Your First Love

[Bryant Jordan]

Alright.

What was the first horn that you fell in love with?

Mine has to be my Cannonball. Absolutely love it, the sound, how versatile it is, how it changes depending on the tuning slide or mouthpiece, the feel, the finish, etc. I've had many great horns in the past (many a lot more expensive), but I've found home with this one (at least for a while haha).

[Brad361]

King Silver Flair (1055), high school, 1969.
Wish I still had it!

Brad
_________________
When asked if he always sounds great:
"I always try, but not always, because the horn is merciless, unpredictable and traitorous." - Arturo Sandoval

[Rod Haney]

[Halflip]

King Golden Flair (1077, mid 70's vintage), purchased used 2010

I started looking for one of these after reading about how they were the product of a design exercise by King Musical Instruments to reverse engineer and improve on one of the Candoli brothers' Martin Committees. KMI came up with a very lightweight horn with a unique valve block (it had plated aluminum valve caps and buttons), bell, and leadpipe (Charlie Melk told me he never saw a leadpipe design like that before).

I finally found a lacquered one on eBay, bought it, and asked Charlie to restore it. I loved how it played so much that I bought a second silver plated one in 2013 that Charlie also worked on.

Neither one needed a valve rebuild; the valves feel very similar to Schilke valves -- fast, tight, and silky smooth. They both are perfect for the kind of small group jazz I favor. If I had to summarize the way they play in a couple of words, I'd say "intimate and expressive".

Does that sound like love?

[giakara]

Getzen eterna 850 cornet , back in 1998 , still my main cornet.

Regards
_________________
Lawler TL5-1A Bb 2015
Lawler TL6-1A Bb 2004
Lawler TL5-1A Bb 2003
Getzen eterna 910 C
Getzen eterna 850 cornet
Selmer Paris 3 valve picc
Yamaha 731 flugel
Carol mini pocket
Reeves/Purviance mpcs

[Seymor B Fudd]

[deleted_user_687c31b]

Tough question. It's been a long while since I got my first trumpet from my parents, and I'm not quite sure how I felt about it back then (being the stereotypical teenager). Maybe I was 'merely excited', maybe it was more, maybe less? I don't know anymore. The loaner cornet I played before that I can barely remember, though I still know what the case looked like. These days, I appreciate those instruments for getting me started and what we've been through together. But whether I really loved playing them...it's been a frustrating and depressive 2 decades when I played them, so I cannot tell.

But I do know that my current trumpet, an Olds Recording, is the one that made me fall in love with trumpet playing. It kinda showed me how trumpet playing could be, and kick-started a change in technique, gear and attitude that made me a much more appreciative player. Not to mention that it has given me a semblance of mental balance and focus.

Whenever I open its case (a nice chocolate brown Protec CT, with purple velvet padding on the inside), the various metal colors of its unique patina sparkle in the morning sun (or evening ceiling lights). The replica Olds badge on the inside, and the sci-fi badges I added on the outside are the perfect addition to accentuate its curvy shape and lean body. The bronze of bell with the still pristine engraving complete the picture and just make you want to play it. And then you do, and the nicest smooth jazz sounds come out of it, or bright tonal colors for classical music, or powerful upbeat funk or pop music, depending on the mood you're in.

Yeah, I guess you could say I'm in love with it.

[stumac]

Henri Selmer B700L that my mother gave me for my 50th birthday in 1988, which now has been surpassed by my 2020 Jerome Wiss 6/20, the last horn I will own.

Regards, Stuart.

