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Custom Kanstul Besson



 
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yourbrass
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Joined: 12 Jun 2011
Posts: 3619
Location: Pacifica, CA, USA

PostPosted: Wed Jan 13, 2021 7:27 pm    Post subject: Custom Kanstul Besson Reply with quote

One of the few silver linings of the pandemic has been the time created by the slowdown in the repair business. By that I mean I've been able to get to some project horns that have lain around for years.

This could be called a frankenhorn, but at least it has a theme:

https://lionelemde.smugmug.com/Custom-Kanstul-Besson/i-SqGM2fJ/A

The valve section and slides are from a Besson International made by Mr. Kanstul in the 1980's. The bell was destroyed by a careless child and the father ended up giving me the remainder. Four of the five braces holding the bell to the horn are from a French Besson from the 50's that was a parts horn on my garage wall. The original leadpipe was rotted out and its replacement is of unknown origin - it just plays good on the horn.

The most interesting part is the bell. It was made by Mr. Kanstul's workers as a replacement for an old Besson belonging to Jack King. He played first trumpet at the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco for Ernie Heckscher for many years and literally wore the horn out.

After my friend and colleague Larry Souza sent the bell to Kanstul, he called and expressed an interest in it, saying that he had never seen this particular taper and flair on a Besson bell. He wanted a copy for himself, and made the bell gratis for Jack's horn. It's reminiscent of a Benge 2X, tight throat and fast flair at the end.

So here are more pictures of my put-together:

https://www.smugmug.com/app/organize/Custom-Kanstul-Besson

How does it play? With a shallow mouthpiece, it's super bright, almost too much. With my ACB MV3, it has a rounder sound. I'm enjoying playing it.
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Winghorn
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Joined: 07 Apr 2006
Posts: 2156
Location: Olympia, Washington

PostPosted: Wed Jan 13, 2021 7:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

That is a handsome instrument!
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HaveTrumpetWillTravel
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Joined: 30 Jan 2018
Posts: 1019
Location: East Asia

PostPosted: Wed Jan 13, 2021 9:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Beautiful!
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Kumara999
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Joined: 11 Mar 2019
Posts: 137
Location: Nova Scotia, Canada

PostPosted: Thu Jan 14, 2021 4:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Beautiful restoration work.
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yourbrass
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Joined: 12 Jun 2011
Posts: 3619
Location: Pacifica, CA, USA

PostPosted: Sat Jan 22, 2022 11:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just thought I'd put a coda on this post. I found the original bell hanging on the wall of the shop from which Mr. Kanstul's workers made a copy.



At the top above the trademark is the stamp:
"Gus Maiwald Agent
Seattle Wash"

I did some online searching and this turned up:

In the “MUSIC TRADE REVIEW” dated “San Francisco, Cal., Feb. 2, 1907,” the following notice was posted:
“Gus. Maiwald, a maker of band instruments,
who suffered a total loss in the San Francisco
fire, has opened a store and workshop at 817 Pike
street, Seattle, Wash., and has secured the agency
for the Besson band instruments.”

So it's reasonable to assume this bell was from 1907 or later, especially given that the last Grand Prix listed on it was "Liege 1905" Mr. Kanstul's replica Besson stamp has 6 Grands Prix. If anyone has a bell with the fourth one listed, the date of manufacture could be narrowed further.

Here's a photo of the original and the copy:



This is a two-piece bell, although it's done in a really different way:


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"Strive for tone." -John Coppola
Edwards X-13
ACB MV3C /ACB A1/26 backbore
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quikv6
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Joined: 15 Oct 2004
Posts: 219
Location: NYC

PostPosted: Sun Jan 23, 2022 2:33 am    Post subject: medals Reply with quote

The next Medal would be Bruxelles 1910
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yourbrass
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Joined: 12 Jun 2011
Posts: 3619
Location: Pacifica, CA, USA

PostPosted: Sun Jan 23, 2022 9:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thank you very much, so we can assume it was made between 1907 and 1910, roughly.
-Lionel
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yourbrass
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Joined: 12 Jun 2011
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Location: Pacifica, CA, USA

PostPosted: Sun Jan 23, 2022 9:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hope I'm not boring people, but this sh#t fascinates me:

"BAND instruments; F. Besson, Paris, maker; Gus Maiwald, Agt. Pac. Coast,
278 O'Farrell (St.); skillful repairing; 2d-hand instruments sold."

This is a classified ad that appeared in the San Francisco Call between June and December 1903. There was also an obit for his wife, Anna Maiwald, who died in October 1901 at the age of 36, and was a native of Germany.
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"Strive for tone." -John Coppola
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ACB MV3C /ACB A1/26 backbore
https://yourbrass.com/
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cbtj51
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Joined: 24 Nov 2015
Posts: 722
Location: SE US

PostPosted: Sun Jan 23, 2022 12:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks Lionel!

That is a great looking horn! Boring? Never! Posts like this is one of my favourite aspects of TH!


Mike
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'71 LA Benge 5X Bb
'72 LA Benge D/Eb
'76 Bach CL 229/25A C
‘92 Bach 37 Bb
'98 Getzen 895S Flugelhorn
'00 Bach 184 Cornet
'02 Yamaha 8335RGS
'16 Bach NY 7
'16 XO 1700RS Piccolo
Reeves 41 Rimmed Mouthpieces
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yourbrass
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Joined: 12 Jun 2011
Posts: 3619
Location: Pacifica, CA, USA

PostPosted: Sun Feb 13, 2022 9:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

A 1920's Besson came into the shop for repair and I took this photo to compare the taper and flair of the bell with the Kanstul-copied Besson bell:



Hopefully it's apparent from the photo that there is a large difference from the 1907-10 design versus the early 1920's. The silver plated bell has a smaller diameter and taper, until the point where the brace ends by the trademark. It flares suddenly out to the rim. The lacquered bell taper is larger and smoother until the final flair to the rim.

I hope to see more horns from the pre-WWI period to check the bell design - this was an innovative maker who was copied by almost everyone later.
_________________
"Strive for tone." -John Coppola
Edwards X-13
ACB MV3C /ACB A1/26 backbore
https://yourbrass.com/
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cbtj51
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Joined: 24 Nov 2015
Posts: 722
Location: SE US

PostPosted: Sun Feb 13, 2022 10:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Beautiful! If it plays as well as it looks, you've got a great horn there!

Mike
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'71 LA Benge 5X Bb
'72 LA Benge D/Eb
'76 Bach CL 229/25A C
‘92 Bach 37 Bb
'98 Getzen 895S Flugelhorn
'00 Bach 184 Cornet
'02 Yamaha 8335RGS
'16 Bach NY 7
'16 XO 1700RS Piccolo
Reeves 41 Rimmed Mouthpieces
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View user's profile Send private message
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