TromboneChat

Looking for information on the Bach Soloist. While the Yamaha 354 is considered a very good horn with much potential where does the Bach Soloist fit in? I've seen it advertised as an "intermediate" horn but haven't seen any reviews. Any opinions?

Thanks

TBSOL210

Bach Soloist Trombone

Bore: .547/.562" (13.89/14.27mm)
Bell: 8 5/8" (219.08 mm) 2-piece heavy rose brass w/soldered rim
Chrome plated nickel silver inner handslide tubes and lightweight nickel outer handslides
F-attachment is Benge 165F compact semi-open wrap with a .562" (14.27mm) bore
Leadpipe is a standard receiver with a longer, slower taper and is 8.75" (222.25 mm) in length,
same as used on the Benge 190F handslide and for the "M" (for Marcellus) pipe
Tubular nickel-silver braces.
Bach Gold-Plated 6 1/2 AL mouthpiece.

My curiosity is in the straight Soloist--no F attachment.

Thanks

Nothing? Bach website less than helpful. Has an 8" bell but unsure of bore, seems like 0.500 despite several advertised as 0.525.

The most likely genetic source for this horn seems to be the Bach TB301 student horn. They share a similar 0.500 bore and 8" bell. The slide for the Soloist differs from the 301 by having rose brass outer handslide tubes in place of gold brass. The Soloist also has a nickel silver crook on the handslide where the 301 has a gold brass one. The Soloist also has nickel silver trim on all braces and the section of the bell between the braces by the tuning slide. The Soloist's tuning slide is reversed as well. They share similar cases.

I felt the Soloist played very well and was comparable to Yamaha 354s that I've played. It plays much better than my Getzen 351 and my Olds Ambassador. The tone is milder (darker) than the Getzen and seems to slot better.

There are several listed on Reverb from about $250 to $650--all used. The Bach website carries no information about this model nor could I find any other information about it.

I got mine for less than $85 and look forward to playing it with others soon.

If you're looking for a well built and functional horn they shouldn't be rejected without playing them.

I gave some lessons to a high school player who had one of these horns.

It was wonderful to play....I think much nicer than the Yamaha 354 or any other so-called 'student' horn.

Still digging for information on the Bach Soloist straight trombone. My search led me to Hickey's online catalog. While searching the catalog and finding no Bach Soloist models I went to the second page and came across the Conn 23H and was mildly surprised. The instrument described fit the Soloist to a "T". Looking at pictures / descriptions of the 23H and the Soloist it is a much better match than the Bach 301. Only difference was the engraving on the bells.

What's the chance of Bach simply having their other corporate entity slapping their name on the 23H?

Seems really unusual for such a close physical characteristics: the bell size, materials used (especially rose brass slide and NS crook) and case.

They both seem to be discontinued also.

Are these things cousins?

Hickey's link for Conn 23H

https://www.hickeys.com/music/brass/tro ... es.php?p=2

Not sure how close it is, but my wife has a Conn 23H in silver plate, and it’s a very nice horn. Nice clean warm tone, excellent slotting, and the slide is smooth and light.

I actually have pretty intimate knowledge of the Soloist!

Fundamentally it’s a mashup of a Bach TB-301 and a King 606. It’s also the same exact horn as a Conn 23H. It shares lots of the same parts with the 606 - the entire bell section is the same except for the slide receiver, which is a borrowed part from the 301. The outer handslide is the same as the 606, but with rose brass tubes and a nickel plated 301 crook and water key. The inner handslide is basically the same as a 301, .500 bore.

It’s interesting to trace the Conn Selmer student trombones back to when Conn and King first merged under UMI, and later when Bach joined the party. The 301 and 23H draw inspiration from the old Conn 18H, but share many parts with the 606. All of them have evolved a little from their past iterations since CNC machining came around.

To the OP if you don’t mind me asking, what’s the serial number on your Soloist?

mbrady115 wrote: ↑Sun Mar 28, 2021 7:13 pm I actually have pretty intimate knowledge of the Soloist!

Fundamentally it’s a mashup of a Bach TB-301 and a King 606. It’s also the same exact horn as a Conn 23H. It shares lots of the same parts with the 606 - the entire bell section is the same except for the slide receiver, which is a borrowed part from the 301. The outer handslide is the same as the 606, but with rose brass tubes and a nickel plated 301 crook and water key. The inner handslide is basically the same as a 301, .500 bore.

It’s interesting to trace the Conn Selmer student trombones back to when Conn and King first merged under UMI, and later when Bach joined the party. The 301 and 23H draw inspiration from the old Conn 18H, but share many parts with the 606. All of them have evolved a little from their past iterations since CNC machining came around.

To the OP if you don’t mind me asking, what’s the serial number on your Soloist?

The serial is 1870XX.

I think these "mash-ups" happened because the bean counters came in when the companies were merged and saw all these parts and inventory laying around and said make something with all this and sell it. These models went away when the parts were used up.