TromboneChat

Hi everyone!

I would like to start the following topic, just out of curiosity.
I would like to assemble a list of the equipment of trombone players (= trombone models, mouthpiece models) within the world of orchestras (symphonic/phil) and also their "trombone history" (e.g.: Alessi on Griego 3C and Edwards T396A).
Being young I don't have much information honestly but I think that you guys may have some information.
If you an put it like that it would be lovely:
Joe Alessi
Shires Alessi/Laskey 67 SYMPH/SOLO
Edwards T-396A/Griego 1C
...
...

Have a good day!

Peel me a grape!

Check the websites of orchestral trombonists, they often say what equipment they use.

Joe played a 350 before that (with GB), and a 42 way before that.

Lots of this information is freely available from official sources, so if that is relevant to you you may want to give it a try yourself.

E.g. Shires, Edwards and Greenhoe - and certainly others - have pretty well maintained artists pages that if I see it correctly give pretty accurate information who is playing which instruments.

Conn Selmer does have an artist database online, but doesn't seem to list exact instruments. Although it's pretty obvious from many of the pictures.

You can also just google, e.g. "Toby Oft equipment" and you may find everything you want to know.

If you give it a good starting point here by gathering some information yourself, people may be willing to add other information.

BTW: I quickly asked Chatgpt and it was just completely wrong. Example: Christian Lindberg, Primarily a soloist, but has played with major orchestras, Trombone: Thein "Lindberg Model", Mouthpiece: Thein Lindberg Signature mouthpiece

Thanks all for the answers. This is what I have found:

Joe Alessi:
Shires Alessi / Laskey Alessi 67 SYMPH/SOLO
Edwards T-396A / Griego Alessi 1C
Edwards T-350 / ?
Bach ?? / ??

Colin Williams:
Shires TBCW / Shires Colin Williams
?? / ??

David Rejano
Shires TBDR / Laskey Rejano Kosmos
Bach 42BG / ?

Jay Friedman:
Bach 45B 1954 MtVernom Yellow brass bell/50 slide with Butler slide CF outer slide/ Bob Reeves mouthpiece
AND
1900 Kruspe/Penzel/ Bob Reeves mouthpiece

Michael Mulcahy:
Bach ??/ ?

Tim Higgins:
Bach ??/ Ultimate Brass Higgins Symphony

James Miller:
Shires TBDR with Alessi Slide / Denis Wick ?

Toby Oft:
Edwards T350HB/ Griego Oft 4.5

Stephen Lange:
? / ?

Olaf Ott:
Littin ? / ?

Jonathon Ramsay:
Kromat ? / ?

Jesper Busk Sorensen:
Bach ? / ?

Bart Claessens:
Bach ? / ?

Jorgen Van Rijen:
Courtois Lengend 420 (open + Hagmann) / ?
Coutois Legend 420 / ?

Nico Schippers:
Shires ? / ?

Martin Schippes:
Shires ? / ?

Jonathan Reith;
Courtois Legend 420 (open + Hagmann) / ?

Jonathan Hollick
Conn 88HCL / ?

Weston Sprott
Courtois Creation 421/ Long Island Sprott
?

Dietmar Kublblock:
Shagerl ? / ?

I kind of have a had time finding the exact models each play to be honest, same with their mouthpiece sizes and trombone history...
Maybe some of you may help?

Thank you!

natanaiel,
What will you do with all this information?

I would love to see what they play, see if there are some things that come again (like just as example, we could see that most of them won their audition with say a Bach or an Edwards with a Bach 5G) etc.
It's as mentioned before, purely out of curiosity (love stats)

As I said, Joe was on a GB Alessi. Probably 1.25.

David used a courtois 420 in Germany. 6G mouthpiece

Jay used, go figure, the Friedman model. LT5042TG*, with any of his Friedman model mouthpieces.

Mulcahy is on a Greenhoe 42.

Tim is on a Sawday 42 and his signature Ultimate Brass piece.

Jim Miller plays a 90s 42TG as well, all on an old Wick 3AL.

I'll post updates.

Joe Alessi:
Shires Alessi / Laskey Alessi 67 SYMPH/SOLO
Edwards T-396A / Griego Alessi 1C
Edwards T-350 / Greg Black Alessi 1.25
Bach ?? / ??

Colin Williams:
Shires TBCW / Shires Colin Williams
?? / ??

