Where the "Wild Things" are.

shofarguy · Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2009 3:59 pm Post subject: Where the "Wild Things" are.

Hey, guys,

I've been invited to go down to Oceanside and visit Flip Oaks' operation. I'm bringing my Benge and the Wilmington with me.

What should I expect to find when I get there? What is Flip like, those of you who know him? What is the Wild Thing like? The Celebration?

Brian
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Brian A. Douglas

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.

qcm · Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2009 4:07 pm Post subject:

Brian,

I've had a few very nice conversations over the phone with Flip, both of which were nearly an hour. He's a good guy with an amazing wealth of knowledge on all things trumpet and flugel.

Ask him to show you the pictures of Arturo when he went to visit him in FL, specifically, WHERE the piano came from.

That's all I'll say.....

-Dave

P.S. (I'll be very interested in your opinions of Flip's horns vs. your Benge and the Wilmington)
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Dave Edwards

Kanstuls, LA Benges and a Selmer picc.

razeontherock · Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2009 4:52 pm Post subject:

Yeah Brian, you're pretty familiar w/ a lot of Kanstul horns. Tme to try another, and do loet us know what you think!

Oh, and do NOT try to "fill" the WT.

Shaft · Heavyweight Member Joined: 19 Sep 2006 Posts: 987

When I have spoken with him on the phone he was very personable. I am very pleased to have dealt with him in my purchase.
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shofarguy · Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2009 5:17 pm Post subject:

Shaft · Heavyweight Member Joined: 19 Sep 2006 Posts: 987

Oh well, I had a lesson with Pops about 6 or 7 years ago and I tried his. Immediately I noticed something in my sound that never sounded or felt that way before. I decided to take a small loan out and buy one for the price of some peoples' phone bill.

Some of the things that I noticed were these. It gave me the sound, resonance, projection, slotting, ability to change color, dynamic range, flexibility, and response, that quite frankly ever since has never made me even think about wanting anything else.

The last year I was at college I was starting to scare some people with what was coming out of my horn. Even Leonard Candelaria had some good things to say to my instructor during a master class after hearing me for only 5 minutes. This was 4 years ago. Since then I have heard my horn get called "The Rocket", and a pianist I played with said I had the sound of a laser.

Some of it may be from learning to play from Pops, and I use a 70m curry for big band and a 1c for legit playing. It is a gold plated Wild Thing which Flip says gives it even more character with the sound.

I can not out play this horn! It handles soft like a whisper. It fills and can bury a wind ensemble and a hall without distortion. For me from a physical standpoint I don't have to fight with it and it's response like I said is instant and with ease.

I will say that there was an adjustment period and a couple of different slide options. I play on the #1 slide all of the time now.

Hopefully that gives you some insight.
Enjoy Sunny Ca.!
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gtromble · Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2009 5:46 pm Post subject:

You should have a good time. Flip is a really nice guy. I made a visit a few years ago, with my WT in tow. Just hung out for a while and Flip told me some things about the horns.
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Galen Tromble
Silver Spring, Maryland

veery715 · Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2009 6:36 pm Post subject:

Hey Brian,

Do Flip and all of us a favor and give us a detailed post of your experience with him.

I came close to getting a WT cornet earlier this year, or so I thought. I still am hankering to check one out, so I look forward to your sharing with us.

veery

Don Lee · Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2009 8:16 pm Post subject: WT

Hi Brian:

I sent you a pm. Call me and I can fill you in about the couple of times my son and I visited Flip.

Capt.Kirk · Heavyweight Member Joined: 24 Feb 2009 Posts: 5792

Yes, Do take good notes and plan on filling us all in with a long detailed report! I absolutely love your reviews! This will likely be the closet I ever get to Flip Oaks short of maybe buying something from him at some point! Ask good questions!!!LOL Have fun!
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The only easy day was yesterday!

