Bach Bb Trumpet #959
When this trumpet was completed on February 2, 1928, Vincent
Bach had been making trumpets for less than 3 years, but assuming
that he was using all the serial numbers in sequence, had increased
production to over 300 a year. His trumpets were fairly expensive
but he had gained an excellent reputation in earlier years as a cornet
and trumpet player and then making mouthpieces. Judging by
examples of early Bach trumpets that have gone through my shop,
they were superior in playing characteristics from the very start. In
the years that I have owned this trumpet many excellent players have
wanted to try it out and none, so far, have told me that it is less than
an excellent instrument. Fortunately it is very well preserved and not
suffered misguided modifications as so many other old Bach
trumpets have. The previous owner was Doc Severinsen, who did
try several other mouthpipes on it but had the sense to keep the
original.
The original shop card indicates "Engr fin 5 gold". Finish 5 meant
that it was burnished (polished as apposed to satin) and gold plated.
I've worked on 6 or 8 other early engraved Bach trumpets and it is
obvious that he used several different engravers. The engraving on
this one is as high quality as I've seen on a Bach. Aside from the
cartouch surrounding the stamped lettering, it is all straight cut rather
than the more typical wiggle cut engraving which takes much less
skill. A plain brass Bach trumpet was already expensive in 1928 at
$125 compared with a Conn 2B, a similarly deluxe model, for $90.
Burnished gold plating with this engraving cost $200, with only one
more expensive option being engraving inside the bell additionally for
$210. This trumpet has a model 6 bell and mouthpipe with a bore
measuring .462". It is 18 7/8" long with bell rim diameter of 4 3/4".
Update, February, 2011:
I've just learned more of the history of this Bach trumpet, including
information making it more important to the history of the company
than I had known. Bill Meyer, the grandson of "Nic Meyer", the
original owner that is indicated on the shop card, stumbled across this
page, recognized the instrument and contacted my by email. His
father George, then wrote me an email with all the information that
he could remember. George's father Nicholas Meyer (Oct. 21, 1897
to Jan. 8, 1979) had been running a grocery store with his mother
after his father had died. He still found time to play trumpet in
theater orchestras in Manhatten in the 1920s and this is where he met
Vincent Bach. Bach had been making mouthpieces for years and
had already made a few trumpets, so I would assume that this was
1925. Bach wanted to increase the size of his trumpet production,
but needed capitol to do so. In order to accomplish this he sold
Nicholas and his mother shares in the company. Nic acquired this
trumpet a few years later. George Meyer's older brother Walter
briefly worked for Bach in the early 1940s as a bell maker, leaving to
join the military when we went to war. Wartime production enabled
Bach to purchase back the Meyer's shares in his company, a deal
which included all expenses for George to attend Ernest Williams
music camp and a new Bach cornet for him to play. After school,
George spent three years in the US Navy Band. In 1977, George
had John (Peppy) Pettinato, former Bach employee that was well
known to brass players for high quality repairs, do some repairs to
this trumpet including removing some dents, cleaning and polishing.
Years later, he sold it to Doc Severinsen while raising funds to pay
for Bill's college education.
Bach had been making trumpets for less than 3 years, but assuming
that he was using all the serial numbers in sequence, had increased
production to over 300 a year. His trumpets were fairly expensive
but he had gained an excellent reputation in earlier years as a cornet
and trumpet player and then making mouthpieces. Judging by
examples of early Bach trumpets that have gone through my shop,
they were superior in playing characteristics from the very start. In
the years that I have owned this trumpet many excellent players have
wanted to try it out and none, so far, have told me that it is less than
an excellent instrument. Fortunately it is very well preserved and not
suffered misguided modifications as so many other old Bach
trumpets have. The previous owner was Doc Severinsen, who did
try several other mouthpipes on it but had the sense to keep the
original.
The original shop card indicates "Engr fin 5 gold". Finish 5 meant
that it was burnished (polished as apposed to satin) and gold plated.
I've worked on 6 or 8 other early engraved Bach trumpets and it is
obvious that he used several different engravers. The engraving on
this one is as high quality as I've seen on a Bach. Aside from the
cartouch surrounding the stamped lettering, it is all straight cut rather
than the more typical wiggle cut engraving which takes much less
skill. A plain brass Bach trumpet was already expensive in 1928 at
$125 compared with a Conn 2B, a similarly deluxe model, for $90.
Burnished gold plating with this engraving cost $200, with only one
more expensive option being engraving inside the bell additionally for
$210. This trumpet has a model 6 bell and mouthpipe with a bore
measuring .462". It is 18 7/8" long with bell rim diameter of 4 3/4".
Update, February, 2011:
I've just learned more of the history of this Bach trumpet, including
information making it more important to the history of the company
than I had known. Bill Meyer, the grandson of "Nic Meyer", the
original owner that is indicated on the shop card, stumbled across this
page, recognized the instrument and contacted my by email. His
father George, then wrote me an email with all the information that
he could remember. George's father Nicholas Meyer (Oct. 21, 1897
to Jan. 8, 1979) had been running a grocery store with his mother
after his father had died. He still found time to play trumpet in
theater orchestras in Manhatten in the 1920s and this is where he met
Vincent Bach. Bach had been making mouthpieces for years and
had already made a few trumpets, so I would assume that this was
1925. Bach wanted to increase the size of his trumpet production,
but needed capitol to do so. In order to accomplish this he sold
Nicholas and his mother shares in the company. Nic acquired this
trumpet a few years later. George Meyer's older brother Walter
briefly worked for Bach in the early 1940s as a bell maker, leaving to
join the military when we went to war. Wartime production enabled
Bach to purchase back the Meyer's shares in his company, a deal
which included all expenses for George to attend Ernest Williams
music camp and a new Bach cornet for him to play. After school,
George spent three years in the US Navy Band. In 1977, George
had John (Peppy) Pettinato, former Bach employee that was well
known to brass players for high quality repairs, do some repairs to
this trumpet including removing some dents, cleaning and polishing.
Years later, he sold it to Doc Severinsen while raising funds to pay
for Bill's college education.
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