JOHN PITTMAN OF THE HEAVYWEIGHTS BRASS BAND
On his Divitt trumpet
I suppose when most people think of cherished musical equipment , they think of something they ’ ve had for decades or an instrument that ’ s been handed down through generations . I got my Divitt trumpet in 2017 . It is a truly unique instrument made by Canada ’ s only trumpet manufacturer , Ewan Divitt . It features the first bell Ewan ever made ; rolled in the shop of Andy Taylor in the U . K . while he was touring the facility . It also has custom finger buttons made of dino bone and a few other unique options .
I first tried the trumpet while I was waiting to have an emergency repair completed the weekend before I was set to record my first solo record . When I left the shop that day , I couldn ’ t get the tone and flexibility of the instrument out of my mind , but it seemed risky to start messing with gear right before a recording session . My wife encouraged me to go back and take the instrument out on trial , reminding me that I didn ’ t have to use it if it didn ’ t feel comfortable . I ended up recording the album on it and doing another commercial recording session on it a few days later . I ’ ve been playing the instrument ever since . You can hear it on the new Heavyweights Brass Band album , Stir Crazy . Truly an awesome , one-ofa-kind instrument that was built right here in Canada by a homegrown master craftsman .
HARKNESS
On his custom built and painted F Bass
Many years ago , I saw a live performance of a Montreal band called UZEB . Their bassist , Alain Caron , was phenomenal and was playing a type of instrument I had never seen before , it was from ‘ F Bass ’ ( also called ‘ Furlanetto ’). The shape of the instrument was super cool and the tone was even better . I knew in my gut that it was the instrument for me and found their shop in Hamilton , ON , and ordered my own custom fretless five-string F Bass .
It took a few months to be built , but once it arrived to me , I of course showed it off to all my friends . Two of them happened to be incredible painters , David Scott and Wes Tyrell . “ You should let us paint your bass , we ’ ll turn it into an incredible work of art ,” they said . “ How long will it take ?” I asked . “ Three or four weeks !” As much as I wanted to finally get my hands on it and begin playing my new bass , I turned it over to my two very talented friends . The weeks turned into months as they worked and worked on it , not showing me any of their progress as they wanted to surprise me with the finished composition . I was going crazy , just dying to play this instrument . Finally , the day came . They fixed me a few stiff cocktails and then revealed the most fantastically colourful , wonderfully decorated painted bass I had ever seen in my life . I was so turned on and excited upon seeing it that I think I managed a full-frontal flip .
This instrument is by far my most prized possession for the fact that it sounds magnificent and also looks unlike any guitar on planet Earth .
54 CANADIAN MUSICIAN