David Rejano
Shires TBDR / Laskey Rejano Kosmos
Bach 42BG / ?
Courtois 420 / 6G

Jay Friedman:
Bach 45B 1954 MtVernom Yellow brass bell/50 slide with Butler slide CF outer slide/ Bob Reeves mouthpiece/ Hammond F1/F2/F3
AND
1900 Kruspe/Penzel/ Bob Reeves mouthpiece
Bach LT5042TG/ Friedman mouthpiece

Michael Mulcahy:
Bach Greenhoe 42/ ?

Tim Higgins:
Bach Sawday 42/ Ultimate Brass Higgins Symphony

James Miller:
Shires TBDR with Alessi Slide / Denis Wick 3AL
Bach 42TG (90's) / DW 3AL

Toby Oft:
Edwards T350HB/ Griego Oft 4.5

Stephen Lange:
? / ?

Olaf Ott:
Littin ? / ?

Jonathon Ramsay:
Kromat ? / ?

Jesper Busk Sorensen:
Bach ? / ?

Bart Claessens:
Bach ? / ?

Jorgen Van Rijen:
Courtois Lengend 420 (open + Hagmann) / ?
Coutois Legend 420 / ?

Nico Schippers:
Shires ? / ?

Martin Schippes:
Shires ? / ?

Jonathan Reith;
Courtois Legend 420 (open + Hagmann) / ?

Jonathan Hollick
Conn 88HCL / ?

Weston Sprott
Courtois Creation 421/ Long Island Sprott
?

Dietmar Kublblock:
Shagerl ? / ?

I believe Dietmar Küblböck now plays a B&S MS14 and a Breslmair mouthpiece.

Olaf Ott played a Throja (Weite 3?) for a very long time and still seems to play it in the more recent videos of the Berlin Phil. The Berlin Phil typically have been all playing German trombones, although not necessarily the very traditional Kruspes and others (apart from Christhard Gösling) in the last years, but rather the somehow "less German" Throjas, Kromats etc.

I know he is promoting the Littin trombones and might be playing it in settings outside the orchestra? I have also heard he plays/played Conn 88h in the past and probably played that with the Triton quartet.

When James Markey played tenor, what was his equipment?

What is a "Sawday" 42?

rmb796 wrote: ↑Tue May 06, 2025 10:31 am What is a "Sawday" 42?

It's a Bach 42 that's been reworked by Don Sawday.
https://brassark.com/maker_horns/the-br ... -trombone/

JeffBone44 wrote: ↑Tue May 06, 2025 9:44 am When James Markey played tenor, what was his equipment?

T-350 with an Alessi piece, dunno which one.

Steve Lange is also on a 350 and I believe he has his own signature mouthpiece with Griego.

Last I heard, Steve Lange was playing the Getzen 1047 (not sure which one - there are a couple of versions).

JS

Pretty sure he’s playing the getzen 4047DS, predecessor of the 4047ET. Probably with some custom components though

natanaiel wrote: ↑Tue May 06, 2025 5:15 am I'll post updates.

Joe Alessi:
Shires Alessi / Laskey Alessi 67 SYMPH/SOLO
Edwards T-396A / Griego Alessi 1C
Edwards T-350 / Greg Black Alessi 1.25
Bach ?? / ??

Colin Williams:
Shires TBCW / Shires Colin Williams
?? / ??

David Rejano
Shires TBDR / Laskey Rejano Kosmos
Bach 42BG / ?
Courtois 420 / 6G

Jay Friedman:
Bach 45B 1954 MtVernom Yellow brass bell/50 slide with Butler slide CF outer slide/ Bob Reeves mouthpiece/ Hammond F1/F2/F3
AND
1900 Kruspe/Penzel/ Bob Reeves mouthpiece
Bach LT5042TG/ Friedman mouthpiece

Michael Mulcahy:
Bach Greenhoe 42/ ?

Tim Higgins:
Bach Sawday 42/ Ultimate Brass Higgins Symphony

James Miller:
Shires TBDR with Alessi Slide / Denis Wick 3AL
Bach 42TG (90's) / DW 3AL

Toby Oft:
Edwards T350HB/ Griego Oft 4.5

Stephen Lange:
? / ?

Olaf Ott:
Littin ? / ?

Jonathon Ramsay:
Kromat ? / ?

Jesper Busk Sorensen:
Bach ? / ?

Bart Claessens:
Bach ? / ?

Jorgen Van Rijen:
Courtois Lengend 420 (open + Hagmann) / ?
Coutois Legend 420 / ?

Nico Schippers:
Shires ? / ?

Martin Schippes:
Shires ? / ?

Jonathan Reith;
Courtois Legend 420 (open + Hagmann) / ?

Jonathan Hollick
Conn 88HCL / ?

