Professional Horns

[jbone134566]

So recently i’ve been in the market for a professional trombone and don’t know where to start, i’ve heard a lot of good and a lot of bad. I plan to use this horn with orchestra work in my last year of high school and then college. can anyone steer me in the right direction with a budget of 3000?

[BGuttman]

A "professional" trombone is one you play and get paid to do so. There was a professional rock horn section (trumpet, alto sax, trombone) called "Burning Brass" consisting of 3 women. The trombonist played a Conn Director with a Coprion bell. She got paid good money.

That said, any decent large bore instrument with an F-attachment should serve for High School orchestra and even through college if you are not on a Performance degree track. If you are on a Performance degree track, you should have a good teacher at hand to answer this question and won't need to consult a bunch of computer hangers-on who have never heard you play.

If you are concerned about the people who listen with their eyes, then you MUST choose one of the boutique instruments that cost more than your budget. If you just want to have something that is well above your current playing level you shouldn't need to spend $3000 -- spend $1000 on a decent used instrument and put the rest towards lessons. You will get much more out of it.

I would suggest that you consult with your teacher if you have one. If you don't, I would suggest you look for one.

Notice that I haven't mentioned a single brand of "professional" trombone. If you read through the threads you will see at least a dozen brands that are of suitable caliber for your needs. If your friends are really snobby, they will probably push you toward their personal preferences ("What? You didn't buy a Bach 42T?").

If you can, try to visit a store with a lot of different brands. Something is likely to appeal to you. Just keep your ears open and don't buy on name. If you life somewhere in the hinterlands, you may want to focus in on a Yamaha. They are pretty consistent from horn to horn and you won't get burned.

Good luck.

[jbone134566]

A "professional" trombone is one you play and get paid to do so. There was a professional rock horn section (trumpet, alto sax, trombone) called "Burning Brass" consisting of 3 women. The trombonist played a Conn Director with a Coprion bell. She got paid good money.

That said, any decent large bore instrument with an F-attachment should serve for High School orchestra and even through college if you are not on a Performance degree track. If you are on a Performance degree track, you should have a good teacher at hand to answer this question and won't need to consult a bunch of computer hangers-on who have never heard you play.

If you are concerned about the people who listen with their eyes, then you MUST choose one of the boutique instruments that cost more than your budget. If you just want to have something that is well above your current playing level you shouldn't need to spend $3000 -- spend $1000 on a decent used instrument and put the rest towards lessons. You will get much more out of it.

I would suggest that you consult with your teacher if you have one. If you don't, I would suggest you look for one.

Notice that I haven't mentioned a single brand of "professional" trombone. If you read through the threads you will see at least a dozen brands that are of suitable caliber for your needs. If your friends are really snobby, they will probably push you toward their personal preferences ("What? You didn't buy a Bach 42T?").

If you can, try to visit a store with a lot of different brands. Something is likely to appeal to you. Just keep your ears open and don't buy on name. If you life somewhere in the hinterlands, you may want to focus in on a Yamaha. They are pretty consistent from horn to horn and you won't get burned.

Good luck.

I appreciate the advice and thank you for taking the time to write that, I’ve talked to my lessons teacher about a better horn before and she’s given me some great advice but is a little biased considering she’s a Bach artist. I was trying to get a grasp on brands or horns i’ve never heard about since i’ve never been the biggest on gear i’ve been looking into shires q series a lot and the classic 88h but I haven’t heard much other than those. but i appreciate the advice I definitely have gotten some snarky comments from my bass trombone friend who absolutely swears by his bach and directed me away from brands like shires..

[Vegasbound]

This ^^^^^^^^^

[harrisonreed]

You can get a LOT of trombone for not a lot of money (well, probably within your budget though horns are more expensive than ever these days). Buy used through Brassark or a similar, respected company.

If you must buy new, you can get a ton of value through Getzen. I would take the Getzen 1047 that I have out to any job. And I do, especially any job that is outdoors. I own and play Edwards trombones, but they are expensive. The Getzens are made by the same people, cost a LOT less, and get me to the same place (though the ride is different).

Debating brands and whatnot is mostly an exercise in futility.

[Ozzlefinch]

A "professional" trombone is one you play and get paid to do so. There was a professional rock horn section (trumpet, alto sax, trombone) called "Burning Brass" consisting of 3 women. The trombonist played a Conn Director with a Coprion bell. She got paid good money.

