trumpet stuff / new horn

Just before Christmas I bought myself a shiny new trumpet, a serious horn. It took a year of shopping, trying out new and used Bachs, Conns, Kanstuls, Yamahas, Schilkes and Benges and lusting over $10,000 Monettes and vintage Mt. Vernon Strads on ebay.

I finally settled on the Phaeton, a fairly new line of trumpets mainly designed by Chicago trumpet guru Wayne Tanabe. It plays like a dream and you can pick one up for less than a new Bach Strad. Mine, the 2020, has a gold lacquer finish. The horn is also available in brushed brass (2030), silver plate (2040) and black onyx (2050) for an additional price.

The comeback kid with new horn:  (photo: Claudia Glenn Dowling, 12/15/05)

Phaeton 2020 specs:
- medium-large bore (.460)
- one piece 4.875" diameter bell
- monel pistons
- red brass valve ports
- valves-forward design
- weighted top and bottom valve caps
- weighted finger buttons
- short piston stroke
- heavy brass bracing
- gold lacquer finish