Getzen Tone Balanced Super Deluxe
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Getzen made some good quality horns back in the day. People always remark that their valves were very good. They also point out the apparent thin metal in the bell material on some models. However, I was dusting off my Tone Balanced cornet today and though I'd make a post for the fun of it.
Although people have been known to say how much they like the valves I find that the valves, although fine, aren't what sets the Getzen horns apart from other well made horns. On the Getzen Tone Balanced Super Deluxe, what a mouthful, the valves on the trumpet version differs in construction from the cornet version. Obviously Getzen didn't see anything sacred about valve design. The trumpet has bottom springs and the cornet top springs. What is most noticable is how they are built like tanks. The valve body even has a built on hand guard protector. The water key levers are as strong as butterfly keys on a machine gun and every place where one piece connects with another is well protected with extra hardware. No wonder there are still plenty of them around. And.... the cornets don't bring nearly the money as the trumpets and can be got for cheap.....like mine was $59.
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I have one of the trumpets - a fun gift from a friend. It came to me with a crushed bell, but I found one at an estate sale for $5 and will replace it when I get time. Trying to remember, but I think mine is top sprung.
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@flugelgirl Might be. The Getzen 90 is also bottom sprung. What version of Getzen do you have?
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I have the Super Deluxe precursor: The Getzen Power Bore and truly enjoy playing that horn. It was my lead horn until I purchased the Harrelson. It slots like a laser and is the most accurate slotting horn I own.
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@Dr-GO Hey Dr-Go . Looks like you got out of the penalty box ...for a while. Glad to see you back.
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I have a 90 as well - it’s not a favorite, so now it’s up for sale through my shop. It’s a good player, but I enjoyed it for a while and am finished with it now. Time to make room for something new! As you can see, it’s top sprung.
https://www.brassandwinds.com/collections/trumpets/products/getzen-super-deluxe-professional-bb-trumpet-sn-63464 -
Here’s my Super Deluxe - as you can see, it is top sprung with little rollers for guides. The friend that gave it to me has one in better condition that is also top sprung but with typical Getzen plastic guides.
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Amazing. Wonder when the change came? Why would a manufacturer use two types of valves in the same line of instruments? Probably a valve change early on across the board.
My Super and 90 trumpets both have serial numbers 31,000 and 32,000 range. The cornet is numbered later at 65,000 level. All of them were made before the 1963 cutoff date when the serial number to year data was lost in the fire. The top spring obviously now must have been the later design.
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@Niner said in Getzen Tone Balanced Super Deluxe:
@Dr-GO Hey Dr-Go . Looks like you got out of the penalty box ...for a while. Glad to see you back.
Thanks Niner. I am working with other members here to be proactive at keeping people out of such penalty boxes. TH is a great place to be and I am hoping to keep it there with support from members such as you! Thanks again for the welcome back!
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@Niner mine is 91XXX, also before the fire. The 90 I’m selling is 63XXX.
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@flugelgirl I wonder when the design changed from bottom springs to top springs. Gives me something to do in my spare time.
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I have a 4 digit SD that was purchased from Bunny Berrigan's grandson! It is rumored to be the same Getzen SD Satchmo is pictured playing while at Bunny's daughter's house! Robert Rowe said he had the picture, but alas he died before he could confirm. It's a great lead horn, cuts like a knife as long as one uses a lead mouthpiece.
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@Niner I sure wonder why the one I have with the lower serial would have the typical modern Getzen valve guide setup while the other has a completely different system that is obviously much older. It kind of makes me wonder if serials were stamped long before horns were put together, and then parts were assembled as they needed horns. There doesn’t appear to be a lot of sense in the early serial #system.
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@flugelgirl Just for the curiosity value I took out the first valve pistons on the cornet and the Super Deluxe trumpet and tried to swop them. The old style valve piston in the trumpet would fit in the cornet and track exactly right with the bottom spring in place and the horn would play like the newer design piston with the little wheel on the reverse side of the slot track guide. However, if I tried to use the newer version in the trumpet the piston would stop at the brass section with the track guide. This would suggest that there would have to be some tracking modification to use the newer piston.
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@Niner the quick answer for this is that cornets have different pistons/casings than trumpets do.
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@flugelgirl Pistons generally won't interchange and line up correctly from one trumpet to another in the same line, much less a trumpet to a cornet. I'm aware of this. I was just surprised that the pistons from my trumpet would interchange with my cornet to the point that the old spring design would fit in the cornet and line up right.
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I don't love every Getzen I have ever played / owned, but they are very consistent. I especially enjoy their cornets.
