Expert: Mike Pawul - 4/30/2009

Question
I'm an eighty year old retiree partially amusing myself for the last year or so by trying to learn to play the trumpet.  In the process, I've purchased several trumpets and cornets on ebay - kept some and sold the others.  I recently bought for a few dollars (mainly for the very good case) a Bb trumpet engraved "Madison" s/n 626693   The case and a mouthpiece marked "B2S  Made in Czecho Slovak" were included.  

The trumpet looks very much like an "economy" Holton Collegiate - same "all male" slide configuration, same bottom sprung valves with key-in-slot rotational alignment guides. "I sold the Holton Collegiate I had so I can't check interchangeability."  Within my limited ability, the trumpet plays very well.  Do you have any information concerning the trumpet and mouthpiece?

Thanks,

Jim

Answer
Jim, It sounds more like an older Conn horn. If it were from Holton it would date from the mid 1980s. If it was from Conn it would date to 1956. Without seeing it there could be other makers that may have made it also. Stencil horns were very popular and still are done to an extent. Without seeing the horn I couldn't tell you a maker with any accuracy. The mouthpiece is a trumpet model that might follow the Bach numbering system. If so it is a wide and shallow cup. There isn't much to go on there either since there were over 100 makers in that area during the 1900s. Sorry I can't help more but there are so many obscure names and stencils out there it is almost impossible to know for sure who made them.