TromboneChat

I'm currently a college student and am looking for a new horn to play in jazz band. I'm currently playing on a Shires Q Series with F attachment on a Bach 6 1/2 AL mouthpiece. I want to get a small bore straight tenor for jazz that will last a while. Looking for brand and model suggestions. Is an Olds Special a good model? I don't want to spend a fortune.

An Olds Special is probably a good choice, and relatively inexpensive.
When I was exactly in your position.. a long time ago... I got a Yamaha 354 and ended up continuing to use it professionally for quite a long time. I've had a bunch of them and still have 2 for outdoor gigs. I have found most of them for around $100 but now you could expect to pay 2 or 3 times that and it's still a good deal if it's in decent shape. Watch out for bubbled chrome plating on the inner slide. Some Yamahas had a problem with that but I never had one with that.

A beater (or non beater, if you can find it) King 3B for less than $1000 (usually less than $800) will do many, many things and do them very, very well.

Or you can find a 6H or 48H for even cheaper and will play as well, or better than a 3B

Lots of great (and cheap) horns out there.

I have a King 606, Conn Director (don't remember which model), and Besson 2-20. All for between $100 and $200.

Look for a Conn 40H. I got one and found it played really well as a small tenor in orchestra as well as for Big Band. (Other good Conns: 4H, 6H, 24H, 48H, 76H, and others).

Martin Committee or Imperial (generally $300 or so).
Holton 65, 69, or 67 (Stratodyne).

Get in touch with DJ Kennedy (he's on the Forum and also the Facebook Chat) who has a house full (literally) of used trombones that are good players at low prices. He also has a knack for matching horn to buyer,.

oliverwilliams296 wrote: ↑Fri Oct 23, 2020 9:50 pm Is an Olds Special a good model? I don't want to spend a fortune.

Currently own one and I’d say it would be a good inexpensive playing option. Well made too. Can be a little nose heavy if there is no counterweight. Attaching 8oz worth of weight to the rear brace fixed that to me. Enjoy what ever you end up with.

Depends on your budget. A Yam 354 or 200 punches above its weight. Getting a cosmetically challenged pro horn that you can buy now and have overhauled when you get the money might be an option. What is a "fortune"? I know of a have a King 2B with some "character" that the owner is thinking of selling.

I've got a Wessex Urbie 500 bore in excellent condition for $500.

Also have an Olds Recording for $650. Not much lacquer, but a great player.

Lots of horns will work for this, new and old.

A jazz trombone is whatever trombone you can make your own distinctive and unique mark with. Dare to break the mold!

However, if you have to play according to a certain conventionality, then all the above.

You might find this previous topic helpful:
https://trombonechat.com/viewtopic.php? ... 59#p123658

Contact DJ Kennedy he will have a number of makes and models in your budget range

I would also second contacting DJ, I've heard good things.

If you're more interested in hunting Craigslist though, if you find a 14H or an 18H, there is a decent chance that it'll play very good for the price, just make sure it's made in the USA. Same with the 77H, which is a cost reduced 6H from what I understand. I've used the 77H for lead stuff, it was just for high school but it got the job done. I've heard of other people using them at the sort of gigs where there's chicken wire in front of the stage, and they come up cheap. Same with the YSL-354 or the identical YSL-200 AD. They're good "utility" horns.

However, you should also consider saving a bit more because you can probably get better horns for a few hundred dollars more. Although they will get the job done, there may be a reason people play 3B's and 6H's instead of 606's and 14H's.

I don't want to spend more that $800. Send me some pics. I don't mind a horn with "character". There's a good shop around me that does overhauls.

Thanks for all the suggestions. Definitely going to look into some of these horns and talk to my lessons teacher and director and get their recommendations.
Thanks again!