Amati (1992)

Amati ATR-382 Piccolo Trumpet
Archived Collection Piece: This instrument is no longer held in the physical collection.

This B♭/A piccolo trumpet is an ATR-382 model manufactured by the Czech cooperative Amati in 1992, as verified by its serial number 1667. Owning a piccolo trumpet had been a long-standing desire of mine, so when this specimen appeared on the market for just a couple of Euros, I simply had to purchase it. The previous owner had listed it at a bargain price under the assumption that the valves were fundamentally defective; however, they likely did not realize that a factory-new trumpet occasionally just requires a thorough cleaning and a proper break-in period to function smoothly. Unfortunately, my bargain victory met a comical setback during maintenance: while cleaning the instrument, I accidentally dropped one of the valve pistons onto the floor, causing damage that effectively doubled my initial investment to get it fixed.

Later, when I saw the De Prins piccolo trumpet, I knew it was a much better fit for my collection, so this Amati moved on to a new home.