That said, any decent large bore instrument with an F-attachment should serve for High School orchestra and even through college if you are not on a Performance degree track. If you are on a Performance degree track, you should have a good teacher at hand to answer this question and won't need to consult a bunch of computer hangers-on who have never heard you play.

If you are concerned about the people who listen with their eyes, then you MUST choose one of the boutique instruments that cost more than your budget. If you just want to have something that is well above your current playing level you shouldn't need to spend $3000 -- spend $1000 on a decent used instrument and put the rest towards lessons. You will get much more out of it.

I would suggest that you consult with your teacher if you have one. If you don't, I would suggest you look for one.

Notice that I haven't mentioned a single brand of "professional" trombone. If you read through the threads you will see at least a dozen brands that are of suitable caliber for your needs. If your friends are really snobby, they will probably push you toward their personal preferences ("What? You didn't buy a Bach 42T?").

If you can, try to visit a store with a lot of different brands. Something is likely to appeal to you. Just keep your ears open and don't buy on name. If you life somewhere in the hinterlands, you may want to focus in on a Yamaha. They are pretty consistent from horn to horn and you won't get burned.

Good luck.

Every word of this should be taken as the Gospel Truth.

Every. Word.

[MTbassbone]

In general the advice above is very good IMHO. The options for gear can make your head spin. We are both fortunate and unfortunate to certain degree with the choices we have today. Find one that works for you, preferably with the help of a trusted teacher or someone with a good ear. Find something that functions well (e.g. great slide, valve, etc). Then practice and perform.

Horns and mouthpieces can be rabbit hole, and speaking from experience it can be debilitating. Recently, I got away from "boutique" brands to prevent the endless switching of components. I am committed to staying with what I have. I am not ready to give up on mouthpieces yet, but that is a more affordable venture. If you can stick to the same principle it would be wise.

Buying from Brass Ark, Brass Exchange, Brass and Winds, and other similar sources is a great option. Depending on your locale and the timing you may be able to get a demo horn through a dealer. I recently did that with my tenor trombone, and saved a few bucks. In my opinion Yamaha and Getzen offer good build quality and playability for the money.

[tkelley216]

I'll second what has been said, but I'll add in that you should do everything you can to try a horn before you buy. Not just a particular model, but the specific horn. A Bach or Conn may be the best or worst trombone you have ever played depending on who/when/where it was made. Even if your teacher is a Bach artist, I don't think she would/should condone you getting a poorly playing Bach.

If buying used, I would try to find someone/something local to try or make sure you have the option to return it within a time frame (usually at the cost of shipping).

If buying new, I would definitely check out any music stores in the area rather than ordering from a catalog/website. Even if the store doesn't have much selection, they might be able to order 2-5 horns for you to try if you commit to buying one. You should bring your teacher along with you to try horns as one of your "lessons" as she will have a better idea of what to look for in an instrument. It's easy to get distracted by names, model numbers, and "eras," especially if you spend a lot of time on this forum.

If your only option is to order new from a website/catalog, I would also advise going towards Yamaha or Getzen simply for build quality consistency. Yamaha has been very consistently making good quality horns for years and their pro level instruments are are usually cheaper than competing brands. If bought used, you should be fine so long as it has been taken care of and has a good slide.

Getzen packs a lot of value into their horns and are made by the same parts/makers of Edwards but at a lower cost. Some older Getzens have issues, but ever since they were re-acquired by the Getzen Brothers (who owned Allied supply and Edwards) about 20-30 years ago, they have been making horns at the same build quality as Edwards.

I've heard a lot of people rave about the Shires Q-Series but while I've tried some that are just as good as actual shires, some of them have issues. I would put those in the category of "try before you buy" just like every other instrument maker out there.

[hyperbolica]

I'd say follow your teacher's advice. If she pushes Bach, that's ok she probably also teaches techniques that help you get the most out of a Bach. Have her help you get a used horn for ~$1500. There's nothing wrong with Bach in general, they make a wide range of models and are very well respected and currently used by a lot of pros. Trying to look at everything will paralyze you, there's just too much. Bach Stradivarius are pro level horns. It's hard to go wrong with a 36b.

