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Burbank vs. LA Benge


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Danbassin
Veteran Member


Joined: 13 Oct 2013
Posts: 460
Location: Idyllwild, CA

PostPosted: Mon Feb 22, 2021 7:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

It's nice seeing this thread come back.

Just a few days ago I dropped off my early LA Large Bore (S/N 8718 - perhaps a 1972 vintage) at Osmun Music for a valve overhaul and some TLC. I had previously owned an excellent-playing early 80s 6X which I'd been kicking myself for selling for quite some time. Even with sluggish and leaky valves and some other issues currently getting looked at, this horn felt every bit as good -and maybe then some- as the horn I sold. In addition to this Large Bore Bb, which I anticipate becoming my go-to horn for big band, pops orchestra, shows, and so-forth, I also play a Benge 3X Flugelhorn from the early 1980s, as well as a mid-70s ML Pocket.

Looking forward to following this resurrected thread.

Happy practicing,
-DB
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Daniel Bassin
Conductor/Composer/Trumpeter/Improviser/Educator
I play:
Monette - CORNETTE/PranaXLT-STC Bb/MC-35/Raja A Piccolo;
Kromat C-Piccolo; Thein G-Piccolo; Various antique horns
MPCs - Monette Unity 1-7D and DM4LD
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trumpetdoc
Regular Member


Joined: 11 Oct 2004
Posts: 34
Location: NYC

PostPosted: Mon Feb 22, 2021 8:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi Dan,
Hope you are well. When you say valve overhaul do you mean re-plated? I had an old Bach Mount Vernon some years ago that I had the valves re-plated and it was never the same. Had to dump the horn, couldn't play it.

Hav you had experience with re-plating in the past? Just curious.

btw, one of my favorite horns that I sold, unfortunately, was a 1965/6 Burbank Benge 3X. For me the on ly drawback with Benges is the low pitch on first valve Ds. Every Benge I have played I have trouble with 1st valve Ds.

Thanks,
Leon
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Danbassin
Veteran Member


Joined: 13 Oct 2013
Posts: 460
Location: Idyllwild, CA

PostPosted: Mon Feb 22, 2021 9:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

trumpetdoc wrote:
Hi Dan,
Hope you are well. When you say valve overhaul do you mean re-plated? I had an old Bach Mount Vernon some years ago that I had the valves re-plated and it was never the same. Had to dump the horn, couldn't play it.

Hav you had experience with re-plating in the past? Just curious.

btw, one of my favorite horns that I sold, unfortunately, was a 1965/6 Burbank Benge 3X. For me the on ly drawback with Benges is the low pitch on first valve Ds. Every Benge I have played I have trouble with 1st valve Ds.

Thanks,
Leon


Yes - the valve plating on this 6X was mostly gone on the 3rd piston, ~50% gone on the 2nd, and spotty on 1. I trust James Becker and the process he undertakes to replate, refit, and resurrect horns that went from 'vintage' to 'wall hanger' with the test of time, so...fingers crossed that when it comes back to me better than new it retains every bit of magic I'm hoping it will!

On the topic of another Cali manufacturer and leaky valves, I don't know how apocryphal this story is, but I heard that while Olds began to produce their Mendez model, they faithfully copied RM's vintage Besson, got it to the Maestro...and he couldn't stand the way it played! They took it back, re-did things, got it to him again, and again he felt that it lacked the nuance of his horn, was too stiff, etc. Eventually the folks at Olds (as I was told) realized he had grown so accustomed the leaky valves on his French Besson that they did something to assure the fit and tolerances were NOT like new, and eventually he came to play on this not-quite factory spec model. Fun story, even if it's 0% true...

This will be my first time taking a horn that was almost gone and making it my go-to, and I know Mr. Becker/Osmun were the right folks for this task.

All the best from Buffalo!
-Dan
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Daniel Bassin
Conductor/Composer/Trumpeter/Improviser/Educator
I play:
Monette - CORNETTE/PranaXLT-STC Bb/MC-35/Raja A Piccolo;
Kromat C-Piccolo; Thein G-Piccolo; Various antique horns
MPCs - Monette Unity 1-7D and DM4LD
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trumpetdoc
Regular Member


Joined: 11 Oct 2004
Posts: 34
Location: NYC

PostPosted: Mon Feb 22, 2021 9:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yeah, I heard that story as well. To each their own.

Let us know how you like the outcome wen it is finished. Not using Monette these days?
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Danbassin
Veteran Member


Joined: 13 Oct 2013
Posts: 460
Location: Idyllwild, CA

PostPosted: Mon Feb 22, 2021 9:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

My main solo horn is my CORNETTE, but I sold my Monette Bb a while ago to fund that horn.

This past year notwithstanding, I found that more than 90% of my Bb playing is 'commercial' stuff - big bands, shows, and the occasional summer orchestra pops where a little more edge than my C trumpet will give is necessary. Coming to this Benge large bore (as well as the Selmer CG I'm playing while that horn is getting updated) feels like I found the appropriate tool for those jobs, after years of trying to get the perfect Frankenhorn with Monette pipes on a Bach chassis. So, personally, Benges for commercial stuff, Monettes for most solo and orchestral, and I'm sitting pretty --- just as long as I can keep up my chops!

Missing the days of getting to drive out to Whoville and hear the band - send my best to Charlie and the gang!
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Daniel Bassin
Conductor/Composer/Trumpeter/Improviser/Educator
I play:
Monette - CORNETTE/PranaXLT-STC Bb/MC-35/Raja A Piccolo;
Kromat C-Piccolo; Thein G-Piccolo; Various antique horns
MPCs - Monette Unity 1-7D and DM4LD
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khedger
Heavyweight Member


Joined: 12 Mar 2008
Posts: 754
Location: Cambridge, MA

PostPosted: Wed Feb 24, 2021 12:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Danbassin wrote:

Yes - the valve plating on this 6X was mostly gone on the 3rd piston, ~50% gone on the 2nd, and spotty on 1. I trust James Becker and the process he undertakes to replate, refit, and resurrect horns that went from 'vintage' to 'wall hanger' with the test of time, so...fingers crossed that when it comes back to me better than new it retains every bit of magic I'm hoping it will!

snip...snip....snip.....

This will be my first time taking a horn that was almost gone and making it my go-to, and I know Mr. Becker/Osmun were the right folks for this task.

All the best from Buffalo!
-Dan


Dan,
You're in VERY good hands with Jim Becker. He's worked on many horns for me and always does an impeccable job. Enjoy your 'like new' horn when you get it back....

keith
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cbtj51
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Joined: 24 Nov 2015
Posts: 722
Location: SE US

PostPosted: Wed Feb 24, 2021 4:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

James Becker at Osmun performed a complete "valve job" on my 1971 Benge 5X in early 2018. I bought this Benge as a new horn during the winter of '71/'72 and it was my "utility horn" for decades. After a long storage, I sent it to Osmun for a replenishment. This horn has once again become my "utility horn" and I dare say, a better Benge than it ever was!

Original post from 2018:

https://www.trumpetherald.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=146990&highlight=

I am sending a Yamaha 8335RGS to Osmun today for some repairs and "blueprinting" and feel very confident that once again, I will have a very much improved horn on the flip side.

Best wishes,

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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