Harry James' Equipment

Trumpetman918 · Posted: Wed Nov 13, 2013 12:27 pm Post subject: Harry James' Equipment

What kind of trumpet(s) and mouthpiece(s) did Harry James use during the height of his career.

JonathanM · Posted: Wed Nov 13, 2013 12:33 pm Post subject:

Welcome to TrumpetHerald!

I believe he played many King horns. Perhaps Tony Scodwell will be more definitive; Tony played with Harry, I believe. In the Marketplace here now Tony has a trumpet for sale that King made for Harry. Search there for "Harry James" and you may find the info in that horn ad interesting.
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Jonathan Milam
Trumpets: 18043B, 18043*, 18043 Sterling Silver +, 18037 SterlingSilver+, Benge 4x, Olds: '34 Symphony, '47 Super, '52 Recording
Flugle: Strad 182
Puje: American Belle
Cornet: Olds Recording & Super

Tony Scodwell · Heavyweight Member Joined: 17 Oct 2005 Posts: 1965

Harry was a Selmer player for all his career up to the early fifties when he switched to King instruments. All were of the balanced design (valves forward) and large bore. He did stay constant with the Parduba Double Cup mouthpiece until he died.
Tony Scodwell
Scodwell USA Trumpets and Flugelhorns available in the US only from Washington Music Center, call Lee Walkowich at 301.946.8808 and in Sydney, Australia at Sax and Woodwind...and Brass and Freiburg, Germany at Musik-Bertram.

trpthrld · Heavyweight Member Joined: 09 Mar 2007 Posts: 4818

Tony,

Hopefully you can clear up something I had heard about Harry's trumpet case.

It was custom designed to carry two trumpets (in form-fitting nesting) AND another form-fitted section for bottle of his favorite beverage - any truth to that that you know of?
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Tim Wendt

www.trumpetherald.com/marketplace.php?task=detail&id=147567&s=The-Best-Trumpet-Lead-Pipe-Swab-EVER-

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veery715 · Posted: Thu Nov 14, 2013 1:24 pm Post subject:

trpthrld · Heavyweight Member Joined: 09 Mar 2007 Posts: 4818

Tony Scodwell · Heavyweight Member Joined: 17 Oct 2005 Posts: 1965

Indeed Harry's case was made to carry two trumpets vertically with a fitted compartment for a fifth of Smirnoff between them. When I made my series of six Scodwell USA replica's of Harry's King I had Walt Johnson make the case for them faithful to Harry's including delivering them with the obligatory fifth of Smirnoff. I got one slightly negative comment on that but it was from a high powered attorney who plays trumpet. I suspicioned he preferred Grey Goose.
My "SCOD-WELL" mute/flask has been out of production for some time now and those with them still in use will testify to the benefits it gives the professional player on those occasional gigs that don't supply your minimum daily requirement of music.
Tony Scodwell
Scodwell USA Trumpets and Flugelhorns available in the US only from Washington Music Center, call Lee Walkowich at 301.946.8808 and in Sydney, Australia at Sax and Woodwind...and Brass and in Freiburg, Germany at Musik-Bertram.

GordonH · Posted: Tue Nov 19, 2013 5:57 am Post subject:

Here in the UK this is often refered to by traditional jazz musicians as "Dr Smirnoff's prescription".
_________________
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Flugel - Courtois 154
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deleted_user_680e93b · New Member Joined: 03 Apr 1996 Posts: 0

hello mr Scodwell,
do you know what size parduba he played, there are a few listed as HJ models?

thanks
tom

Tony Scodwell · Heavyweight Member Joined: 17 Oct 2005 Posts: 1965

I only saw a 5* HJ model when I played with him and think he was consistent over the years. However, Dick Akright owns the Parduba name these days and the 5* HJ mouthpieces he supplied me for my series of HJ King replicas varied ever so from an original vintage 5* that a good friend of mine owns. I measured the throats and found the new ones a drill size smaller so I drilled them out to a 26 hole which made it much closer to the original. Cup and backbone measured correctly and I do know that John Parduba used some "basic" tools over the years and his mouthpieces did vary somewhat as the tooling got more wear on them. Of course this was long before the CNC technology was invented. I hope this helps.
Tony Scodwell
Scodwell USA Trumpets and Flugelhorns available in the US only from Washington Music Center, call Lee Walkowich at 301.946.8808 and in Sydney, Australia at Sax and Woodwind...and Brass and Freiburg, Germany at Musik-Bertram.

Steve A · Posted: Tue Nov 19, 2013 9:46 am Post subject:

Wow - it's really amazing to be able to get firsthand input on what legends like him played, and what it was like working with them. Thanks for taking the time to share, Mr. Scodwell! (And others!)