Classic Trumpet
 

Don't see what you are looking for? Need a part for your trumpet — Special mouthpiece or rare accessory? Email me at trumpetgirl@classictrumpet.com

Ask the Trumpet Girl: New Again Custom-Classics

What is a Custom Classic?

Would a hybrid trumpet be right for you?

Why buy a custom built?

Why spend on Vintage classic/mod & not a new trumpet?

What is a Stencil?

How green is your production facility?

HORNS for SALE: eMail me at trumpetgirl@classictrumpet.com for more info.

Besson/Kanstul MEHA

Silverplated - lightweight 470 Bore Trumpet

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Please email with offers & questions.

GETZEN CAPRI
Original brass lacquer - 3 valve Bb piccolo


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Please email with offers & questions.

Early REYNOLDS Hi Fi Cornet ser #41503

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Please email with offers & questions.

17 D #2 FLUGEL CFH 501 CERVENEY
Rotary Flugelhorn 99% new lacquer

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Please email with offers & questions.

BENGE TRUMPETS FOR SALE NOW!!!

Early Los Angeles, ALL new pistons from Zig Kanstul in Anaheim in 2008.

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Please email with offers & questions.

CUSTOM CONVERSION YAMAHA in C

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CUSTOM FINISH

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OLDS / CONN HYBRID

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OLDS / CONN HYBRID

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Below find a list of my most often in stock trumpet and cornets.
Email me at trumpetgirl@classictrumpet.com for more info.

  • 25107 Schilke MII Chicago … silver plate … vint 1977 good condition
  • ca 1950sParis Selmer Bb “DeVille” … raw brass-annealed +buttons - LeBlanc
  • 80695 Couesnon Paris fluegelhorn raw brass annealed Best sound !! with oem hardcase
  • 14155 Benge Los Angeles 3ML silver vint 1975 original Benge case
  • 40362 Benge Los Angeles ML3 silver ca1980 w/case
  • K33024 Conn 60B Super Constellation … brass ca60s-70s? v nice, original case
  • 423176 HN White (King) Silver Flair (original silver-plate ..rings no trigger) ca1970
  • 412898 HN White (King) Silver Flair Pilczuk lead pipe ca1969
  • 791412 King ‘Legend’ silver, repair & solder marks ca1977
  • 867562 King 2007 .468” bore … raw brass (UMI) vint 1982
  • Blessing Super & Artist stencils all 468 bore
    all Signets have solid nickel lead pipe
  • 88509 Silvertone Model 200 raw brass ..Amados vint 1950s
  • 95415 Silvertone Model 200 scratched lacquer ca 1950s
  • 12706 Selmer Signet (468 bore) … raw brass .”S” ..nickel top vint 53
  • 12344 Selmer Signet (468 bore) … 60% lacquer) ...“S” …nickel top vint 53
  • 62103 Blessing Artist (468 bore) … raw brass …annealed vint 1953
  • 11608 cornet Selmer Signet 468 … (Artist stencil) ++ all nickel lead pipe
  • 81478 cornet Blessing Artist 468 … patina raw brass NFS
    many other Blessing 468 stencils ca 40s - 60s
  • 49979 HA Selmer 468 large bore Bundy …raw brass-annealed 1949
  • 30646 ‘Bundy’ HA Selmer 468 bore xlnt 90% orig laquer ca
  • 42559 HA Selmer 468 large bore Bundy … .90% lacquer 1944
  • 54452 Lorenzo Sansone - V nice 95% lacquer (Blessing built) 468 bore ca1950
  • 66942 Gretsch Commander 80% lacquer (Blessing Built ) ca1954
  • 106169 cornet Silvertone model 200 (Super) broken
  • 16392 V Bach “Mercury” Mt Vernon … .all brass 50% lacquer ca1954
  • 76665 V Bach “Mercedes” Stradivarius … silver — nice ! ca1970
  • 137057 V Bach “Mercedes” Stradivarius … silver ca1975
  • 520751 Buescher Aristocrat xlnt raw brass ca1965
  • Buescher Aristocrat ML … misc
  • 19967 LeBlanc “Herriot” TUB(Dizzy) large 468 bore … 70% silver-plate (no oem case … packed in 1950s vintage suitcase if desired) fun, good player
  • 42320 Reynolds Emperor (Cleveland) … all brass (nickel outer slides) vint 1959
  • 24988 Reynolds Emperor (Cleveland) nickel flare vint 1957
  • 14918 Reynolds "00" bore (= 457) … nickel topped casings - pro vint 1956
  • 43747 Reynolds Contempora “Leonard Smith” model … great player vint 1959

