Al's Equipment Page

: Al at NTC in Fairfax, VA. Note Mr. Herseth is peaking in just over Al's left shoulder.; Al with Allen Vizzutti, working on an interview for the ITG Journal!; Al talks with Mr. Herseth, Dr. Richard Cox, and Ms. Tina Erickson during the opening concert at NTC.; Al with Patrick Hession, lead trumpet in the Maynard Ferguson Band. The MF Band was playing at the Jazz Kitchen in Indianapolis on May 9, 2005 when this photo was taken.

The Equipment I Use

I am an active musician and pedagogue, with more than 25 students in the Central Indiana area and many professional playing opportunities. The equipment I employ is a carefully selected collection of the designs that I have found work best for me. While trying the equipment I use may do you no good, I am listing it because I am frequently asked questions regarding the equipment I utilize, and wanted to develop a reference location for those interests. Please feel free to drop an E-mail to doctrpt@gmail.com and inquire further regarding any equipment listed here.

Bb Trumpets

I have several great Bb trumpets.

I play a Bach Stradivarius®, L bore, 72 Bell, Standard leadpipe with an M/K Drawing tuning crook, Bach heavy valve caps, and Curry action rods. The instrument is silver plated. This horn works well in a variety of settings: it sizzles on lead, it is small and intimate in a combo, it sings in an orchesta. This trumpet works best with a Monette STC-1 weight B1-5M trumpet mouthpiece. I've tried the Prana, and some other sizes, but this one just "works" with the horn.

My other main Bb trumpet is a Monette 149XL Bb trumpet, in gold. The tone and projection, in addition to the ease of playing, make this trumpet outstanding. If you do not own one of these trumpets or have never tried them, you are indeed missing out on something very, very special. This trumpet works best with a Monette STC-2 weight B1-5D Prana trumpet mouthpiece.

I also own a Bach Stradivarius®, ML bore, 37 Bell, Standard leadpipe with a rounded Bach tuning crook, Bach heavy valve caps, Turquoise valve buttons and Amado® Water Keys. The instrument is gold plated. It was the first Bach Strad I ever owned, and was given to me by my parents. It is a fine instrument that for 21+ years was the Bb for 90% of my playing, and has only recently been retired in favor of the Monette 149XL. I recently purchased one of the "old design" Miller slides for this horn, and the core of the sound is so much greater than with the rounded crook, it is amazing. I also find there is more brilliance in the sound when I use this crook, so the slide seems to have made a great deal of difference for this horn. You might try one for your Strad and see how it works.

I play owna Bach Stradivarius®, L bore, 72 Heavy Bell in gold brass, reversed leadpipe with an M/K Drawing tuning crook, Bach heavy valve caps, and Curry action rods. The instrument is silver plated. This horn works well in a variety of settings: it sizzles on lead, it is small and intimate in a combo, it sings in an orchesta. This trumpet works best with a Monette STC-1 weight B1-5M trumpet mouthpiece. I've tried the Prana, and some other sizes, but this one just "works" with the horn as well.

I also own a Sonarè Bb trumpet, and the tone, tuning, and overall playing characteristics are perfect for any setting. From solo work to brass ensemble to orchestra concert in a large auditorium, the Sonarè horns work perfectly. Follow the link above to learn more about Sonarè trumpets, or drop a note and I will gladly share what I know about the trumpets. Great trumpet!

I also own another Bb instrument which is a combination of an ML Bach valve cluster matched to an old Monette bell and Monette leadpipe with a rounded Blackburn tuning crook, Bach heavy valve caps and Amado® Water Keys. The instrument is in raw brass. It is a great trumpet for dark and rich yet bold trumpet playing, and is easily capable of playing at the extremes of dynamics with a huge sound. Begun as an experiment, this horn a valued part of my collection.

Another trumpet in my collection of interesting trumpets is a Bach Mercury®, ML bore, Standard bell and leadpipe, as pictured above. The serial number on this horn dates its manufacturing date as some time in 1939. It is interesting to look at Bach trumpets from 60 years ago and see where the evolution has taken place. It is a very interesting horn, especially considering the Quick Change to A mechanism that the tuning slide and valve slides have as standard equipment. Of all the dual key A/Bb instruments I have played, this instrument has the best tone and tuning characteristics in A, which is rare for any "dual" key instrument.