[jbone134566]

I'd say follow your teacher's advice. If she pushes Bach, that's ok she probably also teaches techniques that help you get the most out of a Bach. Have her help you get a used horn for ~$1500. There's nothing wrong with Bach in general, they make a wide range of models and are very well respected and currently used by a lot of pros. Trying to look at everything will paralyze you, there's just too much. Bach Stradivarius are pro level horns. It's hard to go wrong with a 36b.

yeah of course, thank you for taking the time to write that i’ll definitely talk to her more about it I kind of started this thread cause i was on a rampage late at night looking and was starting to go mad so I should’ve consulted her in the first place, and yeah every bach i’ve played feels amazing I was just trying to see what else was out there

[jbone134566]

In general the advice above is very good IMHO. The options for gear can make your head spin. We are both fortunate and unfortunate to certain degree with the choices we have today. Find one that works for you, preferably with the help of a trusted teacher or someone with a good ear. Find something that functions well (e.g. great slide, valve, etc). Then practice and perform.

Horns and mouthpieces can be rabbit hole, and speaking from experience it can be debilitating. Recently, I got away from "boutique" brands to prevent the endless switching of components. I am committed to staying with what I have. I am not ready to give up on mouthpieces yet, but that is a more affordable venture. If you can stick to the same principle it would be wise.

Buying from Brass Ark, Brass Exchange, Brass and Winds, and other similar sources is a great option. Depending on your locale and the timing you may be able to get a demo horn through a dealer. I recently did that with my tenor trombone, and saved a few bucks. In my opinion Yamaha and Getzen offer good build quality and playability for the money.

thank you for taking the time to write that, and I get what you mean I live close to a lot of good music stores but with very little trombone selection, I was planning to take a day to drive down to a shop like Dillon music to try out as many trombones as I can it’s just a matter of the weather getting better where i’m at but thank you i’ve never heard of the brassark but i’ll definitely look at it

[jbone134566]

I'll second what has been said, but I'll add in that you should do everything you can to try a horn before you buy. Not just a particular model, but the specific horn. A Bach or Conn may be the best or worst trombone you have ever played depending on who/when/where it was made. Even if your teacher is a Bach artist, I don't think she would/should condone you getting a poorly playing Bach.

If buying used, I would try to find someone/something local to try or make sure you have the option to return it within a time frame (usually at the cost of shipping).

If buying new, I would definitely check out any music stores in the area rather than ordering from a catalog/website. Even if the store doesn't have much selection, they might be able to order 2-5 horns for you to try if you commit to buying one. You should bring your teacher along with you to try horns as one of your "lessons" as she will have a better idea of what to look for in an instrument. It's easy to get distracted by names, model numbers, and "eras," especially if you spend a lot of time on this forum.

If your only option is to order new from a website/catalog, I would also advise going towards Yamaha or Getzen simply for build quality consistency. Yamaha has been very consistently making good quality horns for years and their pro level instruments are are usually cheaper than competing brands. If bought used, you should be fine so long as it has been taken care of and has a good slide.

Getzen packs a lot of value into their horns and are made by the same parts/makers of Edwards but at a lower cost. Some older Getzens have issues, but ever since they were re-acquired by the Getzen Brothers (who owned Allied supply and Edwards) about 20-30 years ago, they have been making horns at the same build quality as Edwards.

I've heard a lot of people rave about the Shires Q-Series but while I've tried some that are just as good as actual shires, some of them have issues. I would put those in the category of "try before you buy" just like every other instrument maker out there.

thank you, i’ve been trying a lot of horns but as i said i’m a previous post not a lot of selection and I didn’t know I could ask them to order horns for me to try I will definitely go and see if they will. and yeah i’ve definitely not been looking at getzen so i will have to now but thank you for all of this i’m definitely taking this all into accountability when buying

[jbone134566]

You can get a LOT of trombone for not a lot of money (well, probably within your budget though horns are more expensive than ever these days). Buy used through Brassark or a similar, respected company.

If you must buy new, you can get a ton of value through Getzen. I would take the Getzen 1047 that I have out to any job. And I do, especially any job that is outdoors. I own and play Edwards trombones, but they are expensive. The Getzens are made by the same people, cost a LOT less, and get me to the same place (though the ride is different).