OLDS

  • 411564 Olds Fluegelhorn 95% lacquer … ornate vint 1962
  • 953484 Recording trumpet Fullerton … 3rd trigger, raw brass ...xlnt pistons vint1976
  • 385228 Special Fullerton Nickel/bronze flare bell restored valves … raw brass vint 1961
  • 179508 Special Fullerton all Brass … raw brass … player vint 1955
  • 428090 Super Fullerton … nds slides - I have all parts vint 1963

Ambassador Trumpets & Cornets

  • 131115 Los Angeles dark patina 1954
  • 157203 Fullerton (early LA parts) 1955
  • 171994 Full 1955

FIX MEs

  • Amb Cornets - 148141 (1954), 156438 (Fullerton 1955)
  • 139284 (1954), 83144 (1952), 84486 (1952), 142334 (LA1954)
  • Special cornets (Full) 289024(1959), 272590(1958)
  • Super cornet 113115 (1954), 9458 ca1930s LA
  • 50331 Ambassador Stencil (Rampone Cazzani / MILAN) ca 1930s hand fitted

Ultra RARE rare vintage hybrids

  • 40484 York (Blessing Artist 468 ..raw brass w/copper wireless Bell flare) ca1946
  • Rudy Muck (Blessing Super Artist = light weight buttons & tuning slide brace
  • 468 bore...raw brass — trumpet OR cornet 33819
    Recently Inspired Custom / Conversions / Hybrids
  • K84524 Getzen 300 series silver body … earliest Super ‘Tone Balanced Super Deluxe' brass bell with rare Nickel tone ring. early receiver ..reversed lead pipe, amados
  • 43111 Selmer 468 bore ‘Selma’ conversion - 18 chambered Pilczuk copper leadpipe +copper bell with 5-1/4” nickel flare (from Holton Super Collegiate -designed for Holton by Al Hirt) amados
  • 62216 Paris Selmer Radial custom (Selma Conv with triple slide tubes)
  • 989121 Benge/Stradivarius hybrid … heavy box braces – 470 LP bore Benge With LT43* Strad Bel … like CG or MEHA++

High Keyed

  • Olds Amb custom 459 trumpet in C & Conn Coprion bell lacquered
  • Olds Amb custom 466 cornet in C raw brass ...trpt config
  • Besson C conversion 2-20 body ...Crescendo bell …copper Pilczuk LP
  • Yamaha 2320 C conversion ...bead blasted ...raw brass & misc solid nickel LP
  • V Bach Bundy custom cornet in D .459 bore ..trpt config nice...Strad LP & Slide
  • 90102 HA Selmer custom cornet in D stepped bore.468 bore (Rockwell bell) ....trpt conf ...Benge LP & Slide. Stencil nickel topped, all orig
  • Paris Selmer “DeVille” in C….silver V worn - tweaked bell bow..plays good..very bright fast flare
  • Getzen Eterna long bell in D 99% lacquer near new

Small Bells

  • Getzen Eb 300 series raw brass Amados 1960s vint
  • Getzen Capri Piccolo 3 valve 90% lacquer

Student / Intermediate

  • 144779 Blessing Scholastic (466 MLP bore - early) vint 1965
  • Conn 459 bore 1st trigger solid nickel 80% lacquer (Japan ..vint 1971)
  • P98663 Conn Director 457 bore 99% brass lacquer (Japan …vint 1971)
  • 03005AH230TR V Bach Aristocrat 600 (USA built ..student ..like new) ca 1990s
  • 892953 V Bach Bundy 459 bore ..60% lacquer ( bell scratched NJH MUS 224)
  • Besson 2-20
  • 37195 Bundy 468 all brass 99% lacquer

Private Collection: NFS / Ultra rare / 1 ofs / Not For Sale

  • 41757 “Signet" Soloist (Stradivarius) 90% lacquer V nice vint 1965 Rare
  • 514 New York Strad (Rudy Muck - Frankie Newton) ca1926 1of rare
  • Besson silver fluegelhorn
  • 728535 Conn Victor “B” 438 bore 70%lacq … Herald (flare= 5.135”) vint 1958
  • 14449 Blessing naked lady gold plate
  • **3962 Selmer US S braces x3 nickel slides
  • 44564 Olds Ambassador LA ca 40s
  • 63682 Selmer Signet all brass 80% lacquer
  • 31887 Getzen Super Deluxe … raw brass (K ’s)
  • xxx Original Frankenhorn 468 1940s Selmer Signet body & Super Collegiate copper nickel bell
  • xx ‘Selma with Pilczuk … my personal player – super cool – on PBs

Answers from the Trumpet Girl: New Again Custom-Classics

A Custom Classic?
I want a pro horn & can't afford it.