[Vin DiBona]

Burbank Benge 5X, 6xxx.
Got it in high school 1967 and played it for 30 years. I wore it out.
It had everything a great Benge is known for and was extraordinarily versatile.
I never found a Benge that played like that except a few redone Chicago Benges and they were out of my price range.
R. Tomasek

[plankowner110]

Conn Connstellation
_________________
C. G. Conn 60B Super Connstellation
Getzen 800S Eterna cornet
Bach 5C (Jens Lindemann is right)
https://www.trumpetherald.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=26763

[chef8489]

There have been a few loves in my life. I briefly had a Bach strad trumpet in high school till my dad took it back. Was my first pro horn. When I joined the army I purchased a King Silver flair. That was my really first love. When I got out of the army and I started back on trumpet as music therapy to deal with my TBI's and such I purchased a HN White King Super 20 Symphony Silversonic. Lost it with divorce. Got back into it about 6 years ago and purchased a Bach lr180s72. in 2018 bad times hit again and I had to take out a loan on it. Just got it back yesterday and taking it to get cleaned and detailed tomorrow and see if it needs any work. Hopefully start working with Rich Willey again soon as I miss playing and really need the therapy. Hopefully I never have to get rid of them again. Id like to get a super 20 silversonic and a 1055t silver flair again.

[Brassnose]

I guess my first trumpet, a 1980 Blessing Scholastic. My parents bought it new for me when I was eight years old and I still have it - just had it out today, actually. There are better horns but I have played it full time for 12 years before moving on.

It looks the part, the bell has been mounted askew by the factory and by now it has a red rot leadpipe with the rot visible through the silver plate, the silver plate is gone at many places, the valve block shows heavy pitting, but the horn is still tight. I even had it out on a gig just before corona hit.

It reminds me of my first big band, my first pop/soul band, music camps, etc. I even recorded with it and played what could be the largest amateur jazz fest in Switzerland with it. So despite the issues this horn is not for sale.
_________________
2019 Martin Schmidt eXcellence
1992 Bach 43GH/43
1989 Kühnl & Hoyer Model 15 flugel
1980/2023 Custom Blessing Scholastic C 😎
1977 Conn 6B
1951 Buescher 400 Lightweight
AR Resonance, Frate, Klier

[oliver king]

Love is such a fleeting thing.
- I owned a Kanstul 1500 that I though was my be all end all, until I lucked up on an Akright 'Blackbyrd'. I really thought that was love, until my friend made a large bore Severinson/Akright Bel Canto for me. This horn is my voice. Prof said the trumpet in my hand should reflect my imagination. This one does that. For so many reasons, I will never part with this horn.
-The Adams F1 with nickel/silver bell flare is another that will always be kept close. I've a late 40's early 50's Olds Super tenor trombone that I am learning my way around ... thinking it's a keeper too.
- Bryan Morgan at 'Best Instrument Repair' has been building & modifying a trumpet for me that is different than any other I've played. Each evolution is better than the previous one.
Each one holds a place all its own.
_________________
LB Bel Canto #59
Holton B47
Frankenhorn projects 1-5
Adams F1
Olds Super Tenor Trombone
Alesis QS8
B2MS3, B2GS3,

[Halflip]

[chef8489]

[oliver king]

[blbaumgarn]

My Benge 5x serial number 10xxx purchased in '74, I guess. The test anything I ever played or was lucky enough to own. In that I agree with another commentary on Benge. Also, the Getzen Eterna cornet used in college. Just a delight to play and it made me a better player. I am not surprised to see the King Silver Flair on many people's list.
_________________
"There are two sides to a trumpeter's personality,
there is one that lives to lay waste to woodwinds and strings, leaving them lie blue and lifeless along a swath of destruction that is a
trumpeter's fury-then there is the dark side!" Irving Bush

[kehaulani]

Conn Connstellation
_________________
"If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn." Bird

Yamaha 8310Z Bobby Shew trumpet
Benge 3X Trumpet
Benge 3X Cornet
Adams F-1 Flghn

[Ozzbo]

BENGE Claude Gordon 1977 !!!!

Couldn't put it down. Had the case 1 foot from my bed and would wake up every hour or so, open the case, look at it and run the valves through some scales. Did this for the first 4 or 5 months I got it.

Still have the horn, case, and most of the BENGE accessory goodie pack !!!

Ahhhhh...young love at it's finest.
[/b]

[Halflip]