Posts made by tjveloce

@stan-harrison I’m playing a SoloMax now and find that the Lotus mouthpieces work better with the Lotus horn.

-tj

@dale-proctor Thank you for the information. I’ll look for a period correct saddle and have my horn tech install one.

-tj

@tjveloce

By way of follow up, am I correct in believing that my Strad is a 18037? And that there would not have been a first valve slide saddle on it when it left Elkhart?

-tj

Monette Unity Bb trumpet DM6LD mouthpiece with Lightweight Unity Body.

I've had this mouthpiece for about 2 months and used it only a handful of times. It's in nearly new condition with only some very minor insertion marks on the shank.

https://www.monette.net/product-page/unity-dm-6ld

$300 + shipping

Previously I used a Yamaha Miyashiro for my big band work. It was a fantastic horn, but I wanted something with a darker, warmer timbre...something that sounded like my Committee, but played with the response and tonal accuracy of the Miyashiro.

Last June I attended a Lotus demo day, played a Solo Max, and fell in love. A couple months later I put my deposit in, and got in line. This past Saturday, it arrived. It's gorgeous and plays as beautifully as it looks.

Are there any other North American Lotus trumpet owners out there?

-tj

@administrator

Interesting….so did yours come with two tuning slides? Mine came with a “square” one and a “round” one. I’m not sure I can tell the difference.

-tj

@administrator said in Bach Club:

MLV is the marking Bach put on all trumpets that had a Medium-large “Vindabona” bore.

Mine only has "ML" stamped on the #2 valve casing.

-tj

@administrator Please pardon my ignorance…what is an MLV?

-tj

I shared photos of my Bach 37 a few months back and asked for the collective wisdom of the group regarding its provenance. I’m largely ignorant about Back horns as I’ve never owned, or played one until now.

The horn belonged to a dearly departed friend and was gifted to me by his family. It had been neglected for many years (he moved on to bigger and badder horns) and upon receiving it I sent it to my brass tech for a thorough cleaning, polishing, and setting up.

I’ve not played it in the big band yet, but I actually quite like its sound…intonation seems accurate and even, and the timbre is darker and more mellow than I expected.

Based on the SN I estimate it was built sometime after 1971, but I don’t know how many horns Bach was making during those years.

I’ll buy it.

-tj

@dale-proctor Got it….thank you again. Based on a few of the usual sites this one appears to have been built sometime between 71 and 74. It plays much better than its appearance or mechanical condition would suggest.

-tj

@dale-proctor I’ve never heard of “extending” the third valve tuning slide. Was that something that Bach did or did it happen after it left the factory?

-tj

@dale-proctor Thank you Dale…I have the other “D shaped” tuning slide as well. The finger ring on the first valve tuning slide is odd, no?

-tj

@barliman2001

Thanks!

-tj

@barliman2001

Seemed like it to me…also because of its size. I think the pinky hook is just bent from abuse. I haven’t checked the serial number other than to find that it’s apparently from the early Elkhart production. What other resources are there?

-tj

I was recently gifted this, ahem, “patinated” Bach 37. I’ve never played Bach horns for more than a few minutes, and since I play almost nothing but jazz, have never associated them with a sound I dig. But I’m also largely ignorant about them. I know they’re the standard in symphonies, but also used in jazz as well. I’ve also never really dug the sound….I get what they’re supposed to deliver, it’s just not really MY concept of sound.

That said, I kinda like this one. It needs to be cleaned and tuned up. I can’t even remove the valves, but they work pretty well despite only getting oil from the holes in the bottom caps. The first valve tuning slide is seized and it’s a little tweaked. Maybe it’s sentimental; the previous owner was a dear friend and transitioned recently. Maybe it’s my fascination with vintage horns….but I’m going to keep it.

Would anyone like to offer some thoughts? I believe it was made in the late 60s/early 70s, but I’ve never seen one from this era with the first valve ring.

-tj in the Cruz Mtns

I was recently made of aware of this horn by the good people at ACB and I’m obsessed with playing one. If it works for me as advertised, it may just be the horn I’ve been looking for. Fans of it say that it’s round, dark, and warm, while being a very efficient instrument.

