Interesting...how does the C/Bb 8E play compared to the Eb 6E? I see they both share the same angled piston configuration, which I find to be much more comfortable than the non-offset pistons found on most mellophones, such as the Pan American 58E. They really are the same instrument, just set in d...

At the time, any of the listed instruments might have played those parts. The part was far more important than the type of instrument playing it, and alto horn, circular mellophone, or proper "French" horn were all used. It was the Wild West for instruments of all kinds, but especially alt...

I have never seen one in real life. :smilie5: I did my undergrad euphonium degree on a Kanstul 975 compensating euph. Nice horn. Replaced that with my Sterling Virtuoso last year, but apparently when you get rid of one Kanstul, multiple appear in its place. Currently I find myself with a Kanstul me...

Thinking of everything in concert pitch from the beginning has saved me a ton of headache with all the various instrument keys, octaves, and transpositions floating around in my head. I can do the "I don't know this instrument key so I'm just going to mash the buttons down according to printed ...

yeah...I'm building one in (9-feet cylindrical- ish bugle - bass trombone bell section / .562" valveset bore) B-flat, and I think Wade's getting ready to do something similar. Even though I'm a (slide) bass trombonist, I'd love to do something similar myself. More valve instruments are always ...

So ok, as long as we're talking about cimbassos --- educate me. Range? usual key(s)? I guess they are like a super bass trombone in sound? Looks like fun, of course. Oh and is it a SIMbasso or a CHIMbasso? A modern cimbasso (indeed pronounced CHIMbasso) is a contrabass valve trombone with a bend in...

For sale is a janky but fabulous 1972 Olds S24G independent bass trombone, S/N #832xxx. https://i.imgur.com/cb4yQRI.jpg More pictures here. This trombone has lived an interesting life. The previous owner modified the F wrap to go straight out like the G wrap does, removing the ability to choose betw...

When I was at IU, one of the tuba majors had this van: https://external-preview.redd.it/X2oyMYVgQjQWMZzBPAN-Xi6nehX3uAhqUBi_pVSm1yM.jpg?auto=webp&s=ecc1ab777160c26f534c9ba15bf018732568edfa It's made the rounds on the Internet a few times, and if I remember right he briefly experienced a small am...

I've played a couple. They're weird. Here are two videos of ophicleide in a non-classical context. Duet with a euphonium in C! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rmi4tztyV5c This one especially demonstrates very clearly how different slurs sound on ophicleide than anything that came after it. https://w...

If this doesn't come with a grumpy DCI alum aggressively telling everyone within earshot about how great G bugles are and how nothing after that is real drum corps, it's not authentic.

I have thought to make a large tenor tuba out of it, possibly in Ab/G# specifically for Bydlo (because why not?) or perhaps a huge euphonium-length tenor tuba in Bb. If these had known-good low registers (which I cannot seem to nail down) I would just make a new valve section for it and keep it in ...

The California Olds (full sized - several models) bass trombones - specifically, that were being built right before they were shuttered - were amazing. There aren’t many of them, people don’t know about them, and so many people seem to be into the stuff that (I think) doesn’t sound very good (two c...

I won’t berate them - because I’m not a bass trombonist, but I don’t hear a lot of complementary things about Bach bass trombones – including from some of those who own them. That's likely because a lot of Bach bass trombones out there are not good instruments. Every brand (even Yamaha) and era has...

Have you played a Bubbie 5? Can you comment on that a little? If you're not expecting it to sound like a tuba, can it be used as a musical instrument? Unfortunately I've only played the old 4-valve Bubbie (I think TE133 is the model, vs. TF135 of the Bubbie 5). I think it could absolutely be used a...

Lots of trombonists really dislike the springs in old Conns, but I like them. I can tune normally, and then pull in from 1st if I need a note to be slightly higher. It also saves my lips if I accidentally pull the slide in too fast (though that thankfully doesn't happen often).

The radiator-looking ZO travel tubas are nice players - much better than the Wessex tornisters in my experience. I played a CC that blew me away at NAMM. But they certainly don't sound like a trombone as much as the Wessex Bubbies (which I'm convinced you could use as a contrabass cornet).

I saw that. Love the big J bend in the 4th valve slide. To be precise, this is a model 1173 "Improved Model Baritone", with the standard 3-valve model being the 1172 and the front action versions being the 1170 and 1171. I don't care much for American baritones/euphs, but this one looks co...

Do you have a tuba shaped cimbasso? If not you need one, desperately. I went with a 3 valve Eb so I could get a cheap valve set and still have low Bb and A (more of a bass trombone sub than something to play monster movie soundtracks). 🤘 .562 is a little small in hindsight, .59x or .62x would proba...

The quality is good for the price, but the price keeps going up. This is the biggest issue with Wessex for me. A few years ago Wessex instruments were amazing deals, and you could live with some minor quality issues for the price you paid (especially for the oddball horns that had no other affordab...

It would certainly be useful for tenor solo rep with low Cs, pit books, or any orchestral part that throws Cs and Bs in willy-nilly. (Lots of contemporary stuff of course, but also quite a bit from older composers. The 4th tenor part in Schoenberg's Gurre-Lieder comes to mind...chock full of low Bs....