Martin Freak

I've gone back to playing a Martin Committee model (the #T3460 in black lacquer with engraving). I play this horn with one of my own custom designed Tony Lujan/SciTone mouthpieces. It's an elegant sounding, incredibly versatile horn that can go from a ballad to bebop, latin jazz to lead trumpet without losing performance quality or sound. The combination of this horn and mouthpiece is everything I ever dreamed of.

Manufacturers for years have tried to copy the Martin but to no avail.

I've tried Stomvi, Bach, Schilke and Yamaha trumpets prior to this Martin. These other horns just don't seem to be able to adjust to the different styles I play as efficiently or tonally. They may have a big and fat, bright, edgy, commercial sound, but the warmth and tone projection from this Martin, in all registers, is unsurpassed. The design, headed now by Larry Ramirez, and the craftsmanship, including the seamless yellow brass bell and reverse lead pipe, the beautiful engraving done by Howard Hartnell, the Monel pistons. WOW! I have always been a Martin freak. Before this I played a Vintage 1943 Martin Committee for over 10 years.

I recorded some of my favorite solos with that horn, and I still prefer a ballad on a Martin Committee. All my favorite players including Dizzy, Miles, Clark, Chet, Fats, Blue Mitchell, Lee Morgan, Kenny Dorham , Maynard, and Bill Chase all played Martin at some point. Classical players like Rafael Mendez and Armando Ghitalla played Martin at some point in their careers. The quality is superior, and you can hear and feel the difference.

The Committee was Vincent Bach, Elden Benge, Foster Reynolds, Renold Schilke and, according to Mr. Larry Ramirez, the fifth person was his mentor, Mr. Joe Gillespie.

John Martin was born in Dresden, Germany in 1835. He moved to the United States in 1865 and started the Martin Company. Had it not been for the great Chicago fire of 1871, it would have been the oldest band instrument manufacturer in the United States. The Martin Band Instrument Company was reestablished in Chicago back in 1891. In 1906 Martin relocated to Elkhart, Indiana and was later sold to Wurlitzer. It was then sold to LeBlanc and moved to Kenosa Wisconsin, where it has been producing some of the most elite trumpets under the auspices of Chief Designer Mr Larry Ramirez.

For more info: www.gleblanc.com.

For more info on SciTone Mouthpiece call 800-301-8209 (ask for Darren) or e-mail at dsprunk@scientificfabrication.com.