Are silver sonics magical?

[Elow]

King says that a sterling silver bell will prevent you from cracking notes?!?! What. Is this true??? I might need to invest in a silver bell.

[Vegasbound]

No not all, just those made by the dwarf lords in their halls below the HN White factory....but seriously the good ones are very good, but like most things there are some terrible blowing ones too.....As Sam Burtis said try everything and use what works for you!

[harrisonreed]

The answer is .... Yes!

[whitbey]

I have a sterling silver Edwards bell. It is all that and more.
The only issue is in a concert band or orchestra you do not get an edge on the strong attacks that is needed.
I use it in orchestra when gentle and soft are the need with great results.
Quintet... it is the ace.
For solo and practice, it is a great sound and leads me to improve my sound.

[harrisonreed]

I have a sterling silver Edwards bell. It is all that and more.
The only issue is in a concert band or orchestra you do not get an edge on the strong attacks that is needed.
I use it in orchestra when gentle and soft are the need with great results.
Quintet... it is the ace.
For solo and practice, it is a great sound and leads me to improve my sound.

Screenshot_20191219-171055.png

If you do like this you can get the edge back into the attacks on a silver bell with ease. Everyone will criticize you and make fun of you though.

[Amconk]

I have a shires sterling silver bell. It’s a real winner. I found that by adding a nickel leadpipe, I gain back a little bit of “edge” in my articulation without losing that awesome quality of sound.

[sacfxdx]

Mine's not when I play it. Unless it's "Bad Magic".

[MrHCinDE]

Mine could have been in the hands of its previous owner, a well-respected former pro, perhaps he used up all the good notes already?

It seems to have had the inner bell plated with copper or something very copper-rich at some point. It looks noticeably more red than golden. Whether that has added to the claimed magical characteristics or was just a cheaper way to repair mute damage I could only speculate.

[Bonearzt]

Yes they are "magical"!!

They mysteriously amplify the talent introduced into the mouthpiece!!!

[Andre1966tr]

Albert Mangelsdorff played one. My reason to buy one from time to time... I had about five 3B SS and even more 2B SS in the last 35 years..horns dating from 1937 to 1976.
The magic never happened, sold them without regrets, now playing a plain 3B and find it more easy and less "clumsy".
More forgiving, flexible, more colors, more stamina and so on..they have some reputation, mostly from guys who can´t blow...sorry

[bigbandbone]

I had one in the early 70's when I was playing for a living. 3B. When it was warm I liked it. But in a heavily air conditioned room, in the span of an 8-12 bar rest, it would get cold and make me sharp! I was constantly adjusting. Had the King factory remove it and replaced it with a very thin bell, no rim wire, no rim solder.

[Burgerbob]

I love mine. Would I use it for everything? No, but it's a great horn.

[Mv2541]

I like the way they play, but they are often difficult to blend with (assuming you don't have a section full of them).

[tbonesullivan]

Yes, yes they are. Especially that 2B silversonic I played a bunch at Dillon some years ago but decided I "didn't need."

Dorsey songs flowed effortlessly from it with a 6 3/4 mouthpiece. So smooth. So velvety.

[SlideCrook]

I think the ad you posted is using the term “crack” in a different way than what I would interpret it. Today we use the phrase “holds together at louder dynamics” instead of “doesn’t crack”. I use the term “crack” for a split note, flubbed attack, or a “clam” as Bud Brisbois would say, and blame these more on myself than what my bell is made of.

[harrisonreed]

Yes for the 88HSGX the line was "won't break up at even the loudest dynamics"

They also said that about the normal 88H which is the opposite of the truth, and sort of what makes 88Hs cool to begin with. Normal 88H breaks up and gets cool the louder and higher you go. Sterling silver 88H doesn't break up and stays laser beam no matter what you do.

[bassbone721]

I recently got a 3bSS and after getting used to it and trying a few pieces I had, it is my favorite horn to play because of how it sounds and how easy it is to play. I don't have anything to compare it to, but I really enjoy mine.

[harrisonreed]

3BF-SS = greatest all rounder horn in my book

[Rusty]

I personally love the sound and how they play, but I found them harder to play in a bigband section than a yellow brass bell, the sound was often just too different and harder to blend and hear yourself. They are also harder to ‘light up’ at softer dynamic levels...you need to be playing fairly loud to get the same brilliance in the sound as a brass bell...sometimes that brilliance and intensity in the sound is needed to match the trumpets.

In a rock or Latin band where you’re playing LOUD they’re great, but then some complain of the added weight over long gigs. They do record really really well, just a great sound on the mic.

