Hello Pete. So it’s only 10 years! Don’t time fly when you’re having fun. I remember seeing and playing the horn in a shop in Cheltenham. Maybe it was called “Second Wind”? But I can’t remember if I actually bought it there because I’ve a feeling I found it (new) somewhere else, cheaper. I paid about £900/950 I think (new) – discounts for Union members can be very good – but I no longer have the invoice and as I approach my 81st year, my memory isn’t so good. Still gigging! Playing Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday next week … I started aged 15, had a break, playing bass, for 20 odd years, had a heart attack at 52, went back to playing trumpet of which I have a collection: Selmer Balanced Louis Armstrong signature, Old Recording, 2 Bach Strads (trumpet and long cornet), King Dizzy (bought in New Orleans), Leblanc Conrad Gozzo signature, and a few others. You’ll be pleased to know the Phaeton tops the list.

Jon Stone
Trumpet flugelhorn bass guitar