Overwhelmed by choice? So am I.

Overwhelmed by choice? So am I.

On one of my many exploratory trips to visit trumpet makers—yes, I make a habit of this as often as I possibly can— I found myself reliving a disturbing feeling I had eight years ago. It was in fact the feeling that first prompted me to begin collecting the legendary vintage models into one place. I just needed to understand them in relation to one another. The feeling was of being completely lost and overwhelmed by a surplus of choice and without a stable point of reference. If you identify with this feeling, read on.

The trumpet maker I had come to see was well-regarded with a few famous models I was eager to experience, but when I was left in a room of 20-or-so trumpets and almost that many flugelhorns, my enthusiasm was transformed into distress. My first thought was that I had to carefully pace myself or all of the models would not be given a fair assessment. If I lingered too long on an instrument at the beginning of my time, then I would be fatigued by the time I got to the end of the line. On the other hand, maybe it would take me some time to “settle in” to the sensation of the line. In this case the earlier trials would seem unfairly awkward. The reality was that the whole process would be a back-and-forth-and-back-and-forth between very similar models as I tried to comprehend the differences between them. It would take all day if I ignored the issue of mouthpieces, which I hated to do.

The idea behind this proliferation of trumpet models was that there would be one for every possible type of player—a laudable philosophy! Many manufacturers embrace this idea. So I asked, “Because no dealer for your instruments could possibly stock one of every model, which six models do you believe would best represent the breadth of your line?” Six! Most dealers have maybe two of the ones that are easiest to sell in stock and the rest are offered as an order-and-wait option. Still, the answer was given that such a selection could not be done. The only way to really find a trumpet in their line was to physically travel to their workshop and spend the day trying them all. I thought about the two airplanes, the 3-hour train ride and the 20 minute bus ride I had taken to get there and then I felt my tired chops. My heart sank.

I like the idea of making something specific for everyone, but it can result in too many models that are too similar to one another. A few models will stand out, but usually not in a dramatic way. I also like the idea of having a one-on-one experience with a maker’s line in the workshop—who doesn’t! But even I cannot do this as often as it is needed, and I am a dedicated pilgrim.

Again and again, my favorite makers tend to be small ones that spend a long time crafting a few models to have fairly specific sounds and feelings. There will be a very dark, soloist’s trumpet and a sizzling lead horn and a couple of shades of all-purpose trumpets in-between. There will be one or two flugelhorns, one or two cornets and maybe an experimental hybrid to fill the gap between all the horns. No two will sound or feel the same, even though they will all carry the same resonance that identifies their maker. For such a line, I can easily select a handful to share with the world and assure visitors to my Gallery that they have sufficient information to make a good choice.

Of course, my goal of representing the breadth of each maker’s line is in reality a difficult one to maintain. I do try, but even I cannot always do so because of the sheer expense. Still, if I find a trumpet maker worth representation in my Gallery, I do my utmost to stock not only their most popular models, but also their most creative and inspiring. The world of wonderful instruments is inherently mysterious and magical, but it should not be the privilege of only a few fortunate pilgrims like myself. I cannot say that this is a great business model—others are more lucrative—nevertheless my goal is simply to bring the most mysterious and the most worthy from around the world to a point closer to home where everyone who visits can try them. My credo is that if knowledge is power, then I shall unleash it and make kings and queens of all who venture here. Long live the quest.