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Wild Thing back in production?



 
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allenpierce19
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Joined: 29 Jan 2021
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PostPosted: Sat Feb 06, 2021 12:34 pm    Post subject: Wild Thing back in production? Reply with quote

Bought a silver Wild Thing trumpet about 5 years ago. I absolutely love it. I was sickened when I learned that Kanstul had gone out of business, depriving Flip Oaks of his source of new horns. Anyone know if Flip is close to having a new source for Wild Things? I'd like to buy a second.
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LittleRusty
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Joined: 11 Aug 2004
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PostPosted: Sat Feb 06, 2021 1:09 pm    Post subject: Re: Wild Thing back in production? Reply with quote

allenpierce19 wrote:
Bought a silver Wild Thing trumpet about 5 years ago. I absolutely love it. I was sickened when I learned that Kanstul had gone out of business, depriving Flip Oaks of his source of new horns. Anyone know if Flip is close to having a new source for Wild Things? I'd like to buy a second.

Why not shoot Flip a PM?

Flip Oakes
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Don Low
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Joined: 02 Oct 2020
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Location: Seattle, WA

PostPosted: Sat Feb 06, 2021 2:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm a Wild Thing owner and fan as well. Per a few emails with Flip, I understand that he has decided to semi-retire after the Kanstul factory closed. I personally don't see a new version of Wild Thing being introduced, which is kind of refreshing, isn't it? Go out on top. Just think of the wasted hours trying to determine which Benge comes close to the real LA models, if at all.
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SSmith1226
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Joined: 29 May 2016
Posts: 104
Location: Orlando, FL

PostPosted: Sat Feb 06, 2021 2:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I sent you a pm. I have a copper bell Wild Thing available.
For details, if you are interested, you can email me at ssmith1226@aol.com
Thanks
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LittleRusty
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Joined: 11 Aug 2004
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Location: Gardena, Ca

PostPosted: Sat Feb 06, 2021 3:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Don Low wrote:
I'm a Wild Thing owner and fan as well. Per a few emails with Flip, I understand that he has decided to semi-retire after the Kanstul factory closed. I personally don't see a new version of Wild Thing being introduced, which is kind of refreshing, isn't it? Go out on top. Just think of the wasted hours trying to determine which Benge comes close to the real LA models, if at all.

The decision is good for Flip, if that is what he really wants. He deserves it.

But it isn't refreshing to me to see yet another of our trumpet gurus retiring and taking their skills and knowledge with them.
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Ed Kennedy
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Joined: 15 Jan 2005
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PostPosted: Sat Feb 06, 2021 4:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

WT's are still listed on his website. Maybe he has a few left.

Just corresponded with Flip. No more WT's or Celebrations. Has a few Legends left.


Last edited by Ed Kennedy on Sun Feb 07, 2021 4:41 am; edited 1 time in total
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Don Low
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Location: Seattle, WA

PostPosted: Sat Feb 06, 2021 6:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

To be clear, Wild Thing not being re-borne is only my personal opinion. I would never portend to speak for Mr. Oakes. I do agree that he deserves all the good things that life brings.
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shofarguy
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Joined: 18 Sep 2007
Posts: 7003
Location: AZ

PostPosted: Sat Feb 06, 2021 10:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

There was a time when I WAS the unofficial/official spokesman for Flip Oakes Wild Thing Band Instruments, but this is not that time. I am still friends with Flip; he and Joyce are dear friends and we keep in touch on a fairly regular basis.

There were some talks with Mike Corrigan about B.A.C building the Wild Thing Bb trumpet and flugelhorn. There would be no Cornets and no, I believe, C Trumpet. There would be no Inspiration or Legend trumpets, either. Batches of only three horns could be ordered at one time. This seemed in theory to put Flip in the untenable situation of having insufficient stock for sale at any one time. In Flip's experience, most customers will look somewhere else to satisfy their urge to buy, rather than wait for their horn of choice to be built-to-order.

The hope was that B.A.C would get their Kanstul act together and be able to produce credible, all-American instruments under the guiding hand of John Duda (R.I.P.) Now that John is gone, I wonder how B.A.C. will recover his lost expertise.