A custom Classic is a vintage, quality horn modified and rebuilt, with custom improvements which bring it into the 21st century, and raise it to a professional horn standard.

A vintage or student horn can have all the features of a pro model - be just as easy to play, for a much lower price.

A custom leadpipe, first & third slide reversals/rings and bracing conversions can make an old favorite into a new comeback player that you just can't put down!

Precision adjustment for the stock mouthpiece-receiver-leadpipe gap for your chosen mouthpiece can make a difference for anyone.

The most affordable / playable horn is a custom classic.

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Why try a Hybrid?
It’s not really a new idea...
1930s-40s Hybrid trumpets were built by York, Acme, Grand Rapids, Rudy Muck & others.

No one makes a trumpet with the sound I want! So, how do I choose?
My Bb & C trumpets play so differently, what can I do?
Don’t chose! By using Bb parts to build a C conversion, your C trumpet will feel very close to the Bb version.

The prettiest of the old trumpets will never function well enough to play & enjoy forever. Not always:

My well-loved horn is just worn out – Put that antique bell onto a more recent body and keep playing the vintage sound, but with modern intonation and new parts!

I prefer most the valve action of my OLDS, but the sound of a copper or nickel bell is for me – Not a problem to change it to your specs.

My Yamaha or Schilke valves are the Yamalloys but the overall sound is good – Put that bell & slides onto a better valve assembly unit!

My small-bore Conn trumpet has me too much backpressure & I tire easily - Keep up that sound & make it easier to play with a variable/dual bore design! (Copper Director, or Connstellation bells)

I want a more decorative bell design - mixed metals, custom bend. Find your favorite bell design and put it onto a great playing body! Customized bells are not a problem to install.

My old large bore trumpet sounds so stuffy! old 485 bore Conn Pan Am, Director / 470-4 bore German built stencils - Install a new leadpipe with a modern taper, it will improve playability immensely!

The bell flare is too small? I cannot play loud enough with out cracking the notes - Change it to a Yamaha bell, which has a large 5" flare, (easily affordable)

Why not try a hybrid now?

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Why buy custom?
Performing is always a special occasion … Make it easy!

Many manufacturers have called their factory-produced horns 'Custom, Professional or Artist' models, but are they? – Not really, not any more! UMI has united too many of the major US companies that had been fierce competitors in the past. The result was no better than the venture of American Motors Corp. (remember the Pacer & Gremlin cars?)

Most recently, parts design & brand names have been interchanged between models. That blurs lines of quality & expectation…did you know that the newest Conn Vintage One and Benge 90 models are actually on a King valveset? And, now the King Silver Flair is not a King at all!

Players, including comeback players, who are shopping for a vintage horn by brand or model name will be left disappointed. No longer are student horns made with hand fitted quality, or at a good price. If you want an inexpensive, new student trumpet? Bach does market one, it comes from China now, but with their American name on it. It is not US quality!

Many players buy the so-called professional horns only to have them corrected & modified to play properly by someone else, who is more sensitive to a player's needs. The Bach Stradivarius is a prime example. Professors teach to the horn - not the player. These factory, built-in defects consume time to overcome. That time could be spent developing/perfecting your style.

Why have these issues at all? A Strad bell mounted onto your favorite trumpet body gives the same sound, without added playing hassles.

Do you have difficulty finding a certain horn without sticker shock? A used, less than gorgeous trumpet may meet your needs more readily and affordably

“I want a horn with lasting 'sizzle”. It’s hard to play for long hours on my Schilke or CG Benge because they are so light in weight that, most of the air energy is gone before it exits the bell flare! The use of a heavier, larger bore body (with a lightweight bell or shaved flare) helps with most endurance problems and keeps the sizzle going!

