, it does not seem to be necessary to the operation of the valves.
_________________
Ron Berndt
www.trumpet-history.com
2017 Austin Winds Stage 466
1962 Mt. Vernon Bach 43
1954 Holton 49 Stratodyne
1927 Conn 22B
1957 Holton 27 cornet
1985 Yamaha YEP-621
1975 Yamaha YEP-321 Custom
1965 Besson Baritone
1975 Olds Recording R-20 |
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Halflip
Heavyweight Member
Joined: 09 Jan 2003
Posts: 1918
Location: WI
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| Posted: Thu Nov 11, 2021 7:32 am Post subject: |
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| OldSchoolEuph wrote: | | The cornet I showed has what appear to be fairly normal bottom-sprung pistons except that there is a hole in each piston below the guide block that might have once held a small roller wheel of some sort. Whatever was there, it does not seem to be necessary to the operation of the valves. |
I wouldn't be surprised if people made a practice of taking them out. From what I have heard, unless they were adjusted just right, they did nothing but interfere with the valve action. |
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