I also own a Yamaha YTR-232, which for some strange reason has a wonderful, light tone and plays well in tune. It is an older instrument, but well worth the rather small amount of money I paid for it. It is also an excellent trumpet for commercial work, and works well in a jazz combo, although it like most of the above Bbs are rarely played any more due to the Monette.

I also own two Conn Vocabell Bb trumpets, the model 40B and the model 48B. The 40B is the smaller, longer of the two trumpets, while the 48B is the short, larger of the two. The 40B was made in 1934, and the 48B made in 1944. Both horns play superbly. The designs of the horns, with the art deco influence and wonderful trim package, not to mention the incredible engraving on the 48B, made these horns hard to resist. The 40B is in lacquer, and has been well maintained. The 48B came from an estate sale, and the owner had put the horn away for a number of years, so it was in need of cleaning and some restoration. It is at the shop getting these repairs done, and when it returns, I will post pictures of them both.

I also own a Jupiter 416L Pocket trumpet, and it plays really nicely. It was on eBay, but the fellow had it mislabeled. I tried to tell him, but he was happy to sell it for the low price where the bidding stopped. It has a cute little case that really is easy to travel with, and protects the horn quite nicely! I am glad I bought it, and it is a valued and fun addition to my collection.

I also own a Jupiter Slide trumpet, and it plays really nicely. I bought it off the Trumpet Herald web site. Haven't had much time to mess with it, more when I do.

Bb Rotary Trumpets

I also own a Yamaha Bb rotary trumpet, model 935 in silver. It is a nice horn with a great tone and warm sound. It has a pitch adjustment trigger on the third valve slide, and seems to be very nice. Intonation and tone are superb. I find a Monette B-2FL cup mouthpiece in the STC-1 weight makes this package complete and exciting.

C Trumpets

I play a Bach Stradivarius®, L bore, 229 Bell, Malone MC2 leadpipe and tuning crook, Bach heavy valve caps, Curry action rods, and turquoise valve buttons. The instrument is silver plated. This horn has a pre-strike valve cluster with a post-strike rest of the horn. It plays very well. This trumpet works best with a Monette STC-1 weight C1-5M trumpet mouthpiece.

I also own a Monette 61X C "Classic" trumpet, but a little different from the ones made a few years ago. It is brush gold plated, and has the new, larger Raja bell design, special STC-1 leadpipe design and new valve cluster that makes this horn much more than just an "up to date 61X". David built this horn as a prototype to the "classic" reissue series for the 15th anniversary of the Monette Corp. One of the finest C trumpets I've ever played.

I also own a Sonarè C trumpet, and the tone, tuning, and overall playing characteristics are perfect for any setting. I like the horn so well, I have become a Sonarè Endorsing Artist, and play the trumpet a great deal of the time. From solo work to brass ensemble to orchestra concert in a large auditorium, the Sonarè horns work perfectly. Follow the link above to learn more about Sonarè trumpets, or drop a note and I will gladly share what I know about the trumpets. For a long time, I played but one C trumpet. With the Sonarè, I have a new horn that is the "one" This trumpet works best with a Monette STC-1 weight C1-5M trumpet mouthpiece. I've tried the Prana, and some other sizes, but this one just "works" with the horn.

C Rotary Trumpets

I also own a Ganter C rotary trumpet, model G3a in lacquer. It is a very special horn with a great tone and warm sound. It has a pitch adjustment trigger on the third valve slide, but the intonation and tone are superb, so it is not often used. I find a Breslmair G2 cup with a Monette B1-1 rim or Bach 1C rim (depending upon tonal color desired) makes this rotary trumpet really special.

