Instrument History
CONN MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
It
is a story which really encompasses popular music-making in the United States
of America for over one hundred years. In the year 1875, Colonel Charles Gerard
Conn, a man of vision, a musician and a friend of many famous musicians of
his day, founded what became known as the Conn Corporation, in Elkhart, USA,
placing that city firmly on the map as the home of American musical instrument
manufacture and innovation.With a commitment to the highest standards in quality and design, it was little wonder that Conn instruments featured in all the great movements of popular music activity over the next century. Indeed, Conn led the way.
With the great John Phillip Sousa, Conn developed and made the first Sousaphone, and many Conn cornets and trombones played their part in the surge of enthusiasm for the music and the bands of this era. Similarly, with the advent of the saxophone and its domination of the public imagination during the 1920s, Conn was leading once again with a range of saxophones that were world class, and remain so today. Many of the greatest names in Jazz played, and still play, the famous Conn model instruments. Perhaps the greatest contribution made by Conn was its role in developing and supporting music education in the USA, thereby setting a model for instrumental teaching which is still not equalled anywhere in the world.
Today, Conn remains committed to the highest standards in musical instrument production. It is a dedication which is acknowledged by the numerous artists who place their trust in Conn.
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KING MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
Cleveland, Ohio, in 1893, and trombonist Thomas King took an idea to musical instrument repairman H. N. White. With White’s knowledge of instruments and his enthusiasm for instrument design, together they might create a better trombone than had ever been available before. Henderson White worked with King, and listened as King described the performance qualities he desired. White produced an instrument which realised King’s ideas and the results were impressive. Slides were faster, the tone was rich and full-bodied. It was even more comfortable to hold! News of the new trombone spread quickly. A totally new innovation in design, the horn was appropriately named “King”. Since those early days, the H. N. White Company, later renamed King Musical Instruments, has always listened closely to musicians, and designed instruments to satisfy their needs.
King innovations and manufacturing consistencies rapidly earned them a reputation as leading manufacturers of fine musical instruments. King also recognised the growing importance of school band programmes, and the need for good quality instruments which were affordable to students. Once more, King engineers met the challenge, and King instruments have become the standard for the school bands in the U.S.A. King today offers a complete line of fine wind instruments, from student to professional, and a full selection of instrument accessories.
Over 100 years after H. N. White’s first King trombone, the list of professional King players is endless. Most recently, Dizzy Gillespie’s King “Silver Flair” trumpet was placed on permanent display at the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, D.C. King is proud of its history and is eager to bring the musicians of today the very best in design and craftsmanship. King Musical Instruments are carrying their great tradition of design and innovation into the future.
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YANAGISAWA - A BRIEF HISTORY
1893 saw the company formed to manufacture wind instruments. The Egawa Rappa factory was established in 1921 to make Signal Trumpets cornets and trumpets under the name Nikkan, by Mr. Tokutaro Yaganisawa, the first technician to make and repair brass instruments in Japan. It was to be 33 years before tenor saxophones were produced in 1954. The first T-3, silver plated and engraved with the design of a castle, was bought by an American soldier at the Komaki store in Tokyo. The following year, Yanagisawa, under the direction of Mr. Takanobu Yanagisawa, decided to concentrate on saxophone production, and sold the Nikkan factory. A year later, in December 1956, the A-3 Alto saxophone doubled the range! In 1965 the A-3 was superseded by the A-5 Alto saxophone, and a year later, the T-3 was superseded by the T-5 Tenor saxophone.
1966 also saw the introduction of two new models, the A-4 and the T-4.In March the following year, the B-6 low A Baritone was introduced to great acclaim. September 1968 saw the S-6 Soprano take its bow, followed by the SN-600 Sopranino with High E that December and the A-6 Alto a year later in 1969.The early 1970s brought the first alto saxophone with silver crook and body in February 1972, and the SN-6 Sopranino released in June. Hand made hard rubber and metal mouthpieces appeared in December 1973.
Towards the end of the decade, production of the professional range 800 series (Elimona) saxophones started in July 1978, while May 1979 saw the prototype curved Soprano SC-800.Standard altos and tenors were upgrade to intermediate 500 series at the beginning of the 1980s, with the Professional 800 series following suit in 1983, upgraded to 880 series. The 1980s also featured the world’s first interchangeable neck soprano, the S-880, launched in 1985.After ten years, the 500 and 880 series were replaced by the 900 and 990 series. First the Soprano range in January 1990, closely followed by the Baritone. The Alto and Tenor 900 and 990 series were introduced in October that same year.The B-9930 silver neck and body Baritone was launched onto the market in January 1992, a time when a major upgrade was on the horizon. February saw an interim series 900u and 990u replace the 900 and 990 series five years before the major upgrade to the current 901 and 991 series.
