calicchio

kingofswing881 · Veteran Member Joined: 29 Dec 2004 Posts: 193

does anybody own/play a calicchio horn? i'm thinking on buying one (when i get the money) and i'm wondering if anybody has any experience with these horns.

Tl2uMp3t_Er · Veteran Member Joined: 04 Jul 2004 Posts: 162

_mhilton777 · Regular Member Joined: 07 Sep 2004 Posts: 19

I currently own several Calicchio trumpets and have had 5 or 6 others and as far as I'm concerned, they are one of the best playing horns on the market. All of the Calicchios I have played were absolutely great playing horns. Let me know if you have any specific questions about them.
_________________
Calicchio 1S/2 Lightweight Bell
Mark Curry 5BC
Custom Schilke lead piece

Rich G · Posted: Thu Dec 30, 2004 12:31 pm Post subject:

I owned a Calicchio 1S/2 and it was a great horn. It had the best valves of any horn I ever owned. I owned Schilke's, Strad's, Benge's, Getzen's, etc., all with excellent valves, but the Calicchio valves were something very special. The horn itself had a ringing, resonant sound. The sound was not remotely close to being dark, it was bright - but with a clean center core that was full and vibrant and rich with overtones. The response on this horn was instantaneous, the whole horn vibrated in my hand as soon as a breath of air was put into it. I won't say it's the horn you should own, but I will say you should audition one.

kingofswing881 · Veteran Member Joined: 29 Dec 2004 Posts: 193

i've heard a lot of the same things everybody's saying about calicchios, and i've actually played one, a model R37, and i loved it. i'm trying to hear some imput about some other models though. thanks for all the info!

doclev · Regular Member Joined: 27 Nov 2004 Posts: 76

Calicchio? Go for it! And read what they say on their website. The 1s/2 is a big band horn. It has a bright, tight, cutting sound that will do the job at lead. Be aware, however, that Calicchio is no longer run by Chris Calicchio in Hollywood. It has been sold, and now resides in Tulsa. I have no info about the new owners, but would guess that they will uphold the Calicchio rep for excellent horns.

NTlead · Posted: Thu Dec 30, 2004 2:59 pm Post subject:

I just sold a 1sZ/2 and am experiencing seller's remorse.

thatleadguy · Veteran Member Joined: 16 Nov 2004 Posts: 293

I don't know a lot about these horns, but I love them - only played a few. I heard somewhere that the brass they USED to be made from was this scrap metal left over from WWII and those materials have dried up. Now that they are owned under UMI, just like everyone else, the metals have changed and the horns don't sound quite the same. Again, I'm not totally sure about this, just hear say.

If you like 'em, get one!

Matt Anklan

_londonhusker · Heavyweight Member Joined: 13 Oct 2002 Posts: 658

Matt,

Pardon me, but I gotta help clear up your post. Calicchio is not owned by UMI nor have they ever been. They are an independant company, which recently moved to Tulsa from Hollywood, and is under the new ownership of John Duda. They make fantastic instruments.

Dominic Calicchio made mouthpieces in NY for a time, and then moved to California. Since the trumpets have always been made in LA until the Tulsa move, I doubt that the WWII brass ammunition casings story is true either. That story has been around referring to two French manufacturers, F Besson and Cousenon, and I believe the F Besson part to have been correct.

Go to www.calicchio.com or search Larry Gianni's posts on TM for the most accurate Calicchio information.

A happy 25yr Calicchio owner....

cjdjazztpt · Posted: Thu Dec 30, 2004 3:47 pm Post subject:

thatleadguy · Veteran Member Joined: 16 Nov 2004 Posts: 293

Rich G · Posted: Thu Dec 30, 2004 4:14 pm Post subject:

cjdjazztpt · Posted: Thu Dec 30, 2004 8:50 pm Post subject:

Calicchio trivia:

this one is easy...but here goes....

Which mouthpiece maker is closely associated with Calicchio trumpets since he has worked with hundreds of studio musicians along side of Calicchio?
This is sometimes referred to the Calicchio-____________ Connection.
It is also said that these mouthpieces sound and work the best with Calicchio trumpets.....
Location is a key factor!

This one is WAAAAYYY too easy!

GMacDaddyTPO · Posted: Thu Dec 30, 2004 9:38 pm Post subject:

Well...you stumped me...

Bill Scott · Posted: Thu Dec 30, 2004 10:23 pm Post subject:

I used to go down to a music store near where I lived just to play a Calicchio 1s/2. That horn could sing so bright and clear, the sound was so easy to produce. It was just a joy to play, but I didn't have the money to buy one then. If you're looking for a bright, singing sound and a horn that rings like a bell, I'd sure try the 1s/2.
_________________
There are two sides to a Trumpeter's personality: There is the one that lives only to lay waste to the woodwinds and strings, leaving them lying blue and lifeless along the swath of destruction that is a trumpeter's fury. Then there's the Dark Side"

cjdjazztpt · Posted: Thu Dec 30, 2004 11:27 pm Post subject:

Keep the guesses coming for the trivia question I have posted above.....

One of my fellow Calicchio(ites) on here will surely have to know!

marktrumpet · Posted: Fri Dec 31, 2004 12:51 am Post subject:

Bob Reeves

James B. Quick · Posted: Fri Dec 31, 2004 12:56 am Post subject:

I got to visit the Calicchio factory when it was in LA, in Hollywood, I think..my sister drove...

It was so cool! It was a two-bedroom house with a small garage in a residential neighborhood. The living room was the sales room, with a showcase and a few horns hanging on the walls. The kitchen counters were full of parts, valve casings and valves, I think. A hallway had pegs on the wall with a couple of dozen bells hanging on them. 6 0r 8 guys were standing here and there working on horns. I didn't see the plating operation, or whatever it was that was in the garage..... jbqd

P>S And there was a big, friendly old dog hanging around the front door and living room..

_londonhusker · Heavyweight Member Joined: 13 Oct 2002 Posts: 658

JBQ,

Out in the back of the Willoughby Street shop on the patio was an old metal paint locker. When you opened it up, you'd see that it was lined with aluminum foil, and had a couple of those big old sunlamp bulbs wired up inside. That was where the lacquer was baked onto the horns! Quite an unexpected sight, but it worked rather well!

Trptbenge · Posted: Fri Dec 31, 2004 3:52 am Post subject:

Definitely try and find a way to play the different models. Explore the website and read the interview with Chuck Findley. Then go to his site and see how sweet he sounds on his Calicchio.

John Duda is probably making the most consistently excellent Calicchios that have ever been made. Even Dominic had problems with consistency(read chuck Findleys story about his brothers horn). Someone mentioned earlier that Calicchio have the best valves that they had ever played. That has not been the experience that I have had. My 1S7 valves (made during Chris tenure) would occasionally catch. After having the valves lapped and worked with for a while they did become incredibly good valves. I have heard this same thing from other Calicchio players.

Anyway, I hope you decide to get a Calicchio. You will be buying one incredible horn.

Mike