Getzen 300 "R-series"

[mark5009]

So, I found myself a trumpet short of happiness, reached out into the world, and lo! a Getzen 300-series R (from 1994 if the interwebs are correct) landed today for not many local pesos. It's slightly shabby finish-wise but the valves and slides are great, and good compression. It gets a bath tomorrow and I'll check it out more closely but, for the price, it appears solid and blows sweetly so I think it'll do me well. Do need a new trumpet mouthpiece, though. My old Bach 1-1/4C from "back in the day" is no longer my cup of tea...

One thing I don't get is the meaning of the "R-series" thing (the serial is R12484). Getzen seem to have all these series back then--A, C, CB, D, E, K, P, and R all in 1994--which I guess represent different model? Or is this simply an internal kind of thing? Not that it matters, more curious to know if anyone has any info on this.

Thanks from me!
_________________
.. mark.

Schilke A2 cornet / Solista flugelhorn / Getzen 390

[deleted_user_687c31b]

[Dayton]

Congratulations on your new horn! Getzen trumpets -- whether student, intermediate or professional -- are very well built, with what I regard as the finest valves available.

Adam and Brett Getzen post here periodically, and may be able to shed some light on the "R".

[mark5009]

[mark5009]

[Getzen]

The R doesn’t mean anything more than the 1, 2, 4, 8, or 4 in the serial number. The letter is just a part of the serial number. These days they all start with a G.

The only letter codes marked on a trumpet that mean anything would be an LB for large bore. Otherwise, it’s just another digit in the serial number.

Enjoy the 390.
_________________
Brett Getzen
President
Getzen Company

Follow Getzen on:
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/getzencompany/

Twitter https://twitter.com/GetzenCompany

If you have a question please feel free to email me at brett@getzen.com.

[GeorgeB]

I bought a new Getzen 490 Bb for half price and it is worth every penny. It actually plays better than two of my four professional horns. Good luck with your 300. I got a feeling you are going to really like your Getzen.
_________________
GeorgeB
1960s King Super 20 Silversonic
2016 Manchester Brass Custom
1938-39 Olds Recording
1942 Buescher 400 Bb trumpet
1952 Selmer Paris 21 B
1999 Conn Vintage One B flat trumpet
2020 Getzen 490 Bb
1962 Conn Victor 5A cornet

[homebilly]

i regularly play my kxxxx getzen 300 from 1971-72

it plays great! i use it on gigs next to.my many ambassadors
_________________
ron meza (deadbeat jazz musician) & (TH 5 post ghost neighborhood watch ringleader)
waiting for Fed-Ex to deliver a $50 trumpet to my door. shipping was prepaid by seller of course!
http://ronmeza.com
http://highdefinitionbigband.com

[GeorgeB]

Really like the hdband.
_________________
GeorgeB
1960s King Super 20 Silversonic
2016 Manchester Brass Custom
1938-39 Olds Recording
1942 Buescher 400 Bb trumpet
1952 Selmer Paris 21 B
1999 Conn Vintage One B flat trumpet
2020 Getzen 490 Bb
1962 Conn Victor 5A cornet

[mike ansberry]

In my opinion the Getzen 300 is the finest student horn made. I would not hesitate to take one on a gig.
_________________
Music is a fire in your belly, fighting to get out. You'd better put a horn in the way before someone gets hurt.

[adagiotrumpet]

[mark5009]

[mark5009]

[Getzen]

It’s unfortunate that in today’s market, price is the number one concern when it comes to entry level instruments. That’s why we had to discontinue the 390 trumpet. We still offer he 490 for now, but on price and margin it will never be able to compete with an import. Unfortunately for Adam and I, we will never buy a stencil horn from someone else with our name on it. Darned standards and business ethics.
_________________
Brett Getzen
President
Getzen Company

Follow Getzen on:
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/getzencompany/

Twitter https://twitter.com/GetzenCompany

If you have a question please feel free to email me at brett@getzen.com.

[GeorgeB]

Shame that Getzen will stop making the 390. There are several musicians in bands in my area that use their 300 and see no reason to buy a professional horn.
Because of these tough Covid 19 times I was fortunate to get a 490 at almost half the price of a new one in Canada ( which are somewhere around 2K ). Not too many students will pay that price, even though, for me, the 490 is every bit as good as at least two of my professional trumpets. The 490 feels and plays like a well built professional trumpet, probably more than the average student needs to begin playing.
_________________
GeorgeB
1960s King Super 20 Silversonic
2016 Manchester Brass Custom
1938-39 Olds Recording
1942 Buescher 400 Bb trumpet
1952 Selmer Paris 21 B
1999 Conn Vintage One B flat trumpet
2020 Getzen 490 Bb
1962 Conn Victor 5A cornet

[mark5009]

[Getzen]

Believe me, I can see the draw and appeal of importing a stenciled horn. I was once offered "student" trumpets delivered to Elkhorn, complete, in a case, with a mouthpiece, bearing our name for $75 a piece. We can barely get a case for that price. We could easily sell that same trumpet to dealers with a hefty margin (much more than we make on a horn we actually produce) and all we would have to do is open boxes. Oh and claim they were all made to our standards/specs or that we inspect every one of them when it arrives.

There is just one problem with that. Our actual name is on every horn and that means something. I might feel differently if I was a Smith or a Johnson and not a Getzen.

All that being said, we stopped marketing the 300/400 Series instruments as "student" models years ago. Instead they became "Advanced Student". There is still a market for that level of instrument, but not nearly in the volume it once was. It's interesting when you think about it. The standards for a student or step up instrument have slipped over the years while the standards of what is a "professional" level have risen. There was a time where the gap between the top and bottom was fairly narrow. Today it is enormous.
_________________
Brett Getzen
President
Getzen Company

Follow Getzen on:
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/getzencompany/

Twitter https://twitter.com/GetzenCompany

If you have a question please feel free to email me at brett@getzen.com.

[Croquethed]

Brett, is the way students are sold their horns significantly different now than way back when I was a kid?

I started on a rental in 4th grade in 1968, by the middle of 5th grade my folks and teacher thought I would be serious enough about it that a purchase would be worthwhile. The teacher was not a trumpet "native," he was a bass player, but my folks knew nothing at all about instruments so asked him his opinion. He recommended a Bach Mercedes (given timeline I'm assuming early Elkhart).

By the time I got to high school, I think 9 or 10 of the twelve guys in the trumpet section had Bachs, mostly Strads. One kid had a Yamaha and one had his Dad's old horn of indeterminate brand. Maybe it was a LB Committee, who knows?

It was clear that our teachers just kind of auto-piloted recommends for Bachs. Nothing wrong that, of course, but I certainly think my three Getzens each deliver tremendous bang for the buck. But if teachers are auto-piloting Bach and Yammy these days like they did back then, your horns are being done an unwitting disservice. Even worse if they're just letting the rent-to-own stuff end up being bought at those prices.

[mark5009]