TromboneChat

I played the Schilke Greenhoes at TMEA and was sadly unimpressed compared to the ones that were made at the original shop.

Anyone else had the chance to compare?

I've played them at NAMM the last couple years, and I have a friend (also on here) with a modern horn.

I'd say they are every bit as good, and my friend's tenor is better than many of the older Greenhoes I've played, as well as being a lot lighter.

I played one today and loved it. I have no experience with the originals but it's the best value I've played on. Currently playing Shires trubore.

I've never owned one, but the best Greenhoe's I've played were the ones that were the modified Bach and Conn 88HTG ones which Schilke doesn't make (unless you fork over lots of dollars and ship your horn to them for a long time). I tried some of the new full Schilke-Greenhoe's at ATW...they were ok and looked well made, but not on the par of the aforementioned Bach/Conn-Greenhoe hybrids IMO.

Value-wise the new Schilke ones are also quite expensive, so I wouldn't consider them a good "bang for the buck" like a Yamaha or stock Bach or Conn.

I don't know about the Greenhoe tenors either the originals or the new ones that Schilke makes but I do play a new Schilke/Greenhoe bass. I have only played one original Greenhoe bass and this one plays better than that one did. I have also played Bach, Edwards, Rath, Yamaha, Courtois, Conn, Holton, Getzen, and Kanstul over the years and, well, I play a Greenhoe now.

I have a new one, it's incredible. I did have to embark on a leadpipe search, however- the ones that came with the horn did not match with me. Edwards threaded rings fit in the receiver, I'm using a T2 alessi pipe in it. Killer.

I'll go ahead and be the negative nancy here - I have played the original Greenhoes and the Schilkes and disliked the response and evenness of the Schilke Greenhoe significantly when in comparison. Also realize - this was at an ITF in a plane hangar with 15 people playing Mahler 3 next to you...

I bought a 2012 Greenhoe- Conn version about a year and a half ago and was blown away. It did everything quite a bit better than the horn I was playing and loved. I wistfully found a great home for the other horn.

This year my goal at TMEA was to see if a Greenhoe with TIS might be even better and to try the Adams for the first time. I loved the Adams at the show and comparing it to the Schilke Greenhoes both normal and TISS felt the Adams outplayed them, especially on sound. I did not however think the Schilke horns were as good as my 2012. When I got home, I bought the Adams and played it exclusively for two weeks. I loved a lot about it including the sound and received compliments from my friends that hear me play weekly. Finally I did play the two side by side back and forth and my feeling is the 2012 Greenhoe gets the edge - easier to play overall maybe a bit easier in the high range. Adams seems to slot more firmly and outer positions play better especially alternative positions. Very similar sounds- my friends did pick the Greenhoe on a blind test. If I was buying a horn for a student, the Adams at $3600 versus the Schilke Greenhoe at $6000 would not be a dificult decision.I am convinced the vibrancy of the 2012 Greenhoe is drastically more "alive" than the new ones, TIS or normal.

For reference, I have owned a converted Bach 50b3, which has Greenhoe valves. My horn began as a slightly used 50b3 I purchased from Mike Brown, of the Phoenix Symphony. I became interested in getting Greenhoe valves when talk started about them on the former TTF. I lucked into finding a used set, which I purchased from Joe Stanko. I sent my 50b3 to Joe, who took it to NYC brass repairman, Terry Pierce, who took off the Bach valves, which Joe wanted for a project-horn and installed Joe's Greenhoe valve section onto my 9.5 yellow brass Bach bell. Thus, my bass trombone was not converted at the Jackson WI Greenhoe operation. I had Matthew Walker maintain that valve section at least once, if not twice, since using Greenhoe valves. BTW, it is my very favorite bass trombone, I had the handslide rebuilt/re-tubed by John Sandhagen, many years ago; and, I have had even Bach tenor players tell me this is the best Bach slide they have ever moved through 7 positions!

Last fall, I had the opportunity to try a new Schilke-Greenhoe. It was not a TIS model, just the Conn 62 equivalent Schilke-Greenhoe. I played it for about 15 minutes over at Rob Phillips's Buckeye Brass, in Plain City OH. Rob's store is in an old church building which has a great recital hall, where the old church services took place. Acoustics are really nice; as, was how I felt about playing this Schilke-Greenhoe. The workmanship looked very good, just as it was on my Greenhoe valves and Greenhoe wraps. This one had a good slide. Sadly, I didn't have my own horn with me on that trip.

Understand from Rob, the wait on these horns can be many months.


Denny Seifried