Schilke C trumpets have never reached the popularity of Schilke B flats and are rarely found in larger orchestras. The number of each model made, with the exception of the C5, remains annually in the single digits. The Schilke C trumpets have a transparent brilliant sound, and are more commonly found in brass quintets, chamber orchestras and ensembles, and in solo work, than the heavier denser Bach and Yamaha C trumpets which dominate orchestral music in the United States.
The fine intonation of Schilke's B flat trumpets is present likewise in their C trumpets. Many of these are step bore designs producing horns far more free blowing than other manufacturer's horns of nominally the same bore size.
Medium bore models
- C6 - Medium large (B) bell, introduced in 1963
- C7 - Large bell (A) bell, introduced in 1964
The C4 (M bore and M bell) is no longer carried in the catalog, but is included in the current price list and could be specially ordered. Like the B6 and B7, these are designed as step bores, where the bore expands from medium bore to large bore size through the tuning slide and tuning slide bow, and are very free blowing for medium bore horns.
Medium large bore models
- C1 - Large (A) bell, introduced in 1964
- C2 - Medium (C) bell, introduced in 1961
Like the B1 and B2, these are also larger step bore designs, with the tuning slide bow and valve bows expanding to extra large bore size, and to large size through the valve bows.
Large bore models
- C3 -- Medium (C) bell, introduced in 1961
- C5 -- Medium (C) bell, introduced in 1961
- CX -- Large (A) bell, introduced in 1970
Both the C3 and C5 (the most popular C trumpet Schilke makes, almost equal to the sales of all the other C trumpets combined), are step bore designs starting with large bores that expand into extra large turning slide bows; the difference between the C3 and C5 is the size of the tuning slide; the C3 has an extra large tuning slide and the C5 a large tuning slide. The CX is a straight gauge large bore (0.463 inch) horn without any of the bore expansions present in the C3 and C5, but attached to same large bell as found on the B1, C1, and C7.
Extra large bore models
- CX4 - Large (A) bell, introduced in 1977
- CX5 - Medium (C) bell, introduced in 1979
Like the CX, the CX4 and the CX5 are straight gauge, but extra large bore (0.468 inch) horns. The CX5 is still in the catalog, but did not appear in the 1999 price list, though it is probably available as a special order.
The S series
There is only one S series C trumpet, the S22C, which is a large bore horn with the same S series bell found on all three of the S series B flats, and with essentially the same design goals and playing characteristics as described with the B flat S Series. It was introduced in 1983 also. It shares the larger X valve casing with the CX4, CX5, S22 and X3 and X4.
Rotary C's
Schilke also made at least two prototype Rotary C trumpets, aimed at the orchestra market. For more details and photos, go here.
© 1999 - 2003 by James F.
Donaldson
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