I think I am playing loudly, but still cannot be heard. Projection is your problem. Adding some weight to the bell/leadpipe braces or valveset greatly improves the projection & volume, so you work less & sound better!
Many articulation problems are largely due to the mouthpiece-to-receiver-to-taper gap. This is a minor problem and makes players go on an equipment safari & waste their money!

I adjust a given horn to sound its best, fitted to the mouthpiece of your choice. It is play tested until I am satisfied!
A reversed leadpipe & slides will always improve airflow & pitch quality –These are solid facts!

A custom trumpet is built for you the player, for ease of playing, not for any high profit margin!

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Why spend on vintage or classic & not buy new?
Why not? American horns built between 1940 & 1970 are of the best quality ever made!

The phrase ‘Buy American’ meant something when there was still real competition & pride in the manufacture of instruments. Student horns of yesteryear are of much better quality than new pro horns offered today, which is why I use them often to build upon.

If you need an affordable horn, but with quality/durability to learn on, Think about a refurbished American Classic trumpet or cornet. For example: Conn Director, Holton Collegiate, Getzen 300 series, Selmer-Bundy, Olds Ambassador. All are very well made instruments.

Classic trumpets were built for the time's most popular players and many had custom features. In the sales arena, a player's great sound was often attributed to their choice of trumpet.

Old timers like, Freddie Hubbard, Lee Morgan, Louis Prima, and Roy Hargrove all played on the (student) OLDS Ambassador!

Bix Beiderbecke's and Wild Bill Davison's original 30s jazz sound came from their Conn Victor 80A (cornets).

Generations of players have pursued the sound quality of: Miles Davis' or Chet Baker's Martin Committee, Dizzy's Silver Flair, Harry James' & Satchmo's French Selmers.

Nat Adderly & Cat Anderson played Connstellation

Maynard Fergusen designed for Holton (as did Al Hirt)

Doc Severinsen endorsed Getzen, Conn & BelCanto.

Herbert Clarke's earliest Holtons (although several were built with differing bore sizes, he dubbed it "the perfect cornet"),

A vintage or classic trumpet will always retain & increase in value - they don't make them like that anymore! Current (unionized) assemblers keep up their production numbers now, and the price is a sacrifice of quality.

What is a Stencil?
Catalog & store sales driven by price & availability

Many companies achieving large production output often sell some of their horns without labeling them, so a dealer or store can ‘stencil’ their own name to it. Early on, many small US companies were importing & relabeling inexpensive Austrian, Belgian, or West German made horns (Baxter-Northrup, JW Pepper, York, Lyon-Healy, etc). Europe was our 1950's "China" for cheap horns!
Larger American builders always stood behind the quality of their parts, assembled or not.... Perhaps the largest builder of stencil trumpets was Blessing. Commanding a wide & early market with their high quality valve sections, they were able to sell everything they could make, often taking up the shortfalls of their competition's shipping commitments!

The first New York Bach trumpets were made with Blessing valves. I have Blessing stencils that were built for DEG, Donald E. Getzen (in .464 bore), and Conn’s Pan-American model, Commander by Gretsch (468). At the stores, - Rockwell-Nappe, Silvertone at Sears were big private stencil labels.

Stencils from Getzen - Boston Beacon & many others, are found, notable by the early "deluxe" model type distinctive two piece bell (may be joined by the heavy, single piece brace (which is the hex mouthpiece receiver) & the simple pressed/hammered brackets elsewhere. These were very well made horns!

Blessing is still an independent company in Elkhart. And Getzen still exists in Elkhorn. Both of these companies, I consider truly ALL AMERICAN, since they both still build & market their own line of student instruments, as well an excellent professional line of instruments.

Not all stencils with the same name are the same trumpet. Not at all - there were several Sears Silvertones (Austrian, German, French, or American) The name Silvertone was allowed on the imported instruments only after Sears was sued by HN White / King who claimed the Silvertone name for its Sterling-belled models...(The lawsuit affected only US companies, like Blessing)
It was easier for Sears to change builders than rename ‘their’ horns or reprint catalogs.

You could examine three Gretsch Commanders, side by side; they may well be made by different builders or nations (Gretsch is mainly a percussion/Bugle company)

Buying a stenciled instrument is a sometimes-cautious venture, but it can be rewarding!

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Are you environmentally conscious?
The best of low- & non-toxic materials / processes available.