Eb/D Trumpet

I own a wonderful Schilke E3L, the tuning bell model. It is the standard E3L in every respect, or at least as standard as a tuning bell trumpet with slides and bells for each key can be! This instrument possess a wonderful clarion voice for exquisite solo work when in Eb, yet a full, rich sound in D that works great for orchestral compositions as diverse as Handel's Messiah or Ravel's Piano Concerto in G. This is a superb instrument, and everyone should own a horn such as this at least once in their lifetime! I use a Monette E1-5D or Monette E-2 Eb trumpet mouthpiece on this horn, and the horn works wonderfully.

G Trumpet

I own a wonderful Schilke G1L-4, the tuning bell model with four valves that extends the range downward so that works like the Bach Cantata No. 51 and other similar works can be played without resorting to a second instrument, or straining to force pitches high and low. This instrument possess an exquisite sopranino voice, yet a full, rich sound that works great for orchestral compositions and is able to project over the tutti string and wind ensembles when required. This is a superb instrument, and everyone should own a horn such as this at least once in their lifetime! I use a Monette AP2 STC-1 weight piccolo trumpet mouthpiece on this horn, although lately I've been toying with a Reeves 43C or 43.5Ms with this horn, and so far all three choices work wonderfully.

A/Bb Piccolo Trumpet

I play a Kanstul CC920 with separate leadpipes for the Bb and A sides of the instrument. It is an outstanding piccolo trumpet, and having played and owned several fine makes, the Kanstul is the best available piccolo trumpet for players who can afford to own and use only one instrument for solo and orchestral work. I use a Monette AP4S (cornet shank) mouthpiece with this horn. The horn also works wonderfully with a Bach 3C cornet shank mouthpiece with a 117 backbore.

I also own a wonderful Mahillon Piccolo trumpet in A, amazingly one in the style that I have been looking for more than 15 years. My teacher at DePauw, Mr. Robert Grocock, was a strong advocate of the Mahillon piccolo, and I remember his as particularly wonderful. A friend in the Boston area sold me this one pictured above, and the first time I played it, I realized how much I appreciated the wonderful old instruments like this one. I am very exited to have this trumpet in my collection, and it will NEVER leave. I have been using a Monette AP2 (trumpet shank) mouthpiece on it, and like the Monette very much on this instrument.

Cornets

I employ a very nice Getzen Eterna Bb Cornet in silver, large bore model. It is a great instrument, and I like it very much. I am now playing the Monette Cornet 1-5FL mouthpiece on this horn. It has the B1-5 rim with a deep flumpet cup for that rich, cornet sound. I have been finding more and more to play on an outstanding addition to my instrument collection.

I also own a wonderful Schilke A2C C Cornet in silver, a horn I just purchased used, but in like new condition. It works well for many different uses, and I am just beginning to find the advantages and benefits possible with this instrument. L'Histoire never has gone as well on any C trumpet. La Mer floats (so to speak), and other things are still being found to use the horn. I use a Monette Cornet 1-5FL STC-1 weight mouthpiece on this horn, and it works wonderfully.

Flugelhorn

My flugelhorn is the newly designed Conn Vintage One flugelhorn in silver, with a rose brass bell and cool wood handled third valve trigger mechanism. I have been using a custom cut Monette B1-5FL mouthpiece on this horn, and it seems to be the perfect mouthpiece for this truly outstanding flugelhorn.

Trumpet Mouthpieces

The mouthpieces I use most of my horns are made by Dave Monette and Dean Comley, master mouthpiece makers at Monette. I use a Prana B1-5D and a Prana C1-5D, which are essentially B/C1-1 cup depth mouthpieces with B/C1-5 rims. These are outstanding mouthpieces of exceptional quality. Mouthpieces for other instruments are listed with that respective instrument, however, the Monette theme is prominent. For lead trumpet work, I use a Monette C2 or a PD (Phil Driscoll model) for most of my lead work. Want a tone that won't quit and edge to spare? Try one of these!

Horn

My horn is a single Bb horn, a Yamaha 322. It has a great tone, and seems to work better with my Yamaha 33C4 horn mouthpiece. Bob Frost cut the bell for threads, and this instrument is now a screw belled horn. A Protek screw detachable bell case now makes the horn easier to carry and safer to transport. I like this horn very, very much.