1998 heralded the dawn of the Bronze Age at Yanagisawa. Having achieved the most advanced mechanism and reliability that has become synonymous with Yanagisawa; they continued their pursuit of sound with the launch of the 992 bronze series. These saxophones featured the same advance mechanisms as the 991 series, but the higher mechanical factor of bronze gave the darker sound that so many players today value in vintage saxophones. The range was supplemented two years later with the 902 series. The S-902 Bronze Soprano was introduced as the first bronze version of the intermediate 901 series. Alto, Tenor and Baritone followed in 2001. the dark sound coupled with fast, easy response have made these saxophones the choice of many advanced players.
Sandwiched between the launch of the Bronze series, in 1999 the A-9937 Alto arrived as the first all silver saxophone. This was closely followed by the T-9937 Tenor, while 2004 saw the launch of the 992 PGP series (Bronze pink-gold plated) saxophones.In their continuing search for the right sound for the discerning saxophonist, Yanagisawa have been relentless in their development of neckpipes to give the correct tonal qualities required to meet the demands of the modern player. The accuracy of intonation and tonal qualities has attracted a great deal of interest by professional musicians, not only for Yanagisawa saxophones, but for other makes as well.
A Guide to Yanagisawa Serial Numbers
1972 - 12729030
1973 - 12731254 1987 - 00141658
1974 - 12745400 1988 - 00148774
1975 - 12753382 1989 - 00156006
1976 - 12764553 1990 - 00162968
1977 - 12775790 1991 - 00170073
1978 - 12781317 1992 - 00177116
1979 - 12791801 1993 - 00184318
1980 - 00102143 1994 - 00189050
1981 - 00106981 1995 - 00197400
1982 - 00111892 1996 - 00205400
1983 - 00117142 1997 - 00213000
1984 - 00122663 1998 - 00219500
1985 - 00128485 1999 - 00228250
1986 - 00134903 2000 - 00235000
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F. E. OLDS & SON.
The story of Olds brass instruments really begins in 1908, in California, with a trombone and a trombonist.F. E. Olds had long been interested in trying to improve his favourite instrument. He felt that the slide and bell could be improved immeasurably. With that improvement would come greater flexibility and better response, a new richness and tonal quality.
So, in his home workshop, he began the careful and tedious hand work that soon began turning out the finest trombones the world had ever seen: instruments that attracted world wide attention and established him as the superior trombone craftsman of the day.Until the founder’s son, R. B. Olds, joined his father, the growing firm had only specialised in trombones. The younger Olds knew his father’s genius should not be restricted to a single instrument, so soon thereafter, valve instruments bearing the illustrious Olds signature began to appear in the hands of the most famous artists of the day. As these artists began returning from California playing their remarkable superior instruments, the name Olds began to spread – and with fame came growth.
To the present day, the Olds Company has continued to pioneer and refine the entire range of band instruments, from which every player has benefited. Olds was first to draw its own slide tubing; first to use an exceptionally strong light, two-piece patented brace; first to use nickel silver tubing for slides and first to use a fluted slide to reduce friction. Famous Olds ‘firsts’ include free bracing, widely copied in Europe and America, and professional type valve springing on student trumpets and cornets.Olds instruments are produced in the most modern manufacturing facilities. Its manufacturing and research facilities are the latest and finest. Every instrument is subjected to the minutest quality control and inspection to make sure that each is fully responsive to every musical requirement and fully worthy of the Olds signature.
Everyone remembers F. E. Olds as the number one craftsman of quality band instruments in America. After years of intense research and development, the exciting Olds brand instruments emerge engineered to meet today’s ever more challenging performance needs. These new Olds instruments possess superb playing ease as well as extraordinary built-in sturdiness to withstand the most rugged use.“Make the best better” is the F. E. Olds tradition. That is why research is continuous: research that is constantly seeking better ways to make better instruments.
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BENGE MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
From the moment Elden Benge produced his first trumpet. A legend was born. His instruments defined a new level of performance and became the benchmark by which all others were judged. What began as an endeavour soon became a thriving business.For fifty years, Benge instruments have satisfied the most exacting demands of professional artists throughout the world, providing incomparable sound and superior tuning, along with a feel and balance that only a professional player could design.Benge features, such as one piece resno-tempered trumpet bells and “open wrap” F-attachment trombones, attest to a continuing pursuit of excellence.But progress does not have to mean change just for change’s sake.
So today, like yesterday, every Benge instrument is crafted from the finest of materials and continues to feature the specially designed tapers and precision tolerances that made the name Benge legendary among brass players.
PEARL FLUTES
PERFECT QUALITY OF SOUND IN THE MAKING AND PLAYING
Pearl have been producing high quality, innovative instruments for over 50 years. The attention to detail is exemplary, so much so that other flute makers have followed our lead. As a progressive Company, Pearl listens to its customers and constantly responds to their comments. Our customers know what they want, and here at Pearl we try to meet those exacting requests. We have a team of expert flute makers who continually work at improving and enhancing an already ideal range of flutes.
Pearl instruments are made in Japan and Taiwan. The large range of flutes cover the student market right through to hand made, individually crafted, solid gold instruments. All reputable woodwind dealers stock Pearl, and they are safe in the knowledge that every instrument is checked by a player and technician before it is despatched. Pearl regularly monitor their prices, and are confident that they offer outstanding value for money.
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