Which vintage horn to bring back?

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

Which vintage trumpet or cornet (any horn no longer manufactured) would you like to see brought back to today's new istrument market? How would you like to be able to walk into your local music store today and buy a BRAND NEW Olds Recording, Conn Victor, Al Hirt Leblanc, Martin Committee, etc.?

The instrument would have the EXACT appearance and sound of the original but perhaps use newer materials and technology (such as monel pistons and one-piece bell) and accoustic refinements for improved intonation.

My choice would be the 60s era KING Silver Flair 1055T. It's a relatively lightweight trumpet that has a nice bright sound and the sculpted design of the one-piece valve casings and caps is purely beautiful. It should come equipped with the King 7M mouthpiece and black & silver alligator skin hardshell case as well.

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Plankowner110
King Silver Flairs 1055T & 2055T,
Schilke B1, and Yamaha 731 flugel,
Bach 3C and Yamaha 14F4-GP

[ This Message was edited by: plankowner110 on 2004-01-04 17:24 ]

tom turner · Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2004 10:14 am Post subject:

trumpetrmb · Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2004 10:44 am Post subject:

Conn Connstellation 38A and 38B trumpet and cornet from the 1960's, with two-toned nickel and brass trim. Really great playing horns.

DaveH · Heavyweight Member Joined: 20 Nov 2001 Posts: 3861

I second the vote for the King Silver Flair.

I had a new one in 1966 - back then I was just a teenager taking trumpet lessons, and it is only now from hindsight that I can see that the Flair was a horn to take seriously, and one I definitely should have held on to, but I simply didn't know any better.

I liked the horn a lot, but to me it was just a very nice horn. Back then, about the only other horns I had ever heard of were Benge, Bach, and Schilke, and I only knew a couple people with a Schilke other than my trumpet teacher. One of the players in my high school band had some sort of Selmer trumpet, but everyone else had basic student line horns, and mostly cornets.

In my school, very few other students were serious brass players. I think it was partly because most musically interested young people wanted to play guitars back in the sixties. The only music that you ever heard back then that had much, if any, brass was Herb Alpert music.

It's interesting to reflect on this subject, because I don't think there was anywhere nearly as much equipment consciousness then as there is today, in terms of both horns and mouthpieces...

Jon Arnold · Heavyweight Member Joined: 07 Jan 2002 Posts: 2026

I would love to have a Martin Committee, large bore and deluxe engraving.

musiclifeline · Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2004 1:26 pm Post subject:

trumpetmrb... for a new Conn 38B, see Kanstul's Mariachi and Mariachi Premier. They are sometimes known as "the Connstellation done right." Not that I find much wrong with the original...

djm6701 · Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2004 2:19 pm Post subject:

An Olds Recording. I just bought a Recording and have had it for a couple of weeks. It's bright, but has a unique sound with the heavy red brass bell - I like Tom's word, 'sparkling'. It's also responsive and has excellent intonation - an outstanding horn.
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Dave M.
Richmond Hill (Toronto) Ontario
Kanstul WB1600, 1952 L.A. Olds Recording, 1975 L.A. Benge 3x, 1960's Olds Flugel, Yamaha 631 Flugel

GR 65.6 Mouthpieces
a jazz.fm member

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

djm6701,
You only need a couple of Olds models to complete the product line! Nice collection.

_PhilPicc · Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2004 2:57 pm Post subject:

My cornet is a 1938 King SilverTone that plays great. So for myself nothing, but for others, the solid sterling bell King.
_________________
Philip Satterthwaite

We cannot expect you to be with us all the time, but perhaps you could be good enough to keep in touch now and again."
- Sir Thomas Beecham to a musician during a rehearsal

trumpetmike · Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2004 3:00 pm Post subject:

Yet another vote for the Silver Flair!

I have one from about '82 which is absolutely lovely, apparently these don't even come close to the older ones, would be nice to get a real comparison.

I would also love some of the older English makers to come back into being, to create me a large F trumpet. I am fascinated by these instruments, for which much of the late 19th and early 20th century music was written. I would just love to find out for sure.

bulos · Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2004 3:57 pm Post subject:

Conn 48B in all the original finishes with the original engravings.
_________________
Marquis de Sade: "In art, one has to kill one's father."

DavesTrumpet · Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2004 4:04 pm Post subject:

Martin Committee, large bore and medium bore AND exactly copied, meaning two piece bell and nickel pistons. (Boy, that was easy)

BTW, Al Hirt played one prior to his LeBlanc model.

Dave M

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

The futuristic art deco Conn 48B may be the most artfully designed trumpet ever manufactured. Rocketeer Flash Gordon would most certainly play a 48B if he were a trumpeter!
Can you imagine dreaming of owning one of those beauties sixty years ago?

bulos · Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2004 4:15 pm Post subject:

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

Personally, I don't care how many pieces the bell on my horn is made from, as long as it sounds good. (My favorite trumpet is my Silver Flair with seamless bell and nickel pistons.) I just mentioned one-piece bells and monel pistons because these tend to represent modern technology and materials in proline horns.

djm6701 · Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2004 5:55 pm Post subject:

Plankowner -

I'm hoping for a reasonably priced Super and I think I'd like to try the rose brass flugel. I haven't got a Special but I've played two of them and they are way too open for me - I play lead in a big band and tried a couple of tunes with one and ended up with a headache, so it's last on my list.

I wonder how close Kanstul's ZKT-1500 is to the Recording - it's got the heavy red brass bell and the fact that the other horns in the Kanstul lineup tend to be reproductions plus Zig's history with Olds is making me curious.
_________________
Dave M.
Richmond Hill (Toronto) Ontario
Kanstul WB1600, 1952 L.A. Olds Recording, 1975 L.A. Benge 3x, 1960's Olds Flugel, Yamaha 631 Flugel

GR 65.6 Mouthpieces
a jazz.fm member

KingFlair · New Member Joined: 04 Jan 2004 Posts: 1 Location: Ottawa

I bought a 1968 King Silver Flair about 6 months ago. I love the horn, very free blowing and the valves are fast and smooth. While I was told it is a Silver Flair there are very few markings anywhere on the trumpet. Can someone out there provide me with details as to exactly what to look for to verify whether it is a silver flair or not. The serial # does confirm that it is anywhere from 67-68.

Thanks

[ This Message was edited by: KingFlair on 2004-01-05 07:55 ]

_gmdean · Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2004 6:11 am Post subject:

Hmm, how about Bach make a Strad like they used to

Happy new year everyone
Mark

trumpetgeezer · Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2004 10:24 am Post subject:

I have a Silver Flair that I bought when I was in high school in the mid 60's. I stopped playing after that but carted that horn around with me for about 30+ years. I started playing again after a VERY long layoff and bought a Schilke S-32, which I love. Having said that I am sure glad I managed to hold on to the Flair, it more than holds it's own.

jamesfrmphilly · Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2004 10:44 am Post subject:

the martin committee, perhaps without the quirks?
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1946 Martin Committee, Bach 5V