There are some cool videos on YouTube by Joe Babiak, a recent convert to Martin’s horns.

Now if I could just find buyers for my Miyashiro and Olds.

-tj

Oh yeah, I don’t want to go down that philosophical rat hole, because it leads to all kinds of conundrums, such as “is ‘my sound’ the sound that naturally comes out of my horn, or is it the sound that I want to have come out of my horn after years of playing other people’s music the sound of which I’ve either agreed or disagreed with, then tossed the disagreeable characteristics out and kept the agreeable components, thus inculcating someone else’s sound but tempered and tinged with the elements of my own equipment, age, physiognomy and perspective….damn my brain hurts now.

-tj

@dr-go said in In search of “my horn.”:

Interesting perspective that "my horn" is really someone else's horn that the listener tends to admire. That was what roped me into the Getzen 4-valve Etena. Was a real fan of Rick Braun, and at the time I was in the market for a flugelhorn, that is the horn I chose and he is the reason why. However, I sound like me on it, not like Rick Braun, and I am OK with that.

Well that’s partly true. The Benge is more me than the Miyashiro, but it’s still brighter than I’d like. Point is, if there was a situation in which my “next horn” is too dark for the ensemble, I have the Benge as well as the Recording if I need to brighten things up a bit.

-tj

@dr-go said in In search of “my horn.”:

@tjveloce said in In search of “my horn.”:
...I have my Benge which works very well in situations which require more consistent ensemble sound, and I play a Monette Prana B6S1 mouthpiece.

Suggestions?

-tj

TJ, sounds like you answered your own question. The Benge is you!

One of my very early trumpet influences was Herb Alpert. It may have come from listening to my father’s Kenton, Maynard Ferguson, Ellington, and Basie records, but I noticed the difference in Herb’s sound. It was almost always soft, warm, round, and dark, “El Solo Toro” notwithstanding. Of course I was 7 and so I didn’t understand the whole concept of a personal style or sound. Later however, I did, and after digging on Maynard, Doc, and others, when I first heard Miles Davis’ “Birth,” “Relaxin,” and others, I began to incorporate that compact style in to my own playing.

4 decades later the trumpet sound that I find so sublime, the sound I still try to incorporate in to my own, at least in solo or small ensemble work, is that same warm, dark sound, never brassy, never bright, no shimmer, no edge. When I listen to Chris, or Roy, or Domenic playing in that style, it just slays me.

I didn’t realized it until I got my Benge back from our place in Denver (where it had been since before the shutdown), but as much as I appreciate the quality, consistency, and many other positive attributes of my Miyashiro, it’s just not the horn for me. It’s just too bright. The Benge is comparatively darker, although still not exactly what I’m looking for. My Committee is certainly capable of producing those kinds of sound, but candidly it’s a real bear to play, and especially in the big band, the intonation is too much work. I’m an amateur trumpet player, and an aging one that. I love my vintage horns but I do appreciate the help that is offered by modern horns. I’m basically looking for a horn which in a blind sound test might make the listener think “is he playing a trumpet or a flugelhorn?”

And so I have embarked on a “horn safari.” If cost and availability were not an issue I’d go see the wizards up at Monette, but those things are an issue and so I’m left to search other options.

The only horn I’ve played recently (NAMM 2020) that left an impression of being close to what I am looking for was the Adams A4. That said, I’m open to others. Of course the challenge is that most of the horns I’m considering are somewhat “custom” and I’m thousands of miles from places like Austin Custom Brass so my ability to take one for a test drive is based on having one sent to me, and then facing several hundred dollars in restocking and shipping fees.

Josh at ACB recommended that I try the new Boehme Tumultus, and it looks and sounds interesting (based on what I’ve read and Trent’s test drive). I’ve looked for other options including the new Schilke Handcraft, and some of the Getzens. Yamaha does not make anything close to what I want, which is a bummer because I’ve found their quality and consistency to be outstanding.

At the risk of opening a hornet’s nest, what do y’all think? I am not a lead player and have no desire to be. I have my Benge which works very well in situations which require more consistent ensemble sound, and I play a Monette Prana B6S1 mouthpiece.

Suggestions?

-tj