The Getzen Collection 

First here's the family portrait of the whole gang.



Here's the old school next to the new school. An Eterna 900SLBwT with it's much younger cousin the Genesis 3003 :
        
And the current B-Flat Family

   


The 3003 was recently offered by Brett Getzen as a specially custom designed gold finish..so unique, that he felt they could never recreate it faithfully in order to respond to the extreme demands it would bring to their dealers, thus only this prototype lives on as testimony to this finish...I couldn't resist being the first kid on the block to have one.  .462 bore, Wide throat bell, ovate tuning slide, two different lead pipe options...what's there not to love?
Awesome playing horn, balanced in the hand, rich voice, slots well, and doesn't lock up in the upper register...still working on the best MP/Lead pipe combination..but truly a first class instrument:

 

This 900SLBwT I purchased new in the early 70's. My uncle had a pawn shop which let him get it from a friend's music store at cost. I wanted the trigger, but it turned out to have this LB feature..(.468 vs standard .460) turned out to be a great feature really opening the horn up...An accident that worked out great. Played through Jr. High, High School and College. The horn had a complete factory overhaul in late 1990s and is in mint condition.



 
Some items come up which are just fun.  This Eterna 900SH was buried in a Woodwind and Brasswind used instrument listing, when their online was quite primitive. A local shop overhauled and plated.  Great conversation piece but also plays with that bright Eterna sound.  Very responsive and very quick.



 

This Custom Series horn was picked up on e-bay as a "traveling horn." It's an example of a poor listing coming up with a great yield a great deal.  "Silver Getzen Trumpet" is not the way to sell a professional instrument.  A few small dent repairs and we have a full body horn. Slot's nicely and projects well.  Has the detachable B1 Bell.  (Anyone have any other bells or the case that holds the horn and bells?)

      Then Renaissance Trumpet was Getzen transitional horn into the next level.  This horn was picked up on e-bay by a bid that was made for the heck of it "since it wouldn't sell for that low of price."  Well, it did.  The lacquer was in poor shape so I've been trying the "boil it off."  For those of you who think that the stuff dissolves, well, it doesn't.  It comes off in sheets.  Still some work to be done and polish, then trying to decide what to do next.  Plate?  Scratch it?  leave it raw brass?  to be decided.  A heavier horn then the others. .I found it works best with a big MP such as a 1C. 

The Flugelhorns

Getzen has two flavors of Flugelhorns.  Their unique Eterna series which, for lack of a better name, I'll call the "American Style." Large Bore deep dark  .460  (comes in 3 and 4 valve) and their newer Custom Series ("French Style") which has a smoky .420 Bore size. 

I was able to pick up an Eterna from a dealer who acquired it new/old stock from an out of business Music Store.   It's a big horn with a big sound. 

The Custom Series was a fluke in Musician's Friend's "scratch and dent" sale.  I can't find a scratch or a dent, but I won't argue with them.

Miscellaneous horns

The four valve Eterna Piccolo Trumpet is considered the only worthy entry as an entry level Piccolo.  This one has the Blackburn lead pipes.  Another fluke of Woodwind and Brasswind where they appeared to mis-price this horn significantly BELOW the lacquered version and the price went up soon after this was ordered.

The Getzen Field Trumpet  B-flat (and here with a G slide) appears to be the first to come out in answer to the need of Bugles Across America.  A fantastic bugle with it's own custom case.

300 Cornet.  Let's not forget our basic student horn.  This was a Craig's list special.  Valves, slides and playing was fine...but there was a bit of dent work to be done.  But it offers a superb cornet sound, the great Getzen valves for an economy price.  The 300 series is probably the best lines of student horns still in production there value is in the quality of build, the great play, and the durability in the student environment.

Not Pictured Close up - A Capri Trombone.  When the son decided he wanted to play trombone..no problem...hello e-bay - Search Getzen Trombone and BINGO a Capri comes up.  I don't have to know anything about trombones...just that this is a Getzen Capri!  Though the son decided to join drumline instead.  Oh well.

 Some New Additions

I call this my "Eterna Student Pack"  Which would be perfect for a starting out college student who still just has his student horn. These horns were all picked up on e-bay for less then $400 (including shipping).  I added a Blessing Flugelhorn 2 horn case..since the Flugelhorn didn't come with one.  All these horns are early 70's vintage, but you'd never know that by looking at them.

 A Getzen 896 Eterna Flugelhorn,  A "C" Eterna  Trumpet and a Getzen 900S  Severinsen Trumpet

The Eterna "C":

For the few times a non classical performing trumpet player might be called upon this is a competent horn with a light easy tone. 

I don't find it a hard transition from the B-flat.

Eterna 4-Valve Flugelhorn

I was expecting a dark flugelhorn in this 896, much as the one toward the top of the page. 

 This one plays surprisingly lighter then expected and is very fun to play.  

Actually a different playing horn then the later version of the same mode.

Eterna 900S

And then the star of the show.  From Jr. High to Beyond college I played the Large Bore (.468) version of this horn.  But this time capsule 900S Severinsen  B-flat from the early 70's was a superb find.  A fantastic player with solid core, projection, and tone.  Much to my chagrin, it won A/B'd  against the LB.  And just came out slightly behind against the 3001 Artist Horn (Formerly the new Severinsen horn). 

All in all a great value for the college player and beyond.