Bach 42 v. Edwards T350

[JTeagarden]

I currently own an Edwards T350, and after having the slide properly cleaned and getting an appropriately sized DE mouthpiece, have a basis for judging its merits.

While it plays in tune, and slots well, I find the sound really, really boring, the horn is simply not very satisfying behind the bell...

Appreciating that my current main axe is a mid-70s Bach 50B, and assuming I could line up and/or modify a Bach 42 with an appropriate modern rotary valve, do any of you have experience with both horns, and a judgment about the general playing/tonal qualities of both?

[WGWTR180]

Once you modify the Bach 42 you'll lose some of what makes a Bach a Bach. Edwards/Bach. Apples/Oranges at best. What you gain on one end you lose on the other. It's all about what you're willing to live with.

[JTeagarden]

I think of the "in front of the bell/behind the bell" experience as a continuum with trade-offs: You can well imagine a sound you love to hear while playing the horn that is diffuse in front of the bell, and in the abstract, being told you sound great while you experience none of that behind the bell.

Would any of us want to play a horn that's the bomb to everyone else, but that we couldn't even hear? It would be like sitting in a performing ensemble without an instrument at all.

There's some sweet spot, and right now, I find no enjoyment in playing the Edwards.

[jpwell]

Sounds like you don’t like and will sell it anyway. Modular horns are fun to dial in what you want. Take a trip to Wisconsin have them set you up. It’s a fun trip they KNOW trombones.

[CalgaryTbone]

Sounds like you don’t like and will sell it anyway. Modular horns are fun to dial in what you want. Take a trip to Wisconsin have them set you up. It’s a fun trip they KNOW trombones.

This is great advice. Alternatively, go to a big trombone event like the ITF and visit the Edwards booth. You may find that a change of bell or leadpipe will give you what you're looking for. If not, there are all of the other major manufacturers there and you can try their horns.

Jim Scott

[JTeagarden]

This would be ideal, would be superfluous w/r/t Edwards if the concensus is "good, but no magic."

[Rrova]

What Edwards components do you have?

[JTeagarden]

What Edwards components do you have?

It seems to be standard everything: yellow brass throughout, standard-weight bell.

[Rrova]

There's a video of Christian interviewing Joe Alessi. I believe its when the T396A first came out. Christian asked Joe about the claims that Edwards have a boring sound and all that. And Joe answered something like, "I think we took care of that." When I first saw that video many years ago, i was thinking that wasn't quite the answer Christian was looking for! But apparently, Joe doesn't necessarily disagree with you, at least when it comes to the pre-T396 horns.

[tbonesullivan]

Really sounds like you need a different bell on the Edwards, maybe something more off the beaten path. Bach bells are not really like anything else out there due to how they are made, treated, stretched, etc.

[harrisonreed]

The sound Joe was getting on the 396A (and still on the Shires) was bright as hell. But not in a bad way. Maybe that's what he meant.

[MrKirk]

Ive noticed listening to pros that some do indeed have what I would characterize as a mono tone or "boring" tone. They play fantastically, beautifully done musically, but it does make me wonder if their particular choice of instrument lacks some of the overtones/character that I hear from certain brands and material choices. I've noticed this type of mono tone so to speak on many different brands of trombone.

That being said, it does seem like Bach or "based on Bach" trombones have a depth or color that is missing from other instruments. It all comes down to what you like.

[Rrova]

The sound Joe was getting on the 396A (and still on the Shires) was bright as hell. But not in a bad way. Maybe that's what he meant.

Definitely possible. I personally like Edwards a lot. Most of my former teachers used Edwards and DC is an Edwards town. I think if the OP maybe tries a gold tuning slide it may make a positive difference.