King Super 20 owners

Uberopa · Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2017 8:13 pm Post subject: King Super 20 owners

Hi all,
I have a late model King Super 20 KMI era trumpet en route. It appears to be in good condition.It has a worn lacquer finish. If I was to have it replated to look like the earlier models what would that be? Online photos that I have found are usually the King Super 20 Symphony. It looks as if the bell and leadpipe are sterling silver but is the reat of the instrument gold plated or is it gold lacquered? For those of you in the know could you please enlighten me?
Thanks so much.

chef8489 · Posted: Tue Dec 12, 2017 12:37 am Post subject:

There were two options for the super 20 on bells. You could get a brass bell or a solid sterling bell for the silversonic models. They are solid silver and not plated. Thats why you see the bell silver and the body lacquered. If refinishing the horn and you just need to get it relcqured not silver plated to be original.

Seymor B Fudd · Posted: Tue Dec 12, 2017 4:16 am Post subject:

amuk · Veteran Member Joined: 21 Jun 2007 Posts: 148

My 1963 Silversonic Symphony DB Super 20 is the same--that is, solid silver bell with clear lacquer on the outside of the bell with "gold wash" on the inside of the bell. The leadpipe is solid sterling with clear lacquer, as well.
The rest of the horn is gold lacquer. Holding up surprisingly well despite the age.

Uberopa · Posted: Tue Dec 12, 2017 1:38 pm Post subject:

Thank you all so much. I started out on an Olds Ambassador. My mum decided that I should have my own trumpet instead of a school horn. A King Liberty was my first trumpet and I eagerly read the rest of the catalog with lust for one of those sterling silver jobs. Closest meaning most fiscally obtainable is a Super 20 in lacquer. I can't wait till it arrives.

Goldplate · Veteran Member Joined: 14 Sep 2004 Posts: 152

I used to have a Super 20, but sold it many years ago. I wish I still had it. It was silverplated, but I did not buy it new. If it had been refinished, I couldn't tell.

Robert Rowe · Posted: Thu Dec 14, 2017 5:29 am Post subject:

I had two Super-20 DB's.

DO NOT have the Sterling Silver bell re-lacquered. Have at the rest of the horn, if you wish.
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Uberopa · Posted: Thu Dec 14, 2017 2:01 pm Post subject:

Thank you for the heads up about relacquering the Sterling bell. The trumpet is an S2 model with brass befell and leadpipe and no DB. That will remain a grail horn. I was able to find this one within my financial grasp.

iiipopes · Heavyweight Member Joined: 29 Jun 2015 Posts: 551

I have owned three: my Dad's original 1048 from @ 1953 (stolen) a KMI lacquered from early '70's when in school, and now a mid-70's.

Please post a picture. In the meantime: does the main tuning slide have a single plain vertical brace (the .458-.468 dual bore Symphony model), or does it have the knurled double-vertical brace? (1047 .448 bore S1 and the 1048 .458 bore S2)?

At the end of the KMI era, everything was about using up parts and all over the place. My late KMI horn is definitely a Super 20 1048, silver plated, (NOT the sterling bell), but has Silver Flair pinky ring and bell braces, even with the double-vertical tuning slide.

I believe in later years, the solid sterling bell was only offered on the Symphony models as an option; another option was the sterling silver lead pipe. A horn could be ordered with either or both.
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Seymor B Fudd · Posted: Mon Dec 18, 2017 10:25 am Post subject:

LittleRusty · Posted: Mon Dec 18, 2017 12:12 pm Post subject:

Seymor B Fudd · Posted: Tue Dec 19, 2017 3:14 am Post subject:

iiipopes · Heavyweight Member Joined: 29 Jun 2015 Posts: 551

LittleRusty · Posted: Wed Dec 20, 2017 10:40 am Post subject:

B_Starry · Posted: Wed Dec 20, 2017 11:08 am Post subject:

A bit off-topic, but I noticed a username in this thread I have not seen in awhile: Robert Rowe!
Good to see you back, Robert. Your insights and comments have been missed.
Brian
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Uberopa · Posted: Wed Dec 20, 2017 3:52 pm Post subject:

Canada Post is searching for my trumpet. It is somewhere in the system and they are tracking it. The trumpet based on the serial # is a later KMI S2 mode with the double knurled brace.

Robert Rowe · Posted: Wed Dec 20, 2017 4:06 pm Post subject:

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

Charles Melk does a beautiful job refurbishing King Super 20s.
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https://www.trumpetherald.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=26763

Uberopa · Posted: Sat Mar 31, 2018 2:55 pm Post subject:

The lost has been found! The delivery service had left it beside my back door and it was covered in snow. The snow bank at the door melted enough during the past few days to reveal the package.
The horn came with a Benge like case instead of the old faux alligator ones. The instrument itself has a few cosmetic dings that should rub out easily. The valves are clean with no staining, the slides pull with a champagne cork like pop. There is no corrosion in the lead pipe or in any of the rest of the horn.
So how does it play? So easy to get a sweet phat sound with an ACB 3C mouthpiece. The scale is good with the low C feeling unsettled as if the valve alignment isn't quite on.
Nice valves a bit clacky but nimble. Comparing the sound to a modern trumpet is a bit challenging. Compact core like a 37 bell but with more brightness to the edge of the sound would be the closest I can think of. I am open to other impressions though. It will definitely get some restoration love for my community band.

JayKosta

I saw in some 1960s advertising material that the 1048/S2 Super 20 was "designed for accuracy in the medium and high register". With my 1048 model, the low G and F# do seem a little different, but completely usable - is that really a property of that model? As far as I can tell, all notes above that seem to have good sound quality, and response.

My 1048/S2 has a .458 bore, 2 piece brass bell, double braces on the tuning slide, and very stout braces in other locations. I use a recent production Bach 7 mpc.

Do the Super 20 horns have a deserved reputation for being more suitable for some type of playing, compared to 'general purpose' use? Most of my use is in amateur 'concert band' - no commercial or serious lead playing.

Jay
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Most Important Note ? - the next one !
KNOW (see) what the next note is BEFORE you have to play it.
PLAY the next note 'on time' and 'in rhythm'.
Oh ya, watch the conductor - they set what is 'on time'.