For those of you who DON'T hate valve trombone...

[Reedman1]

For those of you who don't hate valve trombone, are there makes and models you particularly like? (If you do hate valve trombone, please don't respond. I know a lot of you do; no more need be said on that account.)

[dukesboneman]

I like playing Valve Trombones, I just don`t have much opportunity to .
My 1st horn was a Getzen Eterna 1978. Nice horn but (to me) I didn`t care for the over all tone of the horn. It was really bright. Even when someone else played the horn their 1st comment was usually on how bright sounding it was.
My 2nd Valve was a 1910 Conn. I think I bought for like $25. Played that for years until one day I just wanted something better. Sold it.
Next horn is the one I have now. it`s a 1954 King 2B valve section with a 1955 King Tempo Bell. Plays great. I use a Mount Vernon Bach 7 mouthpiece that mellows out the smaller bore a bit. I remember reading the Brookmeyer played a fairly large John Swallow Mouthpiece and Rob McConnell played a Conn 3.
Some day I`d love to pick up a Conn 5G But not today.

[hyperbolica]

I like the old Bach/Olds/Blessing marching trombone. Maybe also the King. Not sure if that counts.

Intonation is kind of a sensitive issue to trombone players. Valve players in general have a very different way of dealing with it than slide players. Even playing euphonium requires a really different approach to intonation.

[jbeatenbough]

Can't talk about valve trombones with out putting in a plug for the king 3b valve trombone... wish I had one! Someday I will...

[brassmedic]

The only valve trombone I ever played that wasn't stuffy was the Conn 90G. It doesn't look like a valve trombone, but it is. Well, one other - the Brass Ark orchestral valve trombone.

[Dennis]

The only valve trombone I ever played that wasn't stuffy was the Conn 90G. It doesn't look like a valve trombone, but it is. Well, one other - the Brass Ark orchestral valve trombone.

The 90G is basically a valved 88H, right Brad?

I remember reading somewhere that Vincent Bach thought orchestras should be using valve trombones, and he designed an orchestral valve trombone that went exactly nowhere. (Vincent Bach learned to play in Austria during the early 20th C. There is a fairly persuasive argument that the late Romantics in Central Europe were writing for valve trombones. Certainly some of the passages in Dvorak lie better on a valve trombone.

I have a 1957 King 3B with both slide and valve units. I like the way it plays with valves, although the valve bore is definitely in the peashooter class.

Brookmeyer played a Conn 5G. I honestly think the 5G with some kind of tuning assistance (like a 3rd valve slide ring) is about as good as valve trombones get.

[Reedman1]

Thanks, guys. I have a Couesnon that isn’t too bad, but as others have remarked, it seems a tiny bit stuffy. I do enjoy the facility I have with valves, and since I know trumpet, valve playing and lipping notes into tune come pretty easily.

Anybody know about Yamaha or Jupiter valve bones? How about Bach or Olds non-marching valve trombones?

[harrisonreed]

Just get that Morrison schaegerl superbone. That probably isn't stuffy.

[Reedman1]

Just get that Morrison schaegerl superbone. That probably isn't stuffy.

Not shopping just asking.

[RConrad]

The only valve trombone I ever played that wasn't stuffy was the Conn 90G. It doesn't look like a valve trombone, but it is. Well, one other - the Brass Ark orchestral valve trombone.

Ah the Trombonium. I was tempted to get one of these when I was looking for something more compact to play in pep band but decided against it since they look so different then everything else in the band. Also didn't want to take the chance of banging one up.

I learned how to play valves on a Yamaha valve trombone. I wasn't a fan of it. I have a King Flugabone that I use now and I've enjoyed.

[Matt K]

Depends on what you're using it for. I had a Kanstul marching euph that I really, really liked but I had utterly no use for it. Very nice mellow sound, not too heavy, super open. That said, if I ever come across a Yamaha 354V for a price anywhere close to what you can get the slide version for I'd snatch it up in a heartbeat. I played one at ETW a few years ago when it was still ETW and really liked the way it played but I didn't have much of a reason to get one let alone the bread!

[FullPedalTrombonist]

I had an Olds valve trombone that I used for combo work in university. It was “stuffy” but I was trying to play it like I do a slide trombone. Letting it speak how it wants to as well as a mouthpiece change really helped. I also used an Olds marching baritone in highschool to practice valve fingering. That was pretty nice to play.

I really wish I had the opportunity to play one and actually need to. Trumpet/flugelhorn and trombone duets sound good with a valve trombone.

[Redthunder]

I have a Conn 5G valve section that I use with a 6H bell. It's a medium shank (european shank??) so I have to use an adaptor to be able to play it with a small bore mouthpieces. I like it a lot.

[whitbey]

I have a F valve converted to Ab on my jazz horn. Pics in profile. That is a first valve. With alternate positions and a little practice I can play some pretty fast lines.

[Finetales]

I like valve trombones.

The ones wrapped like a trumpet ("flugabone" or "marching trombone" depending on the manufacturer) are my preference because they're so much easier to hold, not to mention extremely compact and fun to play at my desk. Normal valve trombones are usually an ergonomic nightmare and much less convenient, but I did enjoy the 3B valve trombone I rented for a while in college.

I've read that the Conn valve trombones (in addition to the 90G trombonium) are some of the best players. I'd love to try one.

[AwesomeDad]

Just get that Morrison schaegerl superbone. That probably isn't stuffy.

I’m sure it’s pricey but think of the possibilities! I contemplated getting a valve trombone for the easy transition. But figured why not learn a new instrument...

[dukesboneman]

And then there`s this

[Vegastokc]

And then there`s this

Nice pull duke.
I was fortunate to have gone to a jazz camp in mid '80s where Mr. Alexander was teaching.
Still have my signed copy of Power Slide from the camp as I believe it had just come out.

[Jnoxon]

Check this site out Bob has some great valve trombones for sale. He goes them ads 1st & 3rd triggers etc. every horn looks almost new when he’s done!

https://www.valvetrombonesrus.com/