$10,000 mouthpiece

[Dale Proctor]

$10,000 mouthpiece, but the shipping's free.....

http://cgi.ebay.com/Harry-Sweets-Edison-trumpet-mouthpiece-made-by-Al-Cass_W0QQitemZ310095416411QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item310095416411&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2%7C65%3A10%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318

I'd consider it if it would make me play like Doc or Wynton, but I'm afraid I'd end up just playing like me....
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"Brass bands are all very well in their place - outdoors and several miles away ." - Sir Thomas Beecham

[ProAm]

Sigh..... not AGAIN

http://www.trumpetherald.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=79458

http://www.trumpetherald.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=77995

http://www.trumpetherald.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=72029

(and probably others as well)

I guess that this is a topic that we will never get tired of discussing....
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"What the world needs is more geniuses with humility, there are so few of us left."

[Dale Proctor]

Sorry, guess I didn't see the other earlier threads.
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"Brass bands are all very well in their place - outdoors and several miles away ." - Sir Thomas Beecham

[ConnArtist]

Someone's made an offer! Maybe if enough folks offer $5, the price will approach sanity. Doubt it.
_________________
"Stomvi" PhrankenPhlugel w/ Blessing copper bell
1958 Conn 18A cornet
1962 Conn 9A cornet (yes, the Unicorn )
Reynolds Onyx cornet
c. 1955? Besson 10-10 trumpet
1939 Martin Imperial Handcraft “Model 37�
1986 Bach Strad 37 ML

[sweets]

Steve Cass seems to sell his pieces for around $500. Given my moniker, I should really try and get my hands on this, though I favor anchor grip rims (Warburton.)

[Billy]

Golly, I have one of Sweet's bucket mutes. Didn't know there was such a demand!

[HoustonTPT2]

Sweet!

[qbert]

Let's turn this thread into an interesting one...

Does anyone know how Harry "Sweets" Edison came to be known as "Sweets" ?

Does anyone know how he was related to Thomas ?

[stevecass]

trumpet players really underestimate the value of the brass instrument. Let's be honest. Trumpet is one of the most extreme difficult instruments to master. Why is it ok for a guitar that was used by Eddie Van Halen, (heck, not even used by) common to go for $10K, god forbid it was actually used by him. Or better yet an Eric Clapton guitar to fetch over $100,000. (did the buyer think that when they purchased Eric Claptons guitar they would actually sound like Eric Clapton?, possibly yes, more than likely no, did they get the same tone? Possibly, did they use the right amp? Do they have the skill "in their head"? probably not. Would it get them closer to the possibility of playing like Clapton? Possibly it gave them more confidence. (who knows! more than likely, they put it in a glass case to show off like art) There are a lot of questions why anyone would pay that kind of dough. Maybe they JUST LIKE ERIC CLAPTON! (this is 99.9999 % probability)

Yet when a GIANT in the trumpet world's piece comes up, it get's dissed? $5? As someone posted. I don't get it.

Trumpet was the LEAD instrument for many years. Why is it OK for a Stradivari violin to fetch $1,000,000 but when it comes to anything associated with brass, it's considered crazy? Just wondering what your thinking so I can understand the mentality better. I saw a guitar that was signed, not used, nor made for Aerosmith, just a common guitar, simply signed by the fab 4 and it sold for over $15,000.00. not played by them, not made for them. Why do brass players in general frown upon the significance of their instrument of choice?

Worse yet, a comic book that once cost .10 fetch $100,000.00 Why is it so hard to fathom that a mouthpiece, used/made for one of the greatest ever to play the trumpet get so much dis-respect?

some mouthpieces I list fetch well over $1000, and those are nothing special. Just stock pieces. Put Harry Edisons name on it and what's it worth? $5? Seriously. I don't get why the negativity.

oh, Harry got his nickname because of his "sweet" tone that was the go to for the likes of Billy Holiday to Frank Sinatra. In fact, Edison recieved a salary from the recording industry for life. Name another player who got that much respect.

[stevecass]

I wish some of the players who purchased a Diz copy would post something on what it did for their playing. But it seems a lot of guys just don't want to admit it or they don't want to divulge their advantage!?(secret), I'm sure in some instances, They want to think it's all them. but that is understandable in a way. I guess...But other's are not, like those that were not paid and let my father use their names in his ads. Like Diz, like Sweets, like Eldridge, like so many other's who didn't care if other's knew

... Fact is, when i called Diz to tell him my father died. What was his response to me.... sorry kid, he was a good man, no his exact words were "well, i'm all done, it's over."

I might catch some flack for this but what the hell. 99% of trumpet players don't have a clue.

When Red Rodney came back out on the scene, he was proclaimed, "the miracle". Sure, after my father made him a custom mouthpiece. Because Red didn't give him any credit, my father never made him another. Diz was the outspoken one who gave him credit. My father didn't pay him a dime to endorse him. Unlike Maynard who I was told got something like $750,000 to endorse what he played.

