TromboneChat

A music consignment store near me is offering what they describe as a 1950s Roth Contempora with an F attachment. There’s not much info available on these. Worth driving up there to take a look? They don’t say (and probably don’t know) if it’s a bass or a tenor.

It should be a Reynolds Contempera, not Roth. Roth was the student line and Contempera is a Reynolds pro horn.
Roth did make an F attachment horn. Check out Contempera corner for more info- https://contemporacorner.com/trombones/roth-trombones/.
If it is a Reynolds Contempera, its worth a look depending on price, tenor or bass. If its a Roth w/F probably not.
Contemperas are beautiful made horns that can play great.

spangy wrote: ↑Sun Dec 22, 2019 12:15 am It should be a Reynolds Contempera, not Roth. Roth was the student line and Contempera is a Reynolds pro horn.
Roth did make an F attachment horn. Check out Contempera corner for more info- https://contemporacorner.com/trombones/roth-trombones/.
If it is a Reynolds Contempera, its worth a look depending on price, tenor or bass. If its a Roth w/F probably not.
Contemperas are beautiful made horns that can play great.

I am amazed at the variations of horns they had. Even sterling bells and bells with two metals.

Reynolds Contempora trombones were fine instruments. I have a beautiful Contempora Model 35 (0.520" bore with F-attachment) made in Cleveland in 1958, but in excellent restored condition, that is fun to play and (according to my colleagues) also sounds great. Especially nice for 3rd trombone in big band or for playing in a brass band or wind ensemble.

I always found it odd that Reynolds was such a pioneer in bass trombone design, made beautiful, high quality instruments of all sorts with innovative and different alloys, but never made a large bore tenor. If they had, I’m sure it would have been great.

chromebone wrote: ↑Sun Dec 22, 2019 9:23 am I always found it odd that Reynolds was such a pioneer in bass trombone design, made beautiful, high quality instruments of all sorts with innovative and different alloys, but never made a large bore tenor. If they had, I’m sure it would have been great.

It could just as easily ended up an also-ran like the Olds Opera family (O-15, O-115, O-23, O-25). With the exception of Bill Pearce, I don't know of any high profile players who used one. Even Robert Marsteller, who is suppose to have been involved with the design, doesn't seem to have actually played one for any period of time.

Curtis Fuller played one earlier in his career as well. I can’t think of any legit player who played one aside from Marsteller. I think the Olds Opera might have done better if it was easier to use non-Olds mouthpieces with it.

chromebone wrote: ↑Sun Dec 22, 2019 10:29 am I think the Olds Opera might have done better if it was easier to use non-Olds mouthpieces with it.

May not have sold much better due to marketing limitations (Olds had virtually no presence in the classical world), but the O-25 (née "Opera") definitely would have been a better, more versatile trombone with a standard large-shank receiver (and a little better ergonomics).

FWIW:
In my community band - just by chance - half the section plays Reynolds including me on my 1961 Roth F-attach. I knew nothing about Reynolds until I bought this horn at a steal on ebay . They are interesting horns with an interesting history. The Contempora's are definitely more desirable but the Roth line punches above its weight class. Don't get me wrong, it's clearly a student/intermediate horn but it's well built and for a non-professional like myself it has done everything asked of it.