Gretsch Pathfinder cornet

[rhatheway]

I just purchased a true antique cornet (or at least what I'd call an antique) for a crazy low price. It's an old Gretsch Pathfinder cornet. I was looking for a cornet case and it came with the case when I bought it. I figured the horn wouldn't work, but son-of-a-gun it does! Other than one dent in the bell it's in really good shape, so now I'm going to tear it apart and give it a thorough cleaning and re-lubricating and then put it back together and see what it sounds like. Has anyone played one of these cornets and have any input on how they sound, intonation, ease of playing, that type of thing?

The thing is, I haven't been able to find much information on these old Gretsch cornets. Gretsch is a guitar maker now and they started making cornets in 1915, but that's about all I know (I found that info on brasshistory.net). I haven't been able to find any definitive info on serial numbers to date this horn, but the guy I bought it from told me it was a 1930s cornet, so that makes it potentially close to 100 years old.

So..., does anyone know where I can find out more info about dating this horn?

Also, one last questions, on another thread here on TH someone made the comment that "...all Gretsch trumpets were stencils." I assume that means they were made by someone else and then labeled as a Gretsch? If so, is there a way to find out who really made the horn?

So..., other than brasshistory.net, does anyone know where I can find out more info about this horn?
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Richard H
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Working on getting my chops back...

“Without music, life would be a mistake” ― Friedrich Nietzsche

1968 Getzen Eterna Severinsen
1958 Conn Director 14A

[ConnArtist]

A quick search on horn-u-copia turned this up. They are a pretty good resource and have email as well. You might sirve some time doing a detailed gewgle-based search constrained to their domain and see what else pops up


https://www.horn-u-copia.net/Reference/display.php?thisrec=%20250
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"Stomvi" PhrankenPhlugel w/ Blessing copper bell
1958 Conn 18A cornet
1962 Conn 9A cornet (yes, the Unicorn )
Reynolds Onyx cornet
c. 1955? Besson 10-10 trumpet
1939 Martin Imperial Handcraft “Model 37”
1986 Bach Strad 37 ML

[rhatheway]

[Man Of Constant Sorrow]

I have a Gretsch Pathfinder TRUMPET.

Apparently, it is a E.K. Blessing stencil ... similar to the Artist and Super-Artist models (which are virtually, the same horn, anyhow).
Build dates are circa late 1930s - - 1940s.

Gretsch had a guitar factory in Brooklyn, NY, and I believe (?) used that location as the corporate headquarters.

I have had a few Gretsch guitars.
Chet Atkins and Rock-a-Billy guitarist, Brian Setzer (of "The Stray Cats") both play(ed) and endorsed Gretsch guitars.

Jazzer Kenny Dorham played and endorsed the Gretsch trumpets.
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Sub-Optimal Hillbilly Jazz

[rhatheway]

I'm still not sure what a "stencil" is, but I think it refers to a horn made by another company and then sold as a Gretsch? Is that correct?

If I'm using the term correctly, I've learned that Gretsch used a lot of Pan American stencils, among others, and the serial number on the one I have aligns with the Pan American serial numers listed on horn-o-copia from 1930-31 (which aligns with what I was told is the age of the horn), but to me that's not definitive. Is there any other way to tell for sure if the horn was made by Pan Am? Or is that certain enough that I can say it's a 1930 model Pathfinder made by Pan American? The engraving on the bell says "Pathfinder" vertically (i.e., going down the length of the bell) above "Gretsch" (which is horizontal across the bell) and then there is "USA" engraved under that and there are some stylized acanthus leaves (or some similar type of leaves) around the engravings.

Also, does anyone know any of the specs of these old Gretsch cornets?
_________________
Richard H
------------------------------------------
Working on getting my chops back...

“Without music, life would be a mistake” ― Friedrich Nietzsche

1968 Getzen Eterna Severinsen
1958 Conn Director 14A