You have no idea what this piece could do for you, It could be a pile of crap and then again, it could make you play notes you didn't even know you had. Don't knock it till you try it.

[stevecass]

3x a charm.

one guy told me once. This is coming from a PRO, who MAKES A LIVING playing trumpet. He said......something like this,

"Steve, don't feel guilty when these pieces fetch big bucks. What's it worth to a musician to get a mouthpiece that allows them to play stuff that no amount of practice will let them play".

I don't know. How much?

[Blackbird]

Hey some interesting points you raise steve, thanks for posting. I think the main reason that other instruments such as rock guitars get sold for so much money is because that music and those artists are so incredibly popular, their memorabilia is worth much more. For example most people would know about Eric Clapton, but not so many would know Harry Edison, so hence it's harder to get someone to spend 10K on a Sweets mouthpiece.

[stevecass]

Hi Daniel, I agree 100%, but since I have this, I think it would only help out the trumpet world if some "noise" was made (via public sales) If not only for the sole purpose to show that trumpet players are "just as crazy, if not crazier" than any guitar collector! We need respect!!!!!!lol
and it seems the only way to get it is when the big $ is put into play.

......... I did sell a "used by Diz" to a fella in Europe for $15,000. Unfortunately, that was a private sale and not "recorded"/ Seen by the masses. If there is no news about these sales, then they are kept hidden from the general public. (very much like rare books, see below). It was a very well known european player who purchased the piece. I could have sold it for more, as the buyer found the price only trivial. (I guess in europe they have great understanding that money is not important/trivial when it comes to fine instruments. But is obviously catching on in America with the sales of some of the guitars these past years)

Another interesting fact is "mouthpieces are extremely difficult to authenticate" I suppose it's like pirate treasure. Is it just a gold coin? Or a gold coin that was from a spanish ship sacked by Captain Kid, and sank to the bottom where it remained for 300 years. Provenance is KEY. So, having a piece in the makers hand, stating for whom the piece was made, in itself is a RARITY and it is pieces like this that need to be documented and set presidence. (sorry, I never was a good speller)

Here is a interesting tidbit I have come to learn/understand/experienced over the years..... owning and having purchased rare books and famous art. In essence, for the sake of discussion, I believe these mouthpieces are considered "art".

Art collectors..... like to tell people how much they paid for their art.
Book collectors..... like to keep hidden what they paid for a book.
Art collectors.......like to show off their art to the world.
Book collectors.... like to keep books to themselves.

Years ago, I offered these items to the SMITHSONIAN for FREE, however they seemed dis-interested. Perhaps because they did not understand THEN the importance of a mouthpiece to it's user. (if they can't understand it, who can!?) However, like the nature of man,Once they see HUGE $ in sales, they will finally understand, at least a little bit more. SO, i am somewhat on a mission. IT's not just the money. I am in a odd position, being the owner of so many pieces that were used by some of the greatest in the world of brass,(some of the only pieces that can be FULLY AUTHENTICATED) and I feel it's sort of a duty I have(who else is going to do this?), to present these rarities to the world. Unfortunately, the higher prices realized in public view is what get's the attention/respect of the rest of the world.

[ProAm]

[qbert]

[Piro]

[stevecass]

This is what is the problem. Under-estimating the importance of the mouthpiece! Diz could have played any trumpet, but it was the mouthpiece that is the link and the 1 constant throughout the his performing years. With the mouthpiece he could jump from any maker trumpet. One of his last trumpets, was donated and at auction purchased by the TONIGHT SHOW as a gift for bandleader Marsalis. ($86,000.)It did not have the original mouthpiece attached. Diz' wife Loraine kept the mouthpiece because it was "more intimate" to Diz than the trumpet. so.... Stating the mouthpiece is simply the pick-up shows the lack of appreciation towards mouthpieces perhaps not lack of appreciation but lack of understanding of their importance to the player. This is a very common perception.

there was a story told by Faddis, about a battle of the horns in which Roy Eldridge, Dizzy Gillepie peformed live with pianist Oscar Peterson. During the break, Oscar switched mouthpieces on the two horns of Eldridge and Gillespie. Both were made by Al Cass, so looked similar in appearance wo the switch went un-noticed. When the performance resumed, either Eldridge or Diz started to blast into their performance, and basically, the player couldn't make a note, he tried again and again and was "lost", so at this point, the other player laughed and began into their own performance,.... same thing, a complete blunder. Then the other player began again, not knowing what to think, and again, same result, then the other player, same thing! Then Oscar called both players to the piano and switched their pieces back in their respective horns. And so.... it was Oscar's practical joke that really put's the importance of the mouthpiece into perspective.

[Piro]

I didn't really think about that. It definatly is more intimate. I just dunno still doesn't seem to be worth $10,000. And that story at the end of your post really puts it into perspective.
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Bach Strad ML37/ Laskey 75B/70C

[stevecass]

I believe that story was published in the booklet included within the Diz 75th birthday album/cd.

[Blackbird]