Kanstul Trumpet Serial Numbers

In 1981, Zigmant Kanstul founded Kanstul Musical Instruments, building fine brasswinds both under his own name and for venerable marques like F. Besson. But the story didn’t start there. Zig’s career as a brassmaker began in 1952, at F.E. Olds & Son in Los Angeles. There, he apprenticed and honed his skills under the direction of Foster A. Reynolds, a giant in the history of brasswind design and manufacturing. In 1970, after 18 years at Olds, eventually leading R&D and production, Zig left to assume the position of Vice President at King Musical Instruments, in charge of the Benge Trumpet factory. He subsequently became Vice President of Manufacturing for C.G. Conn.

Free World Shipping. RARE F.BESSON MEHA-KANSTUL IN C WITH its 3 ORIGINAL Kanstul long LEADPIPES: 68-75-76-BORE SIZES. The F. Besson Trumpet of the early Twentieth Century was used as a model for many further Trumpets of all the Major Brands that have been manufactured later- mainly the Bach Stradivarius. Designed by Vincent Bach. Sep 12, 2012 - I just bought my first trombone marked FB Besson England International with a serial number of 496641. I haven't had any luck identifying it other than it. I have been told it might have been made to bee like a cornet but has been modified for a trumpet mouth piece. It has a number on the second valve. The Kanstul-Besson Loyalist. I have a Kanstul made Besson MEHA in Bb with a very low serial number. The serial number is 488. I have written Kanstul a couple of times and I have never heard back so I was wondering if anyone here might have a clue. Other possible clues. On the bell in a scroll under the FB script is written 'systeme prototype.' Olds Serial Number List. Posted: (1 days ago) 1954 Trombone and trumpet serial number lists merged; 1955 production moved from LA to Fullerton (between 149,6xx, 150,3xx) 1956 eliminated large-shank mouthpiece receiver on cornetss (189,611) 1958 redesigned Ambassador cornets & trumpets. Pinky ring changed to hook, bracing changed.(246,5xx and 248,8xx) 1964 Alliance. Trumpet Serial Numbers Easily learn the age of your horn by using our quick links serial numbers resource guide.Trumpetsearch.com makes no claim for the exact. The trumpet is one of the oldest known instruments, dating back to the day people first figured certain seashells and animal horns (adapted into instruments called.

Brass historian R. Dale Olson, describing Zig’s beginnings at Olds in his book, Zig Kanstul: Last of the Great Masters,* highlights his place in the line of American brasswind makers, as can be traced from Samuel Graves in 1824, through such figures as Elbridge G. Wright, Thomas Dudley Paine, J. Lathrop Allen, Isaac Fiske, James W. York and Foster Reynolds:

“It was, in 1952, an opportunity for a young craftsman from Minneapolis, Minnesota to eventually move into a very remarkable cluster of historically important individuals within the ﬁeld of brass instrument making. This assemblage had formed a continuous sequence dating to the early 19th Century and destined to terminate in the 21st Century. Over sixty-four years after he ﬁrst moved to California, Zig Kanstul would eventually become recognized as the last of the great masters of brass musical instrument design and construction, with a professional genealogy traced back over 175 years.”

Today, Kanstul Musical Instruments, under the direction of Zig’s sons Mark and Jack, continues to innovate and build the finest and fullest line of brasswind instruments—from raw brass stock to finish— in the original factory located in Anaheim, California. Just one mile from Disneyland and within driving distance of the Hollywood studios, the factory is a hub of activity, not just for building horns, but for artists, design colleagues, tours and events.

See Zig Kanstul’s NAMM Oral History Interview.

*Zig Kanstul: Last of the Great Masters by R. Dale Olson, Edited by Robb Stewart (268 pp, hardcover and paperback), is an account of the lineage of the great masters of American brass musical instrument making, culminating in the story of Zig Kanstul, In it, Olson walks the reader through the history of significant brass design innovation and manufacturing in the United States, from 1824 to 2016.
Being a complex, often mystifying, melding of art and science, the creation of fine brass instruments has involved the passing down of knowledge, hand-to-hand, from one master craftsman to the next, in the ongoing quest for higher quality and more artistically idealized instruments. This book traces that development with both a technical and very personal focus.

