Boutique Instruments

[Jamie]

Hi. My expertise is really in high-end trumpets made by small workshops, but I'm beginning some research on other instruments, particularly trombone. Any suggestions for really great horns made by small and/or obscure workshops? Note that I'm trying to avoid stencils made by larger factories in this search.

Thanks in advance for any leads!

Cheers,
Jamie

[JohnL]

Stephens Trombones (Steve Shires, post S. E. Shires company)
M&W Trombones (Matt Walker, formerly of Greenhoe)

[BGuttman]

M & W Instruments. Matt Walker makes excellent trombones, particularly large bore and bass. I believe he also makes smaller instruments, but most of the traffic here talks about his larger ones.

Roy Lawler makes superb small bore instruments.

BAC (Best American Craftsmen) makes custom instruments. Some like them, some not.

Steve Shires has started making instruments in Vermont under the name "Steve's Horns"

Rene Haagmann in Switzerland makes custom instruments.

Schmelzer in Germany makes jazz size trombones.

Inderbinen made trombones.

David Monette made trombones. I think there are 5 of them.

There are also some larger custom makers, but I assume you aren't looking for these.

[Cotboneman]

M & W Instruments. Matt Walker makes excellent trombones, particularly large bore and bass. I believe he also makes smaller instruments, but most of the traffic here talks about his larger ones.

Roy Lawler makes superb small bore instruments.

BAC (Best American Craftsmen) makes custom instruments. Some like them, some not.

Steve Shires has started making instruments in Vermont under the name "Steve's Horns"

Rene Haagmann in Switzerland makes custom instruments.

Schmelzer in Germany makes jazz size trombones.

Inderbinen made trombones.

David Monette made trombones. I think there are 5 of them.

There are also some larger custom makers, but I assume you aren't looking for these.

Hi, would you also consider Marcinkiewicz a boutique trombone maker? I know they have an extensive high brass and mouthpiece business, but I believe they only make one .500 bore standard trombone. It's rare enough that perhaps it might make the list as well? I'm bot sure how customizable it is, but I have seen pros like Bryant Byers playing it.

[dukesboneman]

Herb Bruce of Herb Bruce Custom Trombones makes exceptional Instruments.
If I had the money........
http://www.herbbruce.com/index.php?r=pa ... =TROMBONES

[pedrombon]

Sonas trombones, amazing handcrafted, custom and modular horns. A small workshop with a small production, building high-end trombones.

www.sonastrombones.com (website is in spanish, but it will very soon be available in english as well).

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sonasposaunenmanufaktur

[Finetales]

Markus Leuchter, Matthias Hoelle, HSM/Schmidt, Musik Haag, Egger, Ewald Meinl

[DougHulme]

Although a much bigger operation than most of those named so far I think you should consider Mick Rath,

[tbonesullivan]

I would certainly consider Thein Trombones to be of that "Boutique" level. Also Jurgen Voigt.

I haven't heard much about the Adams trombones, but their Euphoniums are stellar.

[Pezza]

I've heard that Lawler is closing at the end of the year, & all the trombones are already sold.
Great horns, I wish I had 1.

[tbonesullivan]

I've heard that Lawler is closing at the end of the year, & all the trombones are already sold.
Great horns, I wish I had 1.

Yeah, that is what is posted directly on his website. He's retiring at the end of 2022, and all trombones are already sold. I don't know if he was a one man shop or had people who might take over.

[EriKon]

I would certainly consider Thein Trombones to be of that "Boutique" level. Also Jurgen Voigt.

I haven't heard much about the Adams trombones, but their Euphoniums are stellar.

If Thein counts as boutique, then don't forget Lätzsch. Also in Germany and with a very small lovely and unusual store.

[EriKon]

Kromat might be interesting to check out as well.

[slidefunk]

Hi, would you also consider Marcinkiewicz a boutique trombone maker? I know they have an extensive high brass and mouthpiece business, but I believe they only make one .500 bore standard trombone. It's rare enough that perhaps it might make the list as well? I'm bot sure how customizable it is, but I have seen pros like Bryant Byers playing it.

Last I heard, Marcinkiewicz had stopped making instruments. Just mouthpieces now

[RJMason]

I've heard that Lawler is closing at the end of the year, & all the trombones are already sold.
Great horns, I wish I had 1.

Yeah, that is what is posted directly on his website. He's retiring at the end of 2022, and all trombones are already sold. I don't know if he was a one man shop or had people who might take over.

Last I checked, it was just Roy and his wife Tysh handling the books. Sad to know he won’t be making horns anymore, but 40 years as an instrument builder is quite the achievement!


Also, Marcinkiewicz no longer makes trombones. J. Landress Brass has many of the bell flares. I’m not sure if they currently have the capacity for custom builds, but you could probably buy a flare.

[tbonesullivan]

Last I checked, it was just Roy and his wife Tysh handling the books. Sad to know he won’t be making horns anymore, but 40 years as an instrument builder is quite the achievement!

Definitely! I think he used to make trumpets as well? Hopefully is retirement is pleasant and restful, and he doesn't have any trouble finding new homes for his equipment.

[hyperbolica]

Hi. My expertise is really in high-end trumpets made by small workshops, but I'm beginning some research on other instruments, particularly trombone. Any suggestions for really great horns made by small and/or obscure workshops? Note that I'm trying to avoid stencils made by larger factories in this search.

Thanks in advance for any leads!

