Bb trumpets

Over the last few years I've been fortunate enough to own a lot of different trumpets, mainly buying and selling them second-hand with a couple of instruments that I've been so impressed with brand new that I've bought them.

Bach: I've played a lot, currently I have a 1955 Mount Vernon 37 and a 2008 18037 in silver plate. The Mount Vernon is a bit lighter and sounds brighter. The slotting is impressive for an older instrument and is surprisingly easy to play. The 19037 that Bach released a couple of years back is a copy of this sort of trumpet and plays very similar to this.

The 18037S is a bit darker with more core to the sound, some people call it that "classic Bach sound". I think it's just because it's a bit heavier and, well, it's a Bach. It's a modern instrument so feels like the slots are a little tighter than the MV. Both of these instruments have similar issues with intonation (as do a lot of trumpets) around the top gaps in the stave. Otherwise the tuning is great. The 37 bell model is used widely across all genres of trumpet playing, from commercial players like Jerry Hey and Tom Walsh to the finest orchestral players knocking around.

Previously owned models: 25L (corporation bell), 25*L (corporation bell), 72*/43ML (corporation bell), 72ML (corporation bell), LR180S43, 180S43, 43*ML (corporation bell), 38M.

Yamaha: I have a 8310Z (1st generation, Bobby Shew trumpet) that I use for pretty much everything "work" based these days. It's lightweight, incredibly responsive and very efficient. It lacks a bit of the oomph of the Bach but the sound is more versatile. It's as comfortable playing loud and bright as it is playing soft and smoky. Probably the easiest and most useful instrument to play that I've ever owned. Andy Greenwood is often seen playing on one of these along with Craig Wild, Georgina Bromilow, Louis Dowdeswell (occasionally), Darren Wiles, Tom Tait and many other west end/session players. Maybe not ideal for Brahms...

In comparison to the 8335LA (Bergeron model) I'd say that it's a little tighter and brighter, easier to play high on.

Previously owned models: YTR8345G, YTR6310Z, YTR8335LA, 933ML.

Smith-Watkins: I owned what is now called the DW Soloist model (R25) for several years and used it mostly for show/commercial playing. It was a pretty good instrument but in the end I never felt it matched the sound of Bach that well. I've played older models of SW trumpets that have been a bit up and down. If you can get hold of a good one they're absolutely stonking. I've played a couple over the years that are some of the easiest, big sounding instruments to play but also a couple that haven't felt that great. I'm still searching around for a good SW...

Adams: currently own an A4 (large bore). It's a custom made instrument with 0,40 gauge brass and the large bell. It plays amazingly well, totally different to any other trumpet I've played. Huge and dark, easy to play softly and move around the note centres but able to take loads of air and get really razzy. I guess these are kinda copies of Monettes (to look at, for sure) and they have that lush spread of sound that the Monettes seem to have. Very different to that Bach core sound though. I've previously owned an A5 (looks like a Benge copy, very lightweight, super bright if not a bit tinny).

Olds: I am lucky enough to own an Olds Recording from 1955. It's a fine instrument, having played a few Recordings this one sounds a lot better than any others I've tried. The instrument is built like a tank. Olds are legendary, with any instrument in their range run through very high quality control you can't really go wrong. Ambassadors (their entry level instrument) from the 50s still sell for £200 plus and play well above their price bracket. The great Uan Rasey played on an instrument built around an Ambassador valve block on many of the soundtracks he recorded. I've also owned a very rare Super from the 30s, built with a copper "tone ring". That really was a museum piece, completely spotless in raw brass. It was a little tighter than the recording and somewhat brighter.

Benge: I don't own any Benges anymore but played a 3X+ (MLP) for years. It was one of the great Tony Fisher's old trumpets (he's played on various 3X+ MLPs his whole career). The 3X bell is seen as the most versatile with the 5X being a more open flare for a darker more mellow sound, and the 2X being tighter and more projecting. The most recent Benge that I used for some time was a CG (Claude Gordon Model - a .468 bore with a super light-weight bell and a step down to.464 bore at the bell choke). It was a great trumpet and one of the instruments I really regret selling. Benge trumpets tend to be nice and bright, the Kanstul Chicago series instruments are very similar (Zig Kanstul trained at Benge and worked in the factory for years) and indeed their "Burbank" models are direct copies. Benges are either Chicago (earliest era, very rare and pretty valuable), Burbank (next factory, supposedly a sweeter sounding trumpet although I couldn't really tell the difference between the Burbanks I owned and the L.A. models), L.A. models (probably the most popular and therefore a bit cheaper than the Burbanks) and the UMI models (which are widely seen as inferior models although apparently some do play very well).

Schilke: I have a P5-4 piccolo, it's the best. As for Bb trumpets I have owned a B5 briefly. I enjoyed playing it but didn't really feel like it stood out much. I regret not buying a B4L that I had on approval for a couple of weeks, that really was a fantastic horn.

Del Quadro: I owned a Del Quadro Proseus for some time and used it a lot. It was loud! Fantastic bright hooter with a fat sound. Made really well, all American parts hand built around a legendary Getzen valve block by Mike Del Quadro. If you haven't heard of this guy and his trumpets go check him out, he's not only super helpful and friendly but is funny as hell too. Beautifully made instruments, if I didn't have to pay import on them I'd love a Mother......

Eclipse: I've never actually owned an Eclipse but have been lucky to get to blow on loads of them over the years seeing as Leigh only lives down the road from me. Leigh and Carl do the majority of the work on the instruments I own or have owned and their workmanship is absolutely first class. His instruments have changed loads over the years, whenever I've been tempted to buy one I've not been in the financial position to do it (most recently the LM model which has an amazing spread in tone colour and is easy to play). Apparently his most recent model, the fusion, is a monster trumpet.