I spoke to Flip about approaching Schilke or Getzen to build his horns. He may have spoken at one time with Andrew Nauman, but the feeling was that Schilke was already at capacity and could not justify developing their rendition of Flip's lineup for the small numbers his instruments represented. As for Getzen, Flip was not interested in them becoming his builder.

The Fusion line of instruments has not proven to be of any significant interest to the brass instrument buying public and no further orders have been placed, to my knowledge. Doing business with an Asian producer has been ponderously slow and difficult to navigate, to say the least.

So, as of our last conversation, there are 3 Legends in stock. These are the last new Kanstul-built horns for sale. I think he has one in silver and two in lacquer. The Legend is a really good trumpet. There were very few built.

Flip has gone through two open heart surgeries in the past few years. One from a procedure gone wrong that nearly took his life and another that has made it very painful for him to play. The COVID-19 lockdowns in California and throughout the nation have effectively destroyed the live music business, which has been his passion and livelihood for some six decades. He and Joyce are at extremely high-risk against that virus.

My recommendation would be to find a way to do business with Flip through the purchase of one of his remaining horns or mouthpieces (he recently received a large order from Mark Curry) and to utilize his repair or Total Enhancement service for .460", .464" and .470" bore horns while he is still able to be in business and perform them. You won't regret it.
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Flip Oakes Wild Thing Bb Trumpet in copper
Flip Oakes Wild Thing Flugelhorn in copper


There is one reason that I practice: to be ready at the downbeat when the final trumpet sounds.
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Ed Kennedy
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Joined: 15 Jan 2005
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 07, 2021 4:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ed Kennedy wrote:
WT's are still listed on his website. Maybe he has a few left.


Just corresponded with Flip. No more WT's or Celebrations. Has a few Legends left.
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Brad361
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Joined: 16 Dec 2007
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 07, 2021 11:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

LittleRusty wrote:
Don Low wrote:
I'm a Wild Thing owner and fan as well. Per a few emails with Flip, I understand that he has decided to semi-retire after the Kanstul factory closed. I personally don't see a new version of Wild Thing being introduced, which is kind of refreshing, isn't it? Go out on top. Just think of the wasted hours trying to determine which Benge comes close to the real LA models, if at all.

The decision is good for Flip, if that is what he really wants. He deserves it.

But it isn't refreshing to me to see yet another of our trumpet gurus retiring and taking their skills and knowledge with them.


+1, especially the second sentence.

Brad
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Bill Blackwell
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Joined: 28 Nov 2008
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 17, 2021 7:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ed Kennedy wrote:
WT's are still listed on his website. Maybe he has a few left. ...
I have it on good authority Flip does indeed have one copper-belled WT left in stock. It is the very last lacquered copper bell WT produced - and it has the larger 5-1/4" bell rim; Flip was keeping it for himself, but has decided to sell it.

Contact Flip[at]flipoakes[dot]com
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Bill Blackwell
Founder - Sons of Thunder Big Band Machine

Wild Thing Bb - Copper
Wild Thing Flugelhorn - Copper
Wild Thing Short-Model Cornet - Copper

The future ain't what it used to be. ...
- Yogi Berra
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Flip Oakes
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Joined: 20 Feb 2002
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PostPosted: Thu Feb 18, 2021 12:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bill Blackwell wrote:
Ed Kennedy wrote:
WT's are still listed on his website. Maybe he has a few left. ...
I have it on good authority Flip does indeed have one copper-belled WT left in stock. It is the very last lacquered copper bell WT produced - and it has the larger 5-1/4" bell rim; Flip was keeping it for himself, but has decided to sell it.

Contact Flip[at]flipoakes[dot]com


Copper Bell Bb Wild Thing Trumpet just sold!

Still have the 3 Legends in stock...

http://flipoakes.com/legend-bb-trumpet/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3y9fqyuKZdk

Flip
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Flip Oakes “Wild Thing Trumpets”
2559 Mottino Dr.
Oceanside, Ca. 92056-3421
760-643-1501


Delivering the distinctive Wild Thing Sound since 1994
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