TromboneChat

I read that the rotars in bach 42bs are too small for tge instrument. I have been playing a 42bo for a year now and the ton on the f attachment is really ugly. Would you reccomrnd that I switch to a dufferent valve?

The Bach 42b design with the old rotor has been successful to many players all around the world. Next to the Conn 88h it's the most popular of the old models. I have one myself and it is absolutely perfect. Personally I like the old design of the rotor and valve better, and don't care much for the Thayers. I guess the Thayer is your alternative. You definitely need another kind of blow on a Thayer compared to an older rotor. Some like that and some don't. To me the older rotor gives a little more resistence and that's what I like about it. It helps me to get the sound I like. The sound is something that needs much work and care on either valve type. The sound has to be in your head first. We all sound different even if technique is not an issue because we have different sound concepts. If you decide you want a particular sound then you strive for that and imagine you have that sound. When the concept is there and the technique is there you can make any horn sound like that. When you are advanced it does matter what type of rotor you play because the character of the horn change and the design makes YOUR particular sound more or less difficult to achieve, but before this to be of importance you need to be at a really high level. Any rotor can sound bad or good.

/Tom

Are you playing the valve notes properly? The positions on the F side of the horn are different (longer, and only six to the slide). If you are playing the notes with incorrect slide positions and trying to "lip them in" you can get that ugly tone. Even with a Thayer or Hagmann valve.

Perhaps your valve isn't properly indexed? Only sure way is to see how the ports line up in the horn.

Be careful about drawing too many conclusions from what you read, whatever the source. You are apparently young and still learning about the trombone and how to play it.

The Bach 42B is a legendary trombone, played (in stock configuration) to near perfection by countless orchestral trombonists over the decades.

Probably best for you now to
• keep practicing to improve your playing,
• take lessons from a great teacher, and
• trust the care of your instruments to a high-quality trombone technician.

Could you please describe more on the word “ugly”? Is it out of tune? Is the tone blatty, or dull, or something different? Also, have you maintained the horn regularly and in what shape is the horn? Like above comments say, it can be either you or the horn, but without further clarification it would be hard to diagnose the problem.

I bought it used and the isn't very good. It works but isn't very smooth no matter how much I oil it. It just hade a professional cleaning and the problem wasn't solved. I can live with it, it's just a bit annoying

8parktoollover wrote: ↑Mon Jul 08, 2019 11:10 pm It just hade a professional cleaning and the problem wasn't solved.

A mere cleaning won't fix a bad rotor. It may need a valve "tune-up" (or even a rebuild) from a competent brass repair technician. (Often not found at your local music store.)

Jay Friedman (and many others) always sounded pretty good in his Bach 42B days.

I recommend that you take a look at Instrument Innovations website. They have two rotary valves and an axial flow valve that work very well on a 42. Several techs have used their valves for 42 conversions. You won't find two more competent people to work with than Mike and Kim.

Walleye wrote: ↑Tue Jul 09, 2019 7:04 am I recommend that you take a look at Instrument Innovations website. They have two rotary valves and an axial flow valve that work very well on a 42. Several techs have used their valves for 42 conversions. You won't find two more competent people to work with than Mike and Kim.

They make great stuff! Their website seems to be down at the moment though. Hopefully it'll be back up soon.

That said, if your regular rotary 42 valve is noisy and/or leaking after it got cleaned by a tech, i'd definitely talk to the tech. If it was in need of a refit, they should have told you.