ABOUT ME AND THIS SITE

My parents bought this for me brand new when I was a senior in high school in 1976. It was manufactured in 1975. It was the second trumpet I owned, the first one being the famous student trumpet, the King Cleveland. I still have and play this Getzen trumpet today. It is a .460 medium-large bore. Many people considered Getzen at the bottom of the list of professional level trumpets. But being a trumpeter since 1969 and having played every major top brand of mass produced trumpets, I can tell you that Getzen plays second fiddle to no one. The only trumpet I ever played that I liked better than my Getzen was a Benge that belonged to a band mate in college. He's also the same fellow that turned me on to Schilke mouthpieces, which I play almost exclusively. The Getzen is very bright, lightweight, very fast and responsive. The valves are the best I have ever played on any trumpet at any price. Extremely fast and easy to press. (Carnival of Venice, anyone? LOL) Finally, Doc Severinson, the greatest trumpeter ever, played this trumpet in what many would say were his prime years. Whenever anyone would talk down about my choice of a Getzen, my response always was, "If it's good enough for Doc, it's good enough for me."

The mouthpiece used in this picture is a Jet-Tone T2-C. Jet-Tone was a brand that people either loved or hated. They have extremely shallow cups for playing in the very high range. Some say this was "cheating." But I say, the right tool for the right job. However, to provide balance for that shallow cup, this model has a rather large diameter rim and a very open backbore. This helps provide a broad, full sound. This mouthpiece is extremely fast and responsive, and provides an exceptionally bright tone. Many world-famous trumpeters have played a Jet-Tone mouthpiece.

After about 48 years of playing the Getzen, in 2023 I decided it was time to treat myself to a new Bb trumpet. I wanted a Benge or a Kanstul or a Burbank Trumpet, but alas, all of those companies had gone out of business. The last remaining trumpet manufacturer of that particular group of trumpet makers (the Chicago-Burbank connection) was Schilke. Thus, meet my new friend, the Schilke B6. Schilke makes a large number of trumpet models so deciding which to choose was very difficult. I narrowed it to three, the B1, the B6 and the X3. I went with the B6 because it was supposedly a good choice for lead jazz trumpet work, which has always been my most favorite type of playing. However I think all Schilkes are known for being good at all-around playing. The B6 is a .450 medium bore with a #2 medium taper copper bell instead of the standard yellow brass. I find the valve springs to be very stiff and hard to press compared to the Getzen. And typical of all Schilke's, there is not a 3rd valve water key (except as an additional option) and also there is no tuning slide brace. This model is bright, but not overly so. Because of the copper bell, the tonality will change with dynamic changes in playing style. With the right mouthpiece, this trumpet will sound nice playing anything from jazz to classical.

Speaking of mouthpieces, this one is pictured with a Schilke 14AA4AA. This is a custom ordered mouthpiece that I had made in gold plate. It even has my name stamped on it! It is based on the very popular 14A4A model, but the cup is extra shallow and it has a very tight backbore. This is great for lead trumpet work and all upper register playing. It is bright and very responsive, but compared to the Jet-Tone, it has a softer tone and does not bite as much.

This is a .464 large bore trumpet that is used for symphonic playing. It is not like other trumpets that are keyed in Bb, rather, this is keyed in C, a full step higher than the standard trumpet. It has a very big, broad sound that is a bit brighter than a Bb trumpet because of the shorter tubing. The valves are rather responsive, more so that the Schilke, but not as much as the Getzen. The notes slot into tune very quickly and easily with this trumpet. There is no "sliding" into the notes. I use this trumpet for "legitimate" or classical music. It is not well-suited for pop or jazz.

The mouthpiece pictured is a Schilke 14. It is a fairly large mouthpiece in cup diameter, depth and the backbore. This gives a very warm, dark, broad sound. It is well suited for legitimate and classical music. Also for solo work.

I have two other mouthpieces I use regularly but are not pictured here. It is the Schilke 15, which is larger in all dimensions as the 14. It provides me with the darkest, broadest sound I can produce. And second is a Yamaha 14B4. It is bigger than the Schilke 14A4A in that it has a slightly deeper cup and a more open backbore, but it is smaller than the 14 and 15. I use this when I want a big broad sound that is not so bright, but still have some support for the upper range.

This is the only instrument I purchased used and there's a reason for it. It is a Couesnon. This brand was especially popular in France from the very early 1900's up through the 1950's or so. I don't believe their trumpets were so popular in the United States, but their flugelhorns were highly prized and sought after by jazz musicians, even to this day. And I am fortunate to own one! Mine was manufactured in 1955 and I've had it since about 1978. I had it completely refurbished and replated and it is a beauty. Notice that the finger hook on top is shaped like the letter C identifying it as a Couesnon. You will also notice that this is the only trumpet I have that is not silver-plated. The gold gives it a darker sound, which is what you want in a flugelhorn.

It came with a mouthpiece but it has no number on it. It simply says "Couesnon Paris". It is a very deep straight-sided funnel shape. It gives a very dark and rich sound. I also purchased and is pictured here, a Schilke 14F4 mouthpiece. It is also a deep funnel shape, but with rounded sides rather than straight. It is not as dark sounding and is slightly easier to play in the upper range. I use both of these mouthpieces at various times in these recordings.

Ah, the piccolo trumpet! I have fondly given it the pet name, "The Little Beast." That is because this is a very difficult instrument to master. Many might play it, but far fewer make it sound easy, natural and good. They are difficult to stay in tune and to not have a tin can tone. They come in two styles, the short model, which is the older, and the long model, which is more modern. This Kanstul is a long model, which is styled after the Schilke P5-4 piccolo trumpet that many manufacturers copy. I actually have a short model as well, but it is an inferior brand, definitely not professional level, so I no longer play it. However, I enjoy playing the short model over the long, because it is so compact and close to your face, it feels like it has become part of you. But this Kanstul long model is a professional level instrument and sounds so much better. Notice this model has four valves. This allows it to play lower notes than it can with only three valves. It also comes with two sets of lead pipes, one in the key of A and the other in the key of Bb. It is usually played in the key of A. In these recordings, the only time I play it in Bb is on "Penny Lane". It also comes with another set of lead pipes, one for cornet sized (smaller) mouthpieces and the other for trumpet sized (larger) mouthpieces. I do believe almost all trumpeters play it with the cornet size mouthpiece. So say "hi" to The Little Beast. If you do not maintain control of The Little Beast, then The Little Beast will definitely take control of you!

The mouthpiece I use on this instrument and is pictured here, is a Schilke 124A. It has a slightly narrower rim than all my other mouthpieces (which if you noticed are all size 14 rims). It has a normal depth cup but has a tight backbore. This provides support for the upper range, which is what the piccolo trumpet is for. But the normal size cup is a compromise that gives it a very nice tone.