Cheers,
Jamie

If you're trying to make some new instruments, I'd look back as much as forward. Some instruments like Edwards got a reputation for being a bit heavy and maybe dull. Shires to me (along with Yamaha) are nearly perfect, but they're entirely bland. That must be ok with some people, but I'd prefer some of the old fashioned character in the sound. Rath and M&W combine some old feel with new design. There are a lot of European brands that are wonderful players. Courtois, Schagerl and Stomvi are a few I've played that have some nice traits. I also like the Shires Michael Davis + (small bore). To me, that's the best Shires model made.

If you're looking back, you can't ignore the Elkhart 88h, Mount Vernon and NY Bach 42 in the large bore. Smaller legendary horns would be Conn 6h, Williams 6, Olds Recording. Medium bore is also kind of a niche, so Conn 78/79h, Bach 36.

For basses, the Conn 62h is universally loved, although there are a half dozen things that nobody likes about it. That one is pretty rare, and still ripe for reproduction. The best Bach 50bs are very nice as well.

There's just something about all of these classics, if you could reproduce the feel with some new design and mfg features, you'd have people who remember the older horns hooked. Eventually the younger kids figure it out. Ergonomics is a study that most trombone makers never seem to have heard of.

The numbers of the classics still in playable shape are dwindling, they can't last for ever. Wessex has had some success reproducing some historical oddities, so there is some kind of market for it, even if it's not huge.

[Cotboneman]

Hi, would you also consider Marcinkiewicz a boutique trombone maker? I know they have an extensive high brass and mouthpiece business, but I believe they only make one .500 bore standard trombone. It's rare enough that perhaps it might make the list as well? I'm bot sure how customizable it is, but I have seen pros like Bryant Byers playing it.

Last I heard, Marcinkiewicz had stopped making instruments. Just mouthpieces now

Thanks for the update. The website still lists the trombone, but maybe they are just selling out their old stock now.

[Jamie]

Thanks so much! I'm definitely going to check out an Inderbinen in a few months, but I'll also look into some of the others listed here.

[Jamie]

Thank you very much for your insight on this!

[ACBEric]

I would certainly consider Thein Trombones to be of that "Boutique" level. Also Jurgen Voigt.

I haven't heard much about the Adams trombones, but their Euphoniums are stellar.

You are correct about their Euphoniums! The trombones are pretty wonderful too! I recently purchased an Adams trombone (I went with red brass stem, nickel bell flair, 0.55 gauge, gold brass tuning slide, rotary valve [though almost did Hagmann] single bore slide yellow outer slide with nickel crook). I am very happy!

They offer a few different bell material options. I really liked the Gold Brass but realized (eventually) that I liked it so much because it reminded me of my Elkhart Conn 8H. As I did not want to have two large bore horns with pretty much the same sound profile I went a different direction. I like the Yellow Brass, and it has a very wonderful Bach 42 quality to the sound but inherit and unique differences (recently I worked an orchestra musician who chose to go the 0.60 yellow brass, Hagmann route). The silver bell is awesome and has a brilliant projection and presence but was brighter than I wanted (but would be awesome for brass bands). I ended up choosing the red brass because I like copper in my brass mix and I enjoyed the rich and complex sound the bell provided. This was the bell I felt most connected to.

[asmith]

The HAAG horns are really nice as well. K&H also makes some really interesting instruments too.

[Burgerbob]

Schagerl! I got another one.

[Digidog]

Schagerl! I got another one.

Those look really nice! Is that Hagmann valves?

Did you buy it just the other day? If so: Congrats!

[Burgerbob]

Yes, Hagmanns!

[slipmo]

Here's the new tenor from Matthias Hoelle

[bcschipper]

Helmut Voigt https://helmut-voigt.com/

[jacobgarchik]

Armin leyener
https://www.professional-brass.de/leyen ... saune.html

[marccromme]

Kruspe in Erfurt, closed in 2012, I have the last bass trombone made there. Stellar

As mentined before, Thein in Bremen and Lätzsch in Bremen do exqisit trombones.

Throja trombones in NW Berlin is a gem for modern german trombones too.

Markus Schmelzer makes beautiful trombones, if you wish in Sterling silver bells, small to medium sized.

[marccromme]

Armin leyener
https://www.professional-brass.de/leyen ... saune.html

Wow. What a beautiful finish. Exciting.

[Finetales]

Agreed, that finish is stunning!

[MrHCinDE]

Kruspe in Erfurt, closed in 2012, I have the last bass trombone made there. Stellar

As mentined before, Thein in Bremen and Lätzsch in Bremen do exqisit trombones.

Throja trombones in NW Berlin is a gem for modern german trombones too.

Markus Schmelzer makes beautiful trombones, if you wish in Sterling silver bells, small to medium sized.

Can I add Winfried Rapp in Schwieberdingen near Stuttgart to this list. He has his own designs of tenor, alto and bass trombones amongst other things. He‘s a superb craftsman and as a trombonist himself can advise expertly on all aspects of design and playability. Every instrument of mine he‘s touched has come back playing significantly better than went it went to him,

I realised recently referring to my main horn as being based on a Bach 42, as I‘ve done until now, is stretching it a bit. My favoured setup at the moment is a Shires red brass bell, W.Rapp valve section (very similar to the one used on his own-design trombones) and Edwards slide. For now I‘m still using the Bach tuning slide but have a Hölle copper one on the way so may end up being no Bach parts at all. I still really like the yellow brass Bach bell and straight gooseneck where I don‘t need a valve.

The modular parts are all interchangeable (thanks to Winfried) so I can also use the Bach bell and straight gooseneck, and of course other Bach/Edwards slides.

Would boutique be the right description of this instrument? Not sure, maybe a customised frankenbone is closer to the mark. I‘d definitely say that Winfried makes boutique instruments, tailor-made for each customer,