Posts made by GeorgeB

@j-jericho said : A good player will learn how to play regardless of the equipment.

That is so true. I learned to play on a 30 or 40 year old Varsity that my teacher told me sounded worse than a tin can. I was working part time after school and couldn't afford much to start. I found the Varsity in a pawn shop for $30, which was a fortune to me in the early 50s. The Varsity didn't sound good but it did the job to get me playing well enough to encourage my teacher to recommend a musician owned music shop whose owner liked to help kids starting out. So I got me a brand new gold plated Conn Constellation 28B for $5 a week. And even that seemed like a lot then because I was only earning $12 a week delivering prescriptions on my bike for a local pharmacy.
But, man, my playing took a huge jump forward with the 28B. I played it with my 5 piece combo between 1953 and 1965 and the horn paid for itself a thousand fold. I sold it when I thought I wouldn't be playing any longer. Oh, how I regret that decision.

Oh, yeah, I still have that old Varsity. I like to play it once in awhile for old times sake.

@ssmith1226

Ahhh, the great Mr. Morrison. He must have elephant size lungs.
I found his you tube tutorials ( especially on breathing ) quite helpful back in 2016 when I started my comeback after a 50 year hiatus.
George

@ssmith1226

Very nice, Steve. I could feel the emotion in your playing on this day of remembering that terrible event 20 years ago.
God bless.
George

@bigdub

Well, now, maybe he's a witch doctor and put some kind of hex on you....

@dr-go

I'd love to have a coffee with you two and listen to the banter between you. It would be a riot...

@bigdub

Wow ! I can almost hear the roar of the water. Great work, Wayne.

@mike-ansberry

Yeah I saw it a few times. Really something.

@barliman2001

A lemon is a lemon. You can give it a slightly different name but the damn things is still sour as hell.

@ssmith1226

Well that kid has Doc Severinsen beat. Doc started at age seven and was doing some amazing playing as a kid. I always felt he was a natural player.

@administrator

A very touching and a very sad story as well.

As a youngster I clearly remember the voices , the big bands and most of all, those trumpet solos. Without those solos, I don't think I would have loved music as much as I do. So I guess maybe I was one who did lust after the trumpet.

@bigdub

That was kind of you to do that, Wayne. When you lose a pet it is like losing a member of the family. Your portrait will ensure this furry little member of the family will be remembered forever.
And the work you did is excellent as usual.
George

@bobmiller1969

I agree that the Selmer horns have a unique sound and I think it is because of the tone ring on the bell. I have a 1942 Buescher that has a tone ring similar to the Selmer Paris horns. It is my second favorite horn for solo work.

@bobmiller1969

The 1959 K-Mod was made in Paris and response is not quite as good as the 1952 Selmer Paris but has a similar warmth in its tone. The '52 may be more responsive due to the smaller bore, and the valves are faster than the '59 K-Mod. Of all my horns, the 1952 Selmer Paris remains my favorite horn to play with small groups, but not with the 35 member band I play with. When you push the '52 the sound is not as clean and warm. I hope this answers your question.

George

@bobmiller1969

I own 2 Selmers. One is a medium bore 1952 model and the other a medium large bore 1959 model. The '52 model has a smaller throat and none of my mutes fit it properly, but the '59 with its larger throat can accommodate all my mutes. I expect this is because of the different size bores.

@barliman2001

Looks like a good one, but in Canadian funds that's a lot more than I want to spend right now. Thanks just the same for letting me know.

@j-jericho

I'm not thinking of an Ambassador to replace anything I presently own. All my horns are top notch professional models ( except the Getzen 400, though it is a dandy ) with each having their own unique sound. I just may add an Olds sometime down the road. But the used pro models are very pricey, so I was just curious about the Ambassador line.

@dr-go

Thanks for the information, Doc. And it is interesting that you would put your Ambassador ahead of your two recordings, which are pretty pricy on the used market and many swear by them as the best players out there..

Were there just certain years for the Ambassador ?

@bigdub

I hate to admit it , Wayne, but back when I was young
I once saw a bunch of brass players who decided to play while submerged in a city fountain. Only the bells were above the water.
Could be they used the tubing as a snorkel when whenever they needed to take a breath. Either that or learn to breathe H2 O.

Wow, that would have been something to see.

I often see Olds Ambassadors from different periods at pretty good prices. My understanding is that the Ambassador is a student horn and yet I have heard that the odd pro and semi-pro player actually use the Ambassador at performances. Are they really that good?