Key People

Zigmant J. Kanstul
(1929–2016), Founder

Mark Kanstul, President

In more ways than one, Mark was born into the world of brassmaking. First, as the son of Zig Kanstul, but also having been given the middle name of Foster, in honor of his father’s mentor and master brass builder, Foster Reynolds.

He started his musical manufacturing career at the age of seven, assembling music lyre holders for F. E. Olds & Son in his father’s garage for a penny apiece. At age sixteen, while still in high school, Mark became the night janitor for Benge Trumpet Company. His father, general manager at the time, told Mark that this was the best way to learn the business—from the ground up. And Mark has done exactly that.

Having spent most of his life in one or another brassmaking capacity, this challenging work is in his blood. He has learned both the science and the art of building horns from the best—his father—and through him, from Foster Reynolds and Elden Benge. We can’t predict, but it would be no surprise if this remarkable chain passing along skills and knowledge continues into the future. In the year 2000, Mark’s son Alex was born, and Alex has had music and instrument-making around him his whole life.

Jack Kanstul, VP, Sales & Marketing

Jack started his musical career marching with the Anaheim Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps, and at age thirteen performed with the Disneyland Herald Trumpets under the direction of Ron Logan. He was also a charter member of the Velvet Knights Drum and Bugle Corps, which his family helped start in 1963.

Growing up in Southern California, Jack had the privilege of studying trumpet under Harold “Pappy” Mitchell, James Stamp and Claude Gordon. At the same time, he began his education in the art of brass-building doing assembly work and testing instruments that Zig was developing for F.E. Olds & Son. This led to years of working under his father, at Olds, and later at the Benge Trumpet Company. In 1994, Jack became Kanstul Musical Instruments’ first sales manager.

In addition to handling sales along with Charles Hargett, Jack works together with Mark in accommodating special customer requests, including material, design, color and feature variations.

Charles Hargett, Director of Sales

Charles began began his music career at age ten when a family friend encouraged him to take up the trumpet. He played in numerous ensembles throughout his school years, and his teachers included Cliff Mount and Dave Evans. Both of his parents were educators, and eventually Charles decided to major in Music Education. He attended college in Riverside, attaining a degree in music. One day, while touring the Kanstul factory with a friend who was visiting from out of town, Charles says that he was immediately inspired to expand his music career to include brass instrument manufacturing and sales.

After accepting a position as sales manager for Kanstul in 2003, Charles quickly developed a reputation for being a sort of “trumpet guru,” becoming a friendly, accessible face for the company. Balancing sales and marketing duties, he worked directly with Zig Kanstul, helping to develop new models and handling artist relations. In 2013, Charles took another position in the industry, but was drawn back to Kanstul due to his love of the handcrafted, family approach the company takes to building instruments. He resumed his position as Sales Director in October, 2018.

Charles has played trumpet professionally wth many name artists and groups, and currently performs regularly with The Wiseguys, a popular local band performing a mix of “Big Band Vegas Swing.” He is a recipient of an L.A. County Volunteer of the Year award.

He describes his position at Kanstul Musical Instruments as an exciting challenge, and that it includes planning and attending trade shows, band instrument sales, marketing & advertising, and artist relations.

Troy Emmons, Research & Development, Manufacturing

Since 1992, Troy has been an indispensable lead craftsman for Kanstul, having learned both the fundamentals and advanced acoustical principles of brassmaking directly from Zig. Over the years, in addition to overseeing production and quality control, Troy has been directly responsible for the development of many new instruments and enhancements, including the Flying Tuba and the Wallace Roney edition of the 1603+ trumpet.

Carrie Roybal, Office Manager

Carrie has worked at the factory since January 1997. In addition to her accounting duties, she handles all of Kanstul’s front-end communications with customers and dealers.

Laura Bernardino, Shipping and Export Manager