We're thrilled to be a dealer for Puje trumpets! These horns are built to order by Brent Peters in Palouse, Washington. What sets this trumpet apart is the full-horn tuning slide built into the bell section. Instead of tuning just the first valve slide, you use your thumb to tune the entire horn. Get incredibly precise intonation on even the most troublesome notes. Easily adjust while making quick mute changes. Experiment with microtonal bending effects. It's a very versatile tuning mechanism!
The shepherd's crook bell expands your articulation palette. It also brings the bell closer to you, giving you excellent feedback behind the horn.
This design also has great ergonomics. The thumb slide is in a familiar position while expanding your intonation options.
The Puje v4 features a Kanstul made bell. Only 46 of the Puje v4 will be produced, so take advantage of this limited run while you can!
Features
- Full-horn tuning slide for on-the-fly adjustments
- High-quality Taiwanese valve block (favored by many boutique trumpet builders)
- Point-to-point stress-free bracing from bell to mouthpiece receiver
- Manufacturing date engraved on bell ferrule
- Reversed leadpipe
- Heavy top and bottom valve caps
- Amado water key on main tuning slide
- Recessed finger buttons
- Trumpet shank mouthpiece receiver (no mouthpiece included)
- One-piece bell construction
- Third valve slide stop screw
- Kanstul made bell
About the Puje
"The late Bobby DeNicola is the creator of the Puje, (pronounced pudgy). He devised a way to build a hybrid horn from stock trumpet and cornet parts. His horns were reasonably priced and played well, but retained a certain hand-built aesthetic. One unique feature of the Puje is a thumb-controlled tuning slide that tunes the whole horn.
"There is no documentation on the horns Bobby built. They were built one at a time using mostly Blessing parts. I am not sure there are any two that are identical and the design was constantly evolving. No dates or serial numbers were recorded and there is no firm number as to how many were produced. He also issued a number of Puje 2 instruments. As with the Puje there is no recorded information about this horn.
"I had always wanted a Puje, but they are hard to find in good original condition. I had begun designing my own horn in 2013, when I saw this horn for sale on eBay. It was listed as a new prototype. I purchased it. By chance I contacted the seller after the sale and it turned out he had it built with the intention to resurrect the Puje. His plans had changed.
"I saw the merits of Mr. DeNicola’s design and purchased the Puje name from Joe. Armed with the prototype and my own ideas I began to design my first horn, the Puje 3. That horn is serial number 0, my first horn I built from new parts. It was my personal horn that was to be kept to remind me how it all started. Of course I was persuaded to sell it. It now lives in Budapest.
"I have been refining my craft and always looking for improvements, but in the end, there are only two things that I feel are requirements when I create a Puje: first, it has to be pudgy, second it must have a whole horn tuning slide. After that, there really are no limits. Just like Bobby, I will continue to experiment with the Puje design to bring you a fun and innovative instrument."
– Brent Peters
