Reynolds Argenta Cornet

plankowner110 · Heavyweight Member Joined: 12 Jun 2003 Posts: 3620

A friend has a Reynolds Argenta cornet from the 60s. It is nickel-silver finish, has a first slide trigger, and is shaped (configured) just like a King master model cornet. Is anyone familiar with this model instrument? Where was it positioned in the Reynolds product line? etc. Thanks.
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Gilligan · Posted: Mon May 01, 2006 5:06 pm Post subject:

The Argenta is one of Reynolds very best of the best. It's still considered as one of the best playing professional American cornets around. Post a couple of pictures if you can!!
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Gill

nacog · Veteran Member Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 232

The argenta is a very cool horn. Made entirely of nickle silver , it has a unique tone (I've owned an Argenta trumpet but not the cornet) and was just below the Contempora. Don't see many come up.

tom turner · Posted: Mon May 01, 2006 8:52 pm Post subject:

Yes,

The Argenta is basically a version of the Contempora cornet, except in nickle-silver. Both came in "MB" and "LB" bore sizes (.458 and .463). The large bore version is wonderful. It sold for only slightly less than the Contempora (which was constructed of brass).

Both horns are indeed in the HN White/King "Master" wrap style, which isn't surprising . . . as Foster Reynolds was a key designer at King before starting his own company!!!

The Argenta was only made for a few years late in the Reynolds production. Mine is a 1961 LB model, just like the one I fell in love with in the early sixties after playing one and getting totally blown away with how wonderful it blew and played.

I've been promising the Contempora Cornet webmaster that I'd shoot some good photos of my horn . . . and haven't been able to yet . . . and this reminds me yet again. Here's one photo of it though. Mine has the optional 1st valve trigger:

Double click on the photo for an enlargement.

My apologies for the poor shot. I didn't even wipe it down! It's nicer than it looks in the photo.

Mine has a wonderful sound and a very singing, easy high register. It is pictured with the Reynolds mouthpiece too. They are rare today because:

1. They were made near the end of the company's life
2. Reynolds never tried to build tons of horns . . . just real fine ones
3. They were top-of-the-line horns, which added to their rarity.

The best ones were made in the Cleveland years.

It took me years before I found this one.

Sincerely,

Tom Turner

PS: I just returned from a Georgia Big Band rehearsal. One of the bone players is a huge Reynolds fan. His legit horn is his yellow brass Contempora from '56. It has a rich, dark classical tone. His jazz bone is his Argenta trombone, from '59. With it's nickle-silver construction the Argenta is brighter and cuts more as a jazz horn.

Robert Rowe · Posted: Tue May 02, 2006 3:01 am Post subject:

tom turner --

Viewing the photo-image of your horn, I took a closer look at the removable 3rd-slide finger-ring. It definitely has an "upsweep" (?). Is this original?

The reason I ask, is that I have a small, but growing "stash" of 3rd-slide finger-rings, most of which I have no idea the source, for identification. Obviously, the Martin Committee 'rings are distincive enough to be easily identified ( ... and no, they aren't for sale. Sorry.).

In-any-case, I have a finger-ring exactly like the one on your Argenta, and use it on a Martin Fluegelhorn, which seems to be the one most suited (and comfortable).

Robt
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"Wisdom takes forever to acquire; and when that occurs, no-one else wants to know ...." (R. Rowe, 20th-21st C. Hominid)

tom turner · Posted: Tue May 02, 2006 9:39 am Post subject:

Yep, its original.

The adjustable third valve rings are a great idea that should be installed on all serious trumpets.

Custom, hand-made trumpets were pretty rare decades ago. They were built for a specific individual and fixed third valve rings fit them perfectly.

Unfortunately, for the past 40 years . . . after a certain mass-production company bought out a tiny maker of custom trumpets and went to makin' 'em in mass quantities, suddenly the fixed ring became "THE THING TO HAVE" on top horns.

So, today a good majority of folks have to struggle a little to make their third valve ring work for them. After a while that person forgets it isn't even in the optimum place for him/her.

The side-mounted Reynolds adjustable ring that was on their better cornets and trumpets allowed the person to properly grip the horn as low to the top of the third valve slide assembly as a fixed ring . . . and also be adjustable.

It was, and is, a great idea.

Unfortunately now . . . a middle schooler lusts for the day he can go get his step up, "pro" horn . . . and one way youngsters see someone's horn and consider it a pro horn is by the FIXED third valve ring that doesn't fit small, short hands of a growning kid.

Hmmmmmmm . . .

It's one of those times when the wrong thing is done, for the wrong reason to produce a poorer result . . . just to look "cool."

Sincerely,

Tom Turner

nextbrassguy · Heavyweight Member Joined: 21 Oct 2003 Posts: 1428

plankowner110 · Heavyweight Member Joined: 12 Jun 2003 Posts: 3620

Gilligan, nacop, and Tom:
Thank you for your replies and your expertise on the Reynolds Argenta cornet. A father of one of my band students owns the Argenta and he has not played it since high school in the early sixties. He's a great guy, and he offered to give it to me, but I don't think I can accept it knowing that it has some value. Any estimates on a fair price?
Bill
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C. G. Conn 60B Super Connstellation
Getzen 800S Eterna cornet
Bach 5C (Jens Lindemann is right)
https://www.trumpetherald.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=26763

nextbrassguy · Heavyweight Member Joined: 21 Oct 2003 Posts: 1428

For some time, Dillon Music has had an Argenta (listed as silver plate, not nickel-silver) listed for $395. It has Amado water keys. Take the off retail mark-up and the cost of adding the Amado water keys, and I'm thinking $275-300 would be in the ballpark.

Irving · Heavyweight Member Joined: 11 Feb 2003 Posts: 1887

Actually Tom, The Argenta was only produced in large bore. But, when Reynolds moved from Cleveland to Abilene, the bore size of the Argenta expanded to .468, at least in the trumpet version. If anybody has an Abilene Argenta, it would be interesting to know what the bore size measures.

Big C · Posted: Sat May 14, 2022 5:49 pm Post subject:

Semi-interesting anecdote about the Argenta. I'm posting this in 2022, but this story begins in early 2006, shortly before this thread began.

My dad, when he was a kid, played the althorn (similar to baritone?) at his church, mostly funeral parades. He remembered enough to where, when I started trumpet in the 4th grade, he could teach me the C scale, but that was about it.

He passed away at 86, in December of 2005, with me as his only relative left in the direct line. Thus, it fell on me to go through everything in his house. There was a lot of stuff; I took it room by room. There was a LOT of stuff in the basement. The absolute very last thing I got to was a case, almost like a trumpet case, but a bit smaller. I open it up and, low and behold, there's a cornet. Yes, a Reynolds Argenta... and in great shape.

I have absolutely no idea how it got there, or why my dad never said anything about it (as he knew all too well that I played trumpet).

Well, I ended up moving back to the house (where I grew up). The cornet has been displayed in our dining room ever since. I play it sometimes!
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'59 Reynolds Argenta cornet