Alto Trumpet

I own a Getzen Model 389 Alto Trumpet. It is finished in silver, and proves useful for many different jobs. It is a fine instrument, and I like the big tone I can get on it. I play it with a Monette STC-3 weight FL1-5X flumpet mouthpiece.
I also own a Conn 36b Eb Alto trumpet. It is finished in lacquer, and is easier to carry than most of the larger alto trumpets out on the market. Of course, all of the extra "wraps" on this horn make it a bit more stuffy, but it's stuffiness (by comparison) is more than offset by it's portability.

Bass Trumpet

I own a very nice Getzen Model 94 Bass Trumpet. The serial number on my horn is so old that Getzen doesn't have records back that far, but we were able to locate the model number through old ads that existed in the archives from the time period. As the horn appears in ads from about 1958 on, the best they can tell me is the horn was made some time between 1958 and 1964! It is finished in lacquer, and proves useful for lots of different music. It is a fine instrument, and I like the big tone I can get on it. I play it with a Schilke 40B Bass trumpet mouhpiece, or sometimes an old Mirafone 7D (10) Bass trumpet mouthpiece in silver. I need to find a good case for the horn, though as the Getzen case that came with it is shot!

Cases

I own and use 4 Marcus Bonna cases (2 triples, a double, and a quad/laptop case) that are just fabulous. I love to use the cases when I need three horns, and still need a case that meets all carry-on requirements for airlines in terms of size and shape. The double works well for my daily travel case, when I need one horn and a metronome, etc. etc. With the backpack straps, this horn case is fabulous for trekking through the airport, or taking to orchestra rehearsal, or to take a couple horns and mutes to a recording session. All kinds of instruments fit in the case as well, which is important when one considers the Monette horns, rotary horns, and regular weight or piccolo horns as well. This is one of only two cases that can do all of that without significant effort or modification.

I also use Monette single and double trumpet case, and have found that they are well made and very protective (but weigh a ton), and are not fun to carry through an airport or on public transportation. For those looking for a outstanding case, and for whom weight and size are no object, call David. They protect like no other, but they also weigh like no other!

I am the Calendar Editor for the International Trumpet Guild.

If you're a trumpeter and not a member, why not? There are too many benefits in membership not to join. Click on the link above to take you to the ITG site, where you can join today!

Al's Brass and Music Related Links

I have removed all out of date links and have only included those links for which I hold a personal interest. If you have a link or a product you might like me to include, e-mail me and I'll take a closer look.

Bill Adam Tribute Web Site, a wonderful page of tribute to a true genius in the trumpet world.
A Bibliography of Writings About Historic Brass Instruments, 1988-94.
Bugles Across America is a great place to do something for those who did so much for all of us!
eBay, get that bid in and win!
Getzen. Includes Edwards Links!
International Trumpet Guild Home Page with link, jobs and of course a pretty good calendar of upcoming events.
Kanstul Musical Instruments. They made my piccolo trumpet....best piccolo I've ever played!

Monette Trumpets, Home page for Monette trumpets and mouthpieces!
Paige's Music, a fine store in Indianapolis that serves the educational community.
The Pepper Music Network, for your printed music needs, with an online catalog.
Selmer. Bach, Selmer, Conn, and other fine instruments.
The Schilke Loyalist, Jim Donaldson's superb site with information on much more than just Schilke.
Schilke Music, a limited, but improving, company run web site. Half my horns are Monettes, the rest are largely Schilkes. That should tell you something about their quality......
The Trumpet Herald. Many features including a forum and marketplace to buy and sell at Todd's Great site.

Links for Music Notation and Musical Software

Bach Musicological Font, perfect for inserting musical examples into text.
Make Music (FINALE), the maker of my FAVORITE notation application. Also take a look at FINALE Note Pad, a free application that is worth the time to download if you don't already own FINALE.

E-mail Us!

LINKS

Lilly Music Services Link Page

Lilly Music Services (Notation) Home Page

Musical Equipment Page

Al and Vicki Lilly Home Page

Last Updated: January 21, 2013.