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S.E. Shires Severinsen Model “Bambino Destino” • 2009 / 2010 • serial no. P1113
This is a very exciting project that I feel very privileged to have been part of. S.E. Shires Co., of Hopedale, MA has made professional grade trombones for years and only recently started making trumpets, including Doc Severinsen’s personal model which he calls the “Destino.” Some friends at the factory, having seen my other pocket conversions, got permission from Mr. Steve Shires to send me parts which had been used on prototypes and later changed out. I didn’t find out until the project was underway that these parts had formerly comprised trumpets played by Doc himself on tour! As a result, while underway, the project was called “Pocket Doc.”
As always, the bell bending was by Robb Stewart. I came up with the design and made all subsequent modifications, including modifying or machining parts as necessary. My goal was to make a very compact, yet easy to hold pocket design, and I think I was fairly successful. The first three photos show some of the parts, taped together stage, and rough finished.
As far as we can tell, “pocketizing” has not adversely affected the playability. My friend Jeff Stockham of Syracuse, NY recently put the Bambino Destino through its paces and and pronounced it an excellent player—in fact, the best pocket trumpet he’d ever played. Check out the videos below where he channels Harry James and Maynard... This tends to confirm what I’ve discovered with “pocketizing”—the resulting pocket only plays as good as the horn you start with (assuming you don’t screw things up, of course).
“Bambino Destino” is being engraved with the company and model names and will then be silver plated. I will be starting a slightly different second version soon, which I hope to complete in a couple of months.
Length (mpc. removed): 8.5”
Bell Diameter: 4.75”
Bore: .459
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