TromboneChat

I've lusted after a late '50s vintage 8H for many years simply because so many people rave about the magic of the sound and stability (you know - the ones with the nickel guard on the tuning slide and no slide lock). I finally ran into one I might afford to own and it arrived today for a trial period. It's a bit rough cosmetically, but ohhh boy that sound is outrageous. Upper reaches are super stable and the bottom blows just as open as any wide slide tenor I've tried or owned. I have a good amount of time to make up my mind, but am really thrilled with it after an hour of playing excerpts and warm-ups.

What is it about these horns that they can be so good even in comparison to modern boutique instruments almost 60 years after being produced?!?!?!!?

Design. Even the modern ones are great. Many boutique makers have many options and high manufacturing quality. But I'm still waiting for a design that sounds and feels better than that one.

I would argue quality of materials and craftsmanship make the difference, as the basic design didn’t always produce winners later on.