Bach Strad 37 Bb Trumpet 1965
w/ original Bach Strad Case
You are bidding on a used early Elkhart 37 from the
mid 60’s most likely 1965, just after the move to Elkhart from Mt. Vernon.
This horn is silver plated and plays better than my ’57 Mt. Vernon. This 61 year-old pro Bach Stradivarius Bb trumpet has a tremendous sound and I’m a bit torn about even selling it. These are getting harder and harder to find. Please all about this trumpet before bidding so you will know exactly what you are bidding on.
The serial number is 30xxx (5 digits) which puts its
manufactured date to be 1965 meaning it probably still has the possibility of
having some Mt. Vernon parts.
This horn is a WONDERFUL example of some of my favorite era Strads and this one plays exceptionally well. It has been restored professionally restored, including any dents and dings removed, brand new Bach Strad lead pipe, a bell patch around the hand-hold area (see pictures), as well as complete sonic chemical cleaning. All slides and valves have been cleaned, polished and adjusted where necessary. Also included is the addition of an Amado water key on the third slide so you don’t have to remove the “dump slide” to empty it.
All told, a $400+ value and it’s ready to play the day you receive it.
Here's some specific information about the Model 37:
The model 37 in the medium-large bore configuration is the standard
in the professional trumpet world and is played by more players than any other
single trumpet made. It has a "rich, compact sound of great
projection" and blends well in any setting, from orchestral playing to
jazz, or concert band to marching band!! You just can't go wrong with a model
37 and this one is a great example of the 60’s standard that so many are
looking for.
Here are the most important facts about this horn:
First, it plays great. I’m hesitant to sell this
horn from my collection but I just can’t keep all of them. It has a really
gorgeous full sound you’d expect from a pro Strad from this vintage and the patch
on the bell doesn’t seem to lessen the power and stability of this in any way.
I’ve actually had another pro player put it through its paces and he also agreed it plays great!
Second, the compression is as good as any Bach I’ve ever had in this vintage.
Third, the valves are superb. They are fast, smooth and nicely aligned. As you can see from the pictures, the valves are all stamped with the matching serial number as all Mt. Vernon are. It has original metal valve guides. Strads with serial numbered valves are getting harder and harder to find and especially in the condition this one is in.
Fourth, many Strads being sold on eBay are sold by
sellers that don’t know Strads or even trumpets. As a result you can get some
really nice horns for bargain prices sometimes. But then there is the risk of
having to replace parts that are corroded, valves that are misaligned or
damaged, slides that are stuck and even things like “red rot” that require
replacing parts or patching slides, which I have checked and repaired so you don't have to. As an instrument repair tech (NAPBIRT) I
can tell you that I will not sell a horn until I’ve gone through it completely
and will guarantee it is structurally sound and ready to play the moment you
get it. There are no internal issues with this horn and it is ready to be
played for 60 more years and beyond.
As stated above:
The valves are in excellent condition and are smooth and fast. They are tight and have excellent compression.
The slides operate smoothly and are nice and tight with no leaking.
Intonation and tone are both exceptional. The tone is very full, well balanced and bright but not too bright that it doesn’t blend well. In fact, this horn is exceptionally well rounded and will blend in virtually anywhere. Intonation is exceptional from top to bottom with little adjustments needed once you are tuned.
Appearance is very good in my opinion but can judge that by the pictures for yourself.
It has no dents and only a few minor remnants of past dent/ding removal which
you must look very closely to even see.
Please look at all the photos to get a good sense of the condition and looks of this horn.
As always, I try to let you know the exact condition of every horn I sell so
there will be no surprises.
It would make a perfect horn for any advanced player including a high school
player, college player or pro. It plays exceptionally well in symphonic band,
concert band, marching band and jazz band. This horn can play soft and mellow
or can play with tremendous power without breaking up.
What I want to convey is this: If a great sounding used horn, from a highly sought after era, that is
100% ready to go is what you are interested in, you’ve found it!!! This horn is
ready to perform right out of the case, and won’t require a trip to your local
music store to fix this and that.
I’ll include in this auction:
1 – Very solid but worn original Bach
Strad Case (the latches have broken springs but lock solidly). If the buyer wants
a single Pro Tec case instead, I’ll swap it out at the buyers request.
1 – Bottle of valve oil
1 – Jar of slide grease
The retail on a new Strad is $4000 now and the Internet price is close to $3000 depending on model and brand. I know that’s for
new and for one that is shiny and perfect. But even if you were to spend that
amount on a new Bach Strad 37 trumpet, I don’t think you’d get near the sound
and quality of this 1965 vintage horn.
PARENTS: This would be a
perfect horn for your growing player as long as they know how to take care of
their trumpet. This is a professional trumpet. With most rental programs,
you’ll pay $25-$50 a month for 3 years and you’ll own a student horn. If you
look on eBay at beginner trumpets, you’ll see they don’t sell for more than
$300 or less even in excellent used condition. So, you’ll pay $900-1800 and may
get $300 when you sell, so you’ve lost $600-$1200 in 3 years. When you buy a
Strad, even in poor condition, you’ll spend $1000 minimum and no telling how
much you’ll spend to get it into playing condition. For any Strad in average or
above condition, you’ll start at $1000 and go up from there, depending on year,
condition, model and features. If your student takes care of a professional horn
and then decides to switch to oboe or bassoon (oh please no!!!), you will be
able to recoup a much high percentage of your initial investment.
It would also be a great horn for any intermediate player, an advanced player,
or pro player who needs a great sounding primary or backup horn.
Quality wise and tone wise, you will never outgrow this horn. Let me say this
one last time…this horn is a nice playing vintage Bach Strad 37 that is ready
to play. What this horn really needs is a trumpet player that will appreciate
its quality and sound at a very reasonable price.
As you can tell, I go to great lengths make sure every horn is ready to be
played the day you receive it, from one trumpet player to another. I also won’t
sell a horn unless I am satisfied with it and will ALWAYS describe each
individual horn to the best of my ability. If this is the type of horn you are
looking for, don’t let this one slip away.
If you’ve ever played a standard Bach, or a Yamaha, Conn, Schilke, Stomvi,
Holton, Getzen, Besson, Benge, LeBlanc, Kanstul, or any other trumpet
manufacturer’s horns, you know the quality of the Bach Strads, and this one is really
nice.
Thanks for looking and good luck!!