Scorpion · Posted: Sun Jun 21, 2009 5:45 pm Post subject:

Me and Flip spent like 3 hours shootin' rabbits and gophers out back with cousin Earl. Great guy, and his taste in cream cheese sandwiches is superb.
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-GET OVER HERE!
-1964 Olds Super Balanced Depleted Uranium single flue Harpoon (w/custom coprion hand guard i got from a 1925 Conn Erradicator.) Akright converted handle w/calfskin grip (143xx)

shofarguy · Posted: Sun Jun 21, 2009 6:10 pm Post subject:

Capt.Kirk · Heavyweight Member Joined: 24 Feb 2009 Posts: 5792

What exactly is a cream cheese sandwhich?
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The only easy day was yesterday!

Scorpion · Posted: Sun Jun 21, 2009 10:46 pm Post subject:

healey.cj · Heavyweight Member Joined: 26 Jul 2006 Posts: 2011

shofarguy · Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2009 5:30 am Post subject:

arttrumpet · Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2009 7:06 am Post subject: wild thing

HELLO EVERY BODY !!!!!
I'M IN LOVE WITH THE WILD-THING !!!,I ENJOY SO MUCH PLAYING IT EVERY DAY
AND FLIP IS ONE OF THE NICEST AND SINCERE PERSON THAT I EVER MET.
IT'S A PRIVILEGE FOR ME TO KNOW FLIP AND ENJOY HIS FRIENDSHIP.
ALL THE BEST
Arturo Sandoval.
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"Please support each other, don't say nasty things about other players. Don't forget that GOD is looking at us all the time"
Practicing is the answer!!!

shofarguy · Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2009 8:26 am Post subject: Re: wild thing

tom turner · Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2009 9:46 am Post subject:

There are two things truly incredible about Flip and his horns . . .

1. Flip, and

2. His Horns!

Being so limited in production, most people who PLAY the trumpet don't ever get to experience playing one. Many times, those of us who DO get that chance are totally blown away.

My chance encounter was stumbling upon a Wild Thing Bb trumpet in early 2001. I'd never thought I'd find a better Strad than my custom one with an original Pilczuk leadpipe . . . but just as soon as I put the Wild Thing to my lips I went WOW . . . this horn is ME! I just HAD to have it.

Arturo Sandoval's chance encounter also caused him to have the same reaction . . . after yet another enthusiastic Flip Oakes trumpet owner hooked him up one night with Flip.

A 61 year-old friend (and truly FINE trumpet playing associate of mine) experienced the same reaction when I had him test a new trumpet (the Celebration) that Flip had sent me to evaluate just before releasing it.

I was so impressed that I was planning to buy that horn . . . but my friend REFUSED to give it back. He said, "buy your own, this one's MINE," and added it was the best trumpet by far he'd ever played. Thus I had to order another one for myself!

I saw that friend this weekend and he brought up just how exciting it was to play such an incredible trumpet, and what a joy it was to take it out to practice. I understood completely what he was saying. The horns are that good!

I wonder just how many more folks out there would react the same . . . IF they ever got a chance to play one.

Shofarguy, you will soon also experience the MAN, Flip Oakes. He's one of the nicest people you'll ever meet, and a hoss of a trumpet player too. Best of all, he won't try to SELL you anything (he hates sales hype and wants folks to make choices that are totally right for them! REFRESHING!!!

Enjoy a day that will remain memorable for years to come!

Tom

chuck in ny · Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2009 4:49 pm Post subject:

flip is a very special person, and his horns are very special horns. i find there is a period of adjustment, which is cool, things shouldn't come too easy and music can be a bear with the subtlety of really hearing things. that came out wrong, maybe i'm just dense and things take me longer to figure out. sound is sound, yet it ain't that simple.
when you pay flip, and get a horn, you are getting the better of the transaction. that's the way i feel.
what i would really like to know is how he figured out what he figured out about instrument making. it's not right and it's not natural and nobody does things that way. it's like the initial 'what?' of someone coming up with the theory of relativity equation.
i'm leaving the thing to be the mystery it should be...chuck