TubaForum.net

Quick question: Does anyone know of a manufacturer that can or could make an open bass trombone? By this, I mean a Bb bass trombone without valves, essentially an open tenor trombone but with bass trombone dimensions.

Vincent Bach has made quite a few model 50's over the years.

A model 50 - without any letters after the number 50 - is just a regular bass trombone with nothing hooked onto it.

I know Edwards and Shires (not sure about Rath) make/made open neck pipes for their (modular) bass trombones (Edwards also offers a single valve converter for their axial valve sections), and I wouldn't be surprised if many of the small German makes would build one if you asked. What kind of sound you're after will influence which firm you reach out to, of course.

bloke wrote: ↑Thu Mar 13, 2025 8:26 pm Vincent Bach has made quite a few model 50's over the years.

A model 50 - without any letters after the number 50 - is just a regular bass trombone with nothing hooked onto it.

Been doing some searching and can't find anything on a straight model 50. Not listed on Bach Loyalist.

Anyone have a picture?

Kevbach33 wrote: ↑Fri Mar 14, 2025 12:16 am I know Edwards and Shires (not sure about Rath) make/made open neck pipes for their (modular) bass trombones (Edwards also offers a single valve converter for their axial valve sections), and I wouldn't be surprised if many of the small German makes would build one if you asked. What kind of sound you're after will influence which firm you reach out to, of course.

I did indeed find one on the Edwards website, nothing on Shires or Rath.

I would indeed only buy this for a modular bass trombone, not a fully fixed open bass trombone.
It would just be nice to have as an option. I would gladly use that instrument, it's just like a lighter tenor trombone, but with better sound.

I have probably lived too long on this earth and I have seen two of these. One was a Reynolds model 72 (.564 bore, 9 1/2” bell), almost certainly a custom order, that was owned by my university. Everyone I talked to assumed that it had been ordered for the marching band sometime in the 1950’s, but nobody had a definitive answer.

The other one was an Edwards. The gentleman who owned it loved the sound of the bass trombone but had issues holding two-rotor horns as he aged. When he got it he was in his mid 80’s and playing in a community band. At least it shows that Edwards will likely make you one.

If you don't believe me, I could just as easily get AI to make a fake picture of a no-F-attachment Bach 50.

- I remember a guy in a west coast jazz band (back in the 80's, during Dixieland Revival #2) playing one, and - a couple of years after the Katrina hurricane, a NOLA colleague of mine had already been rough enough on his (50 no F-attachment) that he had been given (brand new) by some Katrina-related charity, that (for free and while he waited) I did a complete bell-and-playing-slide restoration on his and re-lacquered it (4 hours - intensive - before lunch).

All I can say is order one from a Bach dealer...Just like a no-F-attachment 42 or 36 are (simply) nomenclatured "42" and "36", the no-F-attachment 50 is nomenclatured "50".

Trombone players refer to no-attachment trombones as "straight" trombones (a very silly name) vs. "open" (probably makes more sense).
me...?? I would refer to trombones (with no valves) as "trombones".

bloke wrote: ↑Fri Mar 14, 2025 9:46 am If you don't believe me, I could just as easily get AI to make a fake picture of a no-F-attachment Bach 50.

Are you sure?

BramJ wrote: ↑Fri Mar 14, 2025 12:12 pm

bloke wrote: ↑Fri Mar 14, 2025 9:46 am If you don't believe me, I could just as easily get AI to make a fake picture of a no-F-attachment Bach 50.

Are you sure?

Looks fine to me...

Here's ABSOLUTE PROOF - from the Conn-Selmer website...

COMPLETELY un-retouched...(EXCEPT for where I took the eraser-thingie - in Microsoft Paint - and got rid of the F-attachment stuff)

AI looks more like Aye-Yi-Yi !!!

Ruigekerel wrote: ↑Fri Mar 14, 2025 7:33 am

Kevbach33 wrote: ↑Fri Mar 14, 2025 12:16 am I know Edwards and Shires (not sure about Rath) make/made open neck pipes for their (modular) bass trombones (Edwards also offers a single valve converter for their axial valve sections), and I wouldn't be surprised if many of the small German makes would build one if you asked. What kind of sound you're after will influence which firm you reach out to, of course.

I did indeed find one on the Edwards website, nothing on Shires or Rath.

Straight Neckpipe: This neckpipe (no valve—also known as a gooseneck) is interchangeable with the valve section, and can be ordered to convert any orchestral (.525- or .547-inch bore) tenor or bass into a straight trombone. It eliminates the valve altogether for an open feel and brilliant sound, with quick response—a popular option for soloists, principals, and commercial players.

This is from the Shires site, under trombone options.

https://rathtrombones.com/trombones/goo ... ce-weight/

And from Rath.