[Leanit]

I had about five 3B SS and even more 2B SS in the last 35 years..horns dating from 1937 to 1976.
The magic never happened, sold them without regrets, now playing a plain 3B and find it more easy and less "clumsy".
More forgiving, flexible, more colors, more stamina and so on..

This perfectly describes my experience with Silver Sonic Kings. At big volumes they hold together nicely, but are generally more work to play. A lighter bell will come to life more easily at low volumes and be easier to "color". The SS isn't exactly on/off, but it's more effort to get it up on plane (boating analogy).

I complained to a great local pro about fighting my 1965 2B Silver Sonic. He said, "Tommy Dorsey could have King build him anything he wanted. What did he play? Yeah, brass."

That's not to say there aren't good ones, and maybe the new boutique makers produce lighter versions from silver. Just saying that the beautiful vintage Kings don't tend to make your life easier, according to me and the guys I know.

[imsevimse]

I have a King SilverTone 2b and a Silversonic King 3B both have sterling silver bells. They are just another kind of horn to me, not better just different. I have horns I rather play as lead horns but to me they are good for anything else.

/Tom

[bigbandbone]

I have a sterling silver Edwards bell. It is all that and more.
The only issue is in a concert band or orchestra you do not get an edge on the strong attacks that is needed.
I use it in orchestra when gentle and soft are the need with great results.
Quintet... it is the ace.
For solo and practice, it is a great sound and leads me to improve my sound.

Screenshot_20191219-171055.png

If you do like this you can get the edge back into the attacks on a silver bell with ease. Everyone will criticize you and make fun of you though.

In this picture do yo notice something wrapped around the bell body? It wouldn't be there if he liked the way it played!

[elmsandr]

Screenshot_20191219-171055.png

If you do like this you can get the edge back into the attacks on a silver bell with ease. Everyone will criticize you and make fun of you though.

In this picture do yo notice something wrapped around the bell body? It wouldn't be there if he liked the way it played!

That's exactly what Harrison was talking about. He likes the way it plays with that there. That's his point.

Cheers,
Andy

[LarryPrestonRoberson]

“Because of the lunar association that silver has in European folklore, it's believed to be protective against monsters such as vampires, werewolves and shapeshifters, (The Sign Post).”

They are also useful in warding off an unruly big band saxophone section.

[MrHCinDE]

They are also useful in warding off an unruly big band saxophone section.

Unless they are also ‘armed’ with the Super 20 silversonics themselves. And don’t get me started on the trumpets...

I wonder if anyone ever formed an all-sterling horn section?

[Bach42t]

Loved my 4BSS Anniversary edition, or the 2104 I think was called. Wish I had never sold it, although it was very heavy. It during the heyday of axials and I buckled under pressure to have the latest and greatest. I got wonderful compliments on the warm sound as well as the appearance of the horn.

[bsier]

I've got an old 1960-65 3BSS and it's my primary horn. Granted I don't have another smallbore, but I really enjoy playing it in jazz settings, and I've had a few people compliment the sound saying that it is very round and warm.

[Driswood]

Yes they are "magical"!!

They mysteriously amplify the talent introduced into the mouthpiece!!!

Sad how that works, isn't it?

[Bonearzt]

Yes they are "magical"!!

They mysteriously amplify the talent introduced into the mouthpiece!!!

Sad how that works, isn't it?

Exactly!!

[imsevimse]

There are no wrong notes on them and they work perfectly from the box, just remember to leave them in the case.

/Tom

[EOlson9]

Yes they are "magical"!!

They mysteriously amplify the talent introduced into the mouthpiece!!!

Apparently my wife thought that was true when I looked at one a couple of years ago. She also immediately stated that we weren't paying the extra $1000 for it.

[afugate]

In my hands, no. In my daughter's hands? Yes.

I own a 3BF SilverSonic. I bought it for me, but I don't play it. I like how I sound better on my older 3BF from my school days. Our daughter tried it out and fell in love with it. And she sounds phenomenal.

Different strokes for different folks.

--Andy in OKC

[Crazy4Tbone86]

Yes they are "magical"!!

They mysteriously amplify the talent introduced into the mouthpiece!!!

So.....is it considered "magic" when the instrument amplifies the LACK of talent introduced into the mouthpiece? I think that is called "misfortune."

[Bonearzt]

Yes they are "magical"!!
They mysteriously amplify the talent introduced into the mouthpiece!!!

So.....is it considered "magic" when the instrument amplifies the LACK of talent introduced into the mouthpiece? I think that is called "misfortune."

Yup!! "Talent" can be quantified both ways....