Shires Alessi vs Edwards T396AR

[StevenHolloway]

Has anyone had the chance to try these? Any thoughts or observations on how they sound/play?

[harrisonreed]

I must say that they give even less info about the AR than they did for the Alessi. Seems weird since their other horns are info overloads. Secret sauce...? They could have just kept it as 'it's this bell, but with a proprietary buffing and annealing process' like with the Alessi.

[castrubone]

Aside from engravings and a few small tweaks I didn't think it played any different from the original T396. I did think the new valve felt very very slightly different...just enough to where I'd say I prefer the Rotax.

Haven't tried the Shires yet!

[tbonesullivan]

I must say that they give even less info about the AR than they did for the Alessi. Seems weird since their other horns are info overloads. Secret sauce...? They could have just kept it as 'it's this bell, but with a proprietary buffing and annealing process' like with the Alessi.

Well, with their being a NEW Alessi horn, obviously inspired by the previous one, they probably want to make it a bit harder to make objective comparisons using specifications. It's not like you can get any options on the horn changed: that's all supposed to be done with the harmonic pillars.

I also noticed they don't have any information regarding the leadpipe, which if I recall was sterling Silver for the Alessi 396.

At least it doesn't have the Tone Enhancing Resonating Device (TERD) of the T-383-A.

[Kdanielsen]

The 396AR has interchangeable leadpipes. The 396A did not. This is a change im very glad they made.

[tbonesullivan]

The 396AR has interchangeable leadpipes. The 396A did not. This is a change im very glad they made.

Are you sure it does? The pictures on the Edwards website doesn't show the usual "knurling" that removable leadpipes usually have. Also the original T-396A had what looked to be a removable pipe, but that was just the end of the soldered in leadpipe.

I know that the new Shires Alessi Horn has removable leadpipes.

[harrisonreed]

The 396AR has interchangeable leadpipes. The 396A did not. This is a change im very glad they made.

Are you sure it does? The pictures on the Edwards website doesn't show the usual "knurling" that removable leadpipes usually have. Also the original T-396A had what looked to be a removable pipe, but that was just the end of the soldered in leadpipe.

I know that the new Shires Alessi Horn has removable leadpipes.

If you look closely, you'll see that the pictures are of an Alessi model with a different valve cap...

It even has the Joseph Alessi signature on the bell.

But it says nothing about leadpipes at all on the description. Again, why would they be THAT cryptic and sparse with the specs? I love Edwards, but come on!

[Kdanielsen]

The 396AR has interchangeable leadpipes. The 396A did not. This is a change im very glad they made.

Are you sure it does? The pictures on the Edwards website doesn't show the usual "knurling" that removable leadpipes usually have. Also the original T-396A had what looked to be a removable pipe, but that was just the end of the soldered in leadpipe.

I know that the new Shires Alessi Horn has removable leadpipes.

I asked my buddy who just worked the Edwards booth at Midwest. He told me they were interchangeable. I wanted to know because I thought that was something that needed changing.

[tbonesullivan]

If you look closely, you'll see that the pictures are of an Alessi model with a different valve cap...

It even has the Joseph Alessi signature on the bell.

But it says nothing about leadpipes at all on the description. Again, why would they be THAT cryptic and sparse with the specs? I love Edwards, but come on!

AH! I see it now. Also the harmonic brace is not the new slimmer version. Maybe they haven't finalized it yet? I wonder how much ahead of time they knew that Alessi was gone. Maybe they haven't had time for proper photos of it yet. Wouldn't be the first company to do that, or the last.

But yeah, they made a big deal about the leadpipe with the T-396A, so seeing no mention of it with the T-396AR is strange.

[castrubone]

So, enough about the horn he doesn't play, any reviews of the new Shires Alessi out there?

[tbonesullivan]

Well, from the videos I saw of the most recent trombone convention, it was so loud I doubt anyone got a good chance to listen to ANY trombones.