Debating brands and whatnot is mostly an exercise in futility.

thanks for writing this and i just wanna say the profile picture is sick but yeah I was putting 3000 as just a mark of where i couldn’t buy if it was more than that, i’ve been planning to buy used through this process if i was doing it through the internet cause then i have a sense of security that the horn has been used and is from a trustworthy buyer. I have a king 2b from the 50s i use for jazz work and i wasn’t able to try it but i took a chance and bought it from a trustworthy source, did my research and it all worked out but thank you I will definitely look into that model and brand in general I haven’t even heard anything about edwards until i looked on trombonechat so thank you

[Kbiggs]

Here’s another thought to add to the mix. Wait until you know where you will go for college/university. Take a lesson or two with the professor/teacher there, and ask which instruments they prefer. If you know any students from that school, ask them. Like your current teacher who plays Bach, and who seems to have a (strong?) preference for that sound/style, your college university prof might also have a strong preference.

[MTbassbone]

[/quote]
I was planning to take a day to drive down to a shop like Dillon music to try out as many trombones as I can
[/quote]

I recommend calling ahead to see what is in stock. You don't want get there and find out everything is out of stock. I also recommend trying horns first. This way you are controlling the number of variables. If you starting throwing mouthpieces into the mix it gets hard to tell what's what. You didn't say that but just throwing that out there. I did this one time and ended up leaving uncertain about anything I tried.

[Monkhouse]

I'll second what has been said, but I'll add in that you should do everything you can to try a horn before you buy. Not just a particular model, but the specific horn. A Bach or Conn may be the best or worst trombone you have ever played depending on who/when/where it was made. Even if your teacher is a Bach artist, I don't think she would/should condone you getting a poorly playing Bach.

If buying used, I would try to find someone/something local to try or make sure you have the option to return it within a time frame (usually at the cost of shipping).

I'll echo this I found a near mint Elkhart Conn 88H for $500.00 on the local facebook marketplace. It also happens to be a great playing horn, despite my shortcomings. If you're patient, and ready to jump on something you can find great deals. In a scholastic setting you may not have the luxury to be able to wait until something pops up though.

[jbone134566]

Here’s another thought to add to the mix. Wait until you know where you will go for college/university. Take a lesson or two with the professor/teacher there, and ask which instruments they prefer. If you know any students from that school, ask them. Like your current teacher who plays Bach, and who seems to have a (strong?) preference for that sound/style, your college university prof might also have a strong preference.

thanks man that is a very valid take, my lesson teacher is apart of the brass faculty of my local college and they’re definitely an option after talking with some of her students and some of the players in the bands there she definitely has a preference so I can see where taking those steps would help me if I were to go to a different college.

[spencercarran]

I'd say follow your teacher's advice. If she pushes Bach, that's ok she probably also teaches techniques that help you get the most out of a Bach. Have her help you get a used horn for ~$1500. There's nothing wrong with Bach in general, they make a wide range of models and are very well respected and currently used by a lot of pros. Trying to look at everything will paralyze you, there's just too much. Bach Stradivarius are pro level horns. It's hard to go wrong with a 36b.

A good used 36B can almost always be had for under $1500 (including service to get it back in perfect playing condition) if you're willing to skim through a few classifieds, and it's probably the best choice for the median high school and college orchestra player.

Brand new Bachs are outside OP's listed budget, and I'm not convinced they're any better than an older one that's been either carefully maintained or professionally restored.

[harrisonreed]

OP, when I was your age I ordered an 88HT through a local shop called Gerry's Music, in MA. The shop isn't what matters, the process is. I paid in advance with my brand new credit card (I was just a kid) and waited 8 months for it to come in. The horn was basically paid off by the time it arrived, I think it was $2200.

I played that trombone every day, for hours each day, until I was 29, with a 3 year break at 22 while I was training to jump out of planes and land in airstrips. I only just sold it this year, and it was an amazing horn. Got most of what I paid for it back.

Back then, you could get quality out of Eastlake. Now I'm not sure if you can. Just get the best QUALITY you can afford and learn to play the dang thing. At 18, anything with a good slide was more than good enough. A trustworthy shop can make sure what you buy is not a dud. There's a reason certain shops sent whole batches of big name horns back to the factory.

[Pezza]

Have to agree with the Bach 36. A good all round tenor trom. If I had to pick only 1 of my tenors to play forever it would be my 36, with a selection of 3 mouthpieces!

[MTbassbone]

When I started college I played a 36K, and it was a great horn. However, by the time I graduated I had large bore that rhymes with pliers. IMHO a large bore will serve you well. If you wanted a narrow slide you could try the Yamaha YSL-882 or the Getzen Bousfield horn.