Nearly all parts I use are used or refurbished from American vintage instruments. Rarely will a part be newly produced or shipped from overseas, - except for minor expendables (cork, felt, oil, grease, etc.)

I often find ‘take-off’ parts removed from newer horns by high end builders, like Harrelson.

All cleaning, soldering, polishing operations used are non-toxic to me, the player & our environment. Elbow grease is a rarely known commodity today & I use it often!

I am a very safe builder, with a dangerous horn, offering a great and unique playing experience.
Try a Custom Classic today!

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QUICK LINKS

Lead Trumpet Girl eBay page — find more items for sale here.

http://www.quality-brass.com/ — web-based brass dealer: vintage trumpets, cornets, and other instruments.

http://rudymuck.info/ — the site for Rudy Mück information.

http://www.trumpetherald.com/ — the largest and oldest community site for trumpet players on the internet.

http://www.trumpetmaster.com/ — the premier trumpet site on the web.

http://trumpetland.ning.com/ — trumpet photos, videos, sound clips & blogs.

http://www.horn-u-copia.net/catalog.php - The best vintage brass instrument reference catalog on the net.


ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2016

MODELS BRANDS PLACES

Abeliene Anaheim Belgium Boston Burbank Brussels Chicago Cleveland Elkhart Elkhorn Fullerton Grand Rapids Japan London Los Angeles Milano Mount Vernon New York Paris
Abbot Acme Alcazar American Standard Apollo Bach Besson Blessing Boosey Buescher Cerveney Columbia Conductor Conn Couesnon Courtois DEG Distin Elkhorn Empire State Evette Schaeffer Eterna Gautier Getzen Gretsch HB Jay Holton Kanstul Keefer King Kruspe HN White Imperial La Fleur Lark Leonore Lyon Healy Ludwig Marceau Martin Mercedes Model 97 Monette Olds Pan American Pepper Perfecto Professional Vega Reynolds RMC Selmer Schilke Star Stomvi Stratton Wurlitzer York Zobisch
Academy All American All Star Ambassador American Climax Art Artcraft Artist Atlas Baronet Beacon Belmonte Benge Bruno Buffet Cadet Cavalier Clarke Collegiate Commodore Commander Commodore Concert Grand Connstellation Connquest Connqueror Copra-Temp Crampon Crown Delux Diplomat Director Emperor Excelsior Franco American Franklin Gladiator HiFi Indiana Jupiter LeBlanc Liberty Lincoln Lyric Master Medalist National Noblet Odell Orpheum Orsi Peerless Perfection President Presentation Prep Prototype Recording Regent Revelation Reveille Rexcraft Rockwell Rudy Muck Sansone Selmer Signet Silver Flair Solotone Special Superior Symphony Tempo Tone King Tonk Victor Vox Windsor Wonder Xeno Yamaha
Aristocrat Bundy Capri Concert Grand Committee Connstellation Contempora Dansant DeLuxe Emperor Eterna Fidelity Galaxy Handcraft Junior Medalist Monopole Ne Plus Ultra New Era Opera Nova Pathfinder Premiere Radio Resno Temper Reliable Revere Silvertone Special Standard Stradivarius Soloist Stratford Super Artist Surprise Swallow Tone King Toreador Triumph Troubador Trutone Velvetone Vibrante Victory Virtuoso
Berylium Brass Bronze Copper Coprion Gold Monel Rey-o-loy Resno-Tempered Nickel Silver
Sterling Silver
3X 2X 4X 5X 6X 7X 300 400 600 601 602 1500 2B 22B 17A 20B 22B 6A 80A 609 1000 8Z ML MLP LP ST200 ST 302 ST 550 TR602 YTR 232 2320 2335 YCR YFL 2055 4320 4325S 4335 6331 190S 184L 25 37 43 LR 25A H 2-20 10-10 8-10 90 TR300 TR500 1530 75 76
Amado Costello Curry Jet Tone Parduba Purviance Reeves Warburton Zottola Elton Shastock Humes and Berg
Celio Cecilia Clark Jean Baptist Mendini Monique Rosetti Simba Tempest Palace Giardinelli
Bix Beiderbecke Donald Bird Herbert Clarke Maynard Fergusen Dizzy Gillespie Al Hirt Freddie Hubbard Harry James Ziggy Elman Doc Severinsen Bobby Shew Clark Terry