Weston Sprott
Courtois Creation 421/ Long Island Sprott
?

Dietmar Kublblock:
Shagerl ? / ?

I will try to add some informations , based on your list.



Joe Alessi:
Shires Alessi / Laskey Alessi 67 SYMPH/SOLO
Edwards T-396A / Griego Alessi 1C
Edwards T-350 / Greg Black Alessi 1.25
Bach ?? / ??

Colin Williams:
Shires TBCW / Shires Colin Williams
?? / ?? Greg Black 4GS , now Long Island signature model

David Rejano
Shires TBDR / Laskey Rejano Kosmos
Bach 42BG / ? Bob Reeves Rejano model
Courtois 420 / 6G

Jay Friedman:
Bach 45B 1954 MtVernom Yellow brass bell/50 slide with Butler slide CF outer slide/ Bob Reeves mouthpiece/ Hammond F1/F2/F3
AND
1900 Kruspe/Penzel/ Bob Reeves mouthpiece
Bach LT5042TG/ Friedman mouthpiece

Michael Mulcahy:
Bach Greenhoe 42/ Hammond (I don't know which one, maybe 11)

Tim Higgins:
Bach Sawday 42/ Ultimate Brass Higgins Symphony

James Miller:
Shires TBDR with Alessi Slide / Denis Wick 3AL
Bach 42TG (90's) / DW 3AL

Toby Oft:
Edwards T350HB/ Griego Oft 4.5
Now: Bach 42 AFG with (maybe) Greg Black

Stephen Lange:
? / ?
Getzen 4047 / Griego signature model , before he played Oft model (pretty sure)

Olaf Ott:
Littin ? / ?

Jonathon Ramsay:
Kromat ? / ?

Jesper Busk Sorensen:
Bach 42T / Bach 5GS

Bart Claessens:
Bach ? / Bach 5GS

Jorgen Van Rijen:
Courtois Lengend 420 (open + Hagmann) / ? I think 6 1/2 , I don't know which brand
Coutois Legend 420 / ?

Nico Schippers:
Shires ? / Should be Laskey, perhaps 59

Martin Schippes:
Shires ? / Mr. Bass trombone Bob Reeves mouthpiece
on tenor Hammond

Jonathan Reith;
Courtois Legend 420 (open + Hagmann) / ?

Jonathan Hollick
Conn 88HCL / ?

Weston Sprott
Courtois Creation 421/ Long Island Sprott
?

Dietmar Kublblock:
Shagerl ? / ?

JeffBone44 wrote: ↑Tue May 06, 2025 9:44 am When James Markey played tenor, what was his equipment?

custom Greg Black 3.

Bart is on a 42A most of the time, sometimes a 42K.

Burgerbob wrote: ↑Tue May 06, 2025 11:17 am

JeffBone44 wrote: ↑Tue May 06, 2025 9:44 am When James Markey played tenor, what was his equipment?

T-350 with an Alessi piece, dunno which one.

Steve Lange is also on a 350 and I believe he has his own signature mouthpiece with Griego.

Yep, Jim and I are buds (from his Pittsburgh days), what a genuinely nice guy...

I took lessons from him while he was Principal with the Pittsburgh Symphony, we were playing Mahler excerpts (from #3) one lesson, and he decides to play the bass trombone part on his Edwards, and suddenly there's just this absolutely monster sound on the bottom...

I like to think that experience was what gave him the confidence to become a bass trombonist, and while I am at it, I also taught Roger Clemens how to throw a split-seam fastball.

You see...

...the ultimate tenor equipment list goes to people playing, talking, knowing each others...

Probably a stupid question, but Friedman is playing on a 9" 45 bell right? I'm not sure how consistent Bach was with bell diameters back in the day

Yes, his is a 9er

Last I saw Jay he was back on his MV42G bell with the butler CF bass slide. He also owns an O Malley trombone now that he does play sometimes. He only plays the F1 Hammond. The F2, and F3 are “Friedman” models that are designed for players who like smaller rims like the 4G and 5G.

BrianJohnston wrote: ↑Sat May 31, 2025 7:20 pm Last I saw Jay he was back on his MV42G bell with the butler CF bass slide. He also owns an O Malley trombone now that he does play sometimes. He only plays the F1 Hammond. The F2, and F3 are “Friedman” models that are designed for players who like smaller rims like the 4G and 5G.

Interesting that he plays on the F1. I have one and it feels tiny compared to the Brassark Friedman so much that I have wondered if the F1 I have is actually an F2 or F3 that was labeled incorrectly.