Chicago Benge x Pre-War French Besson ?

deejaymushone

Greetings -

& Ty in advance for any knowledge youse can share-

I am very curious about the parts / manufacturing of the Chicago Benges. While it’s widely known that Eldon based them closely on pre-war Bessons, the early Chicago models were known to not be all of his own original parts.

I am interested to know if anyone has more details about this. I have heard that his early ones actually used Besson valve blocks - were there any other Besson parts used? And so he was destroying pre-war Bessons to make his horns? He also supposedly “improved” French Bessons (makers love to say things like this) - does anyone know what his design changes were that would be considered to be improvements ? Does anyone also know what other makers’ parts he was using ?

Many thanks for any info -!
_________________
1924 Besson Rapuwano
1941 Martin HCI / 1949 Committee Deluxe
1947 Chicago Benge
Conn 1929 2B / 1924 22B / 1934 8B / 1956 10B / 1967 20A / 1958 38B / 1952 48B
1965 Olds Recording

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NC1993QIK7E

J. Landress Brass · Posted: Wed Mar 27, 2024 7:34 am Post subject:

I have examined several early Benge trumpets in the 500 serial range and none had Besson parts. Robb Stewart has Benge's Besson in his collection which Benge based his horns on. The early Benges had lots of similaraties of Besson in design both with tapers and visual components.
_________________
Josh Landress
J. Landress Brass, LLC.
38 West 32nd Street, STE 908, NY, NY 10001
646-922-7126
www.jlandressbrass.com

HERMOKIWI · Heavyweight Member Joined: 24 Dec 2008 Posts: 2581

The world's foremost expert on Benge trumpets is Joe Lill. You can contact him at trptjoe@aol.com

Here's his website:

https://www.musicbyjoelill.com/benge/
_________________
HERMOKIWI

deejaymushone · Posted: Wed Mar 27, 2024 1:32 pm Post subject:

Ty all!
_________________
1924 Besson Rapuwano
1941 Martin HCI / 1949 Committee Deluxe
1947 Chicago Benge
Conn 1929 2B / 1924 22B / 1934 8B / 1956 10B / 1967 20A / 1958 38B / 1952 48B
1965 Olds Recording

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NC1993QIK7E

yourbrass · Posted: Wed Mar 27, 2024 6:05 pm Post subject:

My Chicago Benge has a seamed leadpipe as Besson would have made, so I emailed Mr. Lill about whether Benge sourced pipes from Besson.

His reply:

"I believe that Benge might have used Besson pipes in some of the earliest horns, but by #546 or so he was making the entire thing. Up until then he was buying the valve casings from somewhere, which you can tell by the curved windways between the valve ports. #546 was the first I've found that had straight windways, which is how Benge made then from then on."
_________________
"Strive for tone." -John Coppola
Edwards X-13
ACB MV3C /ACB A1/26 backbore
https://yourbrass.com/

deejaymushone · Posted: Wed Mar 27, 2024 6:45 pm Post subject: