Brands used by Famous Players
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Hello all,
I am completely new to the Trumpet, having just ordered my first instrument!
I did a lot of research to decide which trumpet to get (I went with a Yamaha Student model in the end), but I became curious to know which brands were played by famous Jazz musicians. Is there a list somewhere? I am thinking of musicians like Louis Prima, Louis Armstrong, Harry James, Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Ennio Morricone etc. Have these famous players historically stuck to one instrument throughout their careers? Have they remained loyal to one brand? Is there a brand that is considered to be the 'Rolls Royce' of Trumpet makers?
Coming from a piano background, I am familiar with the different brands, and who played what. So I was wondering if these things are also discussed in the Trumpet world.
Best wishes
Martin
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Yamaha student model is a great place to start. You won't need anything fancier than that for several years. These topics are definitely discussed in the trumpet world. (All the time. You will see lots of threads about this topic.) I'm sure there is a list somewhere, but here are some highlights....
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Most of the big-name players of the big band era played the Martin Committee for some portion of their career. Miles Davis played Committees throughout his entire career, although he also used several other horns at different times. They built the last "real" Committee (second generation) in about 1955. Chris Botti still uses restored Committees exclusively. But you don't want a Committee unless you really know what you want after many years of development as a player.
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The Bach Stradivarius is the most common professional instrument for classical orchestra music as well as all-around, general-purpose use.
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Louis Armstrong had an exclusive deal with Selmer. (Selmer stopped making trumpets some years ago.)
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Harry James used Selmer at some times, but I believe he used the King Silversonic later on.
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That's great - thank you!
So, the original Selmer is not to be confused with instruments from Conn/Selmer? They seem to own a lot of brands, including Bach and King.
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Yes, Conn/Selmer is a conglomerate that includes Bach plus Steinway pianos and a bunch of other brands. They sell woodwind instruments under the Selmer brand, but I don't think they sell Selmer-branded brass instruments any more.
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This http://www.ojtrumpet.net/playerhorn/ has been on the internet for years.
'62 Olds Studio Trumpet
'67 Olds Special Trumpet
2013 Dillon Pocket Trumpet
'83 Yamaha YFH-731 Flugelhorn
1919 York Perfec-Tone Cornet
'50 Olds Studio Trombone
Shofar"If it was just up to me, I'd only have trumpet players on my show." - Jackie Gleason
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That's brilliant! Thank you!
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Jerico answered it.
And BTW, plese note that, while there were many players playing the Committee, in a certain era. very few play them now.Benge 3X
Martin Committee
Getzen Capri Cornet
Adams F-1 Flugelhorn"If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn."
Charlie Parker"Even if I could play like Wynton Marsalis, I wouldn't play like Wynton Marsalis."
Chet Baker -
@j-jericho said in Brands used by Famous Players:
This http://www.ojtrumpet.net/playerhorn/ has been on the internet for years.
Of note... there are a few members on this sit that are on this list.
Allora Pocket Trumpet 2014
Harrelson Summit 2017
Kanstul 1526 2012
Getzen Power Bore 1961
Getzen Eterna 4-Valve Fulgelhorn 1974
Martin Committee 1946
Olds Super Recording 1940
Olds Recording (LA) 1953
Olds Recording (Fullerton) 1967
Olds Ambassador 1965 -
@kehaulani said in Brands used by Famous Players:
Jerico answered it.
And BTW, plese note that, while there were many players playing the Committee, in a certain era. very few play them now.Not sure I would agree. Chris Botti is of course the most well known performer playing on this horn currently. Art Farmer plays this horn, I know several professional musicians in several cities around the country that play this horn. Mr. Ortez, one of our members that plays with Santana, plays this horn. I play most of my small ensemble gigs with this horn (big band gigs with my Harrelson). Of interest, when I played with Allen Vizzutti he confided in me that this was his horn he play in his youth before being a Yamaha artist.
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@dr-go There are great players all over the place playing Committes, no doubt about it.
But, I have worked extensively in over half the US. states and, I don't know maybe 26 countries, with different groups and different genres and I have never seen a Committee. -
I would say most famous players started on what they could afford, then switched to a particular brand as they became famous, which was the objective of marketing policies when a brand sponsored the performer. This occurred with James, Armstrong, Hirt, Severinsen. The only famous performer I have met who started and ended with a single trumpet was Alpert, who loved his Benge. If industry standard is defined by prevalence, then Bach is the standard by which all other horns are judged. In the '70s, I never encountered an advanced student or pro orchestral trumpeter who did not have a Bach. Back then, we had many brands, but none gave the performance and sound of the Bach brand. Fast forward 50 years, today we have many brands that compete head to toe with Bach. This is perhaps driven by competition: economics; and the desire of players to have a "unique" sound. We are now, arguably, in a golden era for trumpets, when we have a very extensive and confusing array of trumpets available, the majority of high quality. In 1970, the choice was far simpler: for an orchestral sound, choose Bach. Today, the choice is very difficult for any student. By the time a person becomes a "pro", s/he will know what s/he wants in and out of a horn, so the choice can be narrowed. Overall, new horns are of much higher standard than the old beaters, for virtually all brands. But some pros want a certain performance. For students, the choice is usually between old or new, and then limited by price.
Bach Stradivarius Model 37 in silver [180S37], ca 1972.
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@grune said in Brands used by Famous Players:
..most famous players started on what they could afford, then switched ...the objective of marketing policies when a brand sponsored the performer... We are now, arguably, in a golden era for trumpets, when we have a very extensive and confusing array of trumpets available, the majority of high quality... For students, the choice is usually between old or new, and then limited by price.
100% accurate assessment. Well stated and concisely.
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Another example is the Canadian Brass. I met the CB shortly after their historic performance in China. At the time, Romm and Mills performed on Bach trumpets, ca 1976. I cannot recall exactly which brands the others used. I think Watts had a Bach, and Page had a Selmer. Cannot guess what Daellenbach used for tuba (but then, who thinks about tubas?). Each owned his instrument. Later, ca 1983, I noted the entire group performed on gold-plated Yamaha instruments, given under sponsorship. I heard them twice in live performances, and noted in the 1980s gig the overall timbre of the trumpets was brighter than in the 1970s. I was very surprised to see and hear Yamaha in the CB. I trialled Yamaha in the 1970s, and very disliked the trumpets. But I knew Yamaha was spending large resources to improve, so maybe I should not have been surprised. Yamaha is certainly a success story.
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By request - Here is a trumpet held and fingered by Kirk Douglas, who portrayed the character Rick Martin in the movie Young Man With A Horn:
warnerarchive via YouTube.comIt looks like a Besson Brevete Kanstul to me. It had the forward-facing second valve slide with two button pulls, typical bell braces that can be associated with the style commonly seen on Bachs, and a single brace on the tuning slide, plus the forward-facing third valve slide stop. Those more knowledgeable than I am about Besson - please feel free to comment.
The soundtrack was played by Harry James. I don't know which brand/model he played at the time. I'd guess Selmer Paris Balanced Action, but it's just a guess.
'62 Olds Studio Trumpet
'67 Olds Special Trumpet
2013 Dillon Pocket Trumpet
'83 Yamaha YFH-731 Flugelhorn
1919 York Perfec-Tone Cornet
'50 Olds Studio Trombone
Shofar"If it was just up to me, I'd only have trumpet players on my show." - Jackie Gleason
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@j-jericho I think you are correct. The horn pictured indeed seems to be a Besson. James did play a Selmer ca 1950. Long ago I came across a beat up Besson Brevete, priced at what today would be next to nothing. It had a good sound, but the condition prevented any serious play. I had no repair techie within a thousand miles, so I passed. Today, I regret not buying the horn. Similar story for a Selmer balanced. Hind sight is always 20/20.
Bach Stradivarius Model 37 in silver [180S37], ca 1972.
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Through most of the 40s up to 1952 Harry played a variety of Selmer Paris balanced models ( I believe the last one given him was a 25A Gold Plated model ). But according to Chuck Par-Due's book HARRY JAMES Trumpet Icon Cathryn White, a daughter of the owner, convinced Harry to visit their plant and try their new models. This he did and switched to King in 1952. So he was likely playing the Selmer A25 Gold Plated model for the Movie, Young Man With A Horn.
