A few days ago I was perusing eBay when I stumbled across something that caught my eye. Of course, you already know that I am likely talking about a trumpet and you would, of course, be correct in that assumption. Now before I go letting the cat out of the proverbial bag, I should mention that I've never been much of a vintage trumpet kinda guy regardless of the fact that my favorite horn is from the mid-'70s. What I am talking about is something at least 10 years older than me. My fear with a vintage horn is that it might be too vintage: parts that might be difficult to replace, wear that would require installing non-original parts, or a leadpipe that would require an unusual matching mouthpiece configuration.
That's probably why when it comes to vintage that I tend to look at mid-20th Century stuff. Post WWII modernization and industry bridged the gap to what we consider contemporary today, so many things are still in great shape and are perfectly compatible with the modern world. With respect to the musical instrument industry, this was also a golden age of hand craftsmanship. That is, at least until the unfortunate consolidation of musical instrument manufacturers by big conglomerates starting in the '60s and '70s.
So what had I come across on Ebay?
A gorgeous, completely original Buescher T160 "Super 400". Based on the serial number, it was likely produced in the late '50s and was originally purchased in 1961 (the original receipt was in the case). The case looked immaculate, like it had been in a closet for 50+ years. The horn looked to be in very good to excellent condition with only two light pings on the bell near the first valve. Given the price, I did not hesitate to purchase it.
In case you are wondering about Buescher, they were around in the late 19th Century and made fantastic trumpets, including their own Martin Committee-like "Aristocrat" and top-of-the-line "400" and "Super 400" models up until their acquisition by Selmer in 1963. After that, they were quickly relegated to producing student-level instruments for Selmer and ultimately shuttered. Interestingly, they survived during WWII and even a little after by producing altimeters for combat aircraft on contract as they resumed production of trumpets. Buescher was always a small company that produced a very limited number of instruments compared to, say, Conn whose giant factory was nearby.
Never heard of them? Now you know why. However, many people that have played their instruments (they made a variety of wind instruments) know that they produced some great instruments at their peak. The 400s are frequently referred to as "cannons", and are extremely flexible, extremely sensitive to mouthpieces, and highly regarded for lead and jazz work.
The seller is in a neighboring state, so I hopefully will have it by the end of the week. I'll post some pics when I receive it along with some initial impressions. Until then, I will be anxiously awaiting its arrival.
That's probably why when it comes to vintage that I tend to look at mid-20th Century stuff. Post WWII modernization and industry bridged the gap to what we consider contemporary today, so many things are still in great shape and are perfectly compatible with the modern world. With respect to the musical instrument industry, this was also a golden age of hand craftsmanship. That is, at least until the unfortunate consolidation of musical instrument manufacturers by big conglomerates starting in the '60s and '70s.
So what had I come across on Ebay?
In case you are wondering about Buescher, they were around in the late 19th Century and made fantastic trumpets, including their own Martin Committee-like "Aristocrat" and top-of-the-line "400" and "Super 400" models up until their acquisition by Selmer in 1963. After that, they were quickly relegated to producing student-level instruments for Selmer and ultimately shuttered. Interestingly, they survived during WWII and even a little after by producing altimeters for combat aircraft on contract as they resumed production of trumpets. Buescher was always a small company that produced a very limited number of instruments compared to, say, Conn whose giant factory was nearby.
Never heard of them? Now you know why. However, many people that have played their instruments (they made a variety of wind instruments) know that they produced some great instruments at their peak. The 400s are frequently referred to as "cannons", and are extremely flexible, extremely sensitive to mouthpieces, and highly regarded for lead and jazz work.
The seller is in a neighboring state, so I hopefully will have it by the end of the week. I'll post some pics when I receive it along with some initial impressions. Until then, I will be anxiously awaiting its arrival.
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