King 60X .525 tenors- leadpipe change is basically required

[Burgerbob]

Hey y'all,

I've owned a couple King medium bore intermediate tenors lately- a yellow brass 607F that I got here, and I just got a red bell 608F locally. I think these are cool horns and for the price, you get most of a 3B+ with F attachment.

I really liked the 607 and used it for a few gigs, but for the main Disney job it was just a bit too much work so I sold it on. The 608 is in much better shape but hasn't wowed me in the same way- it's a much harder instrument to play and just didn't sound... good. It didn't sound bad but I couldn't get it to blend or center in a section, much less play high or loud on it.

I took it to John Sandhagen today to take the leadpipe out and have a way to use my Edwards .525 leadpipes. It took a bit too much work due to how King put it together....



but it got done. Pulling the original leadpipe, it was pretty obvious why the horn played so strangely and sounded so strange. Below is a picture of the venturi of the two-piece leadpipe- what is shown is the part just after the mouthpiece receiver:



Yes, the venturi on this .525 bore trombone is minuscule. Smaller than a 2B leadpipe. I guess it makes it easier to play for someone, but definitely not me!

With the Edwards leadpipes, it's a completely changed horn. The 1 leadpipe makes it much more 3B like, nice quick front to notes, great high range, smooths out the registers. 2 leadpipe isn't great, not sure why... 3 leadpipe makes the horn wider and louder, not much of a sacrifice in blow either.

[Matt K]

I didn’t realize how thick the 607 cork barrel was compared to the 3B. This is how Brad Close modified my 3B slide for leadpipe collars:

E53C0710-1672-4F8D-BAD5-70C9817890F5.jpeg

I wonder if the leadpipe is standard or if something weird was going on with that one. I only had my 607 slide for a week or so but it didn’t play nearly as weird as I would expect with such a tight Venturi.

Can’t wait to see what crazytbone86 comes up with for my frankenslide. I think we settled on a 606 part with a threaded collar from instrument innovations. The above collar is the same: They don’t make a “small bore” collar so I just went with the larger set of threads even though it’s 508. I don’t plan on swapping any of my leaf pipes that much.

Does your slide accept large shank leadpipes too? That would be interesting on a 608 lol

[Burgerbob]

They do make a small bore collar! I have a couple actually.

I don't think a large shank would fit, not that I'm super interested.

[Matt K]

Whaa??? Is that new? I could have sworn I got the smallest collar they offered (which mine fits 525, 547, and 562 pipes)

[JKno]

I find this very interesting... I have a 607F and enjoy playing it. I had just picked up a Yamaha 356R (this weekend) and found that with the same mouthpiece I was hitting notes in my upper register with ease where on the King, I felt I really had to work to get them. I'm not inclined to have this amount work done to the King so I may move it.

[Burgerbob]

I find this very interesting... I have a 607F and enjoy playing it. I had just picked up a Yamaha 356R (this weekend) and found that with the same mouthpiece I was hitting notes in my upper register with ease where on the King, I felt I really had to work to get them. I'm not inclined to have this amount work done to the King so I may move it.

Yup, the high range was always the bugbear on mine, and why I didn't stick with it at work. It is MASSIVELY better with the Edwards leadpipes.

[JKno]

I really appreciate you sharing your journey with this. I would have chalked it up to something I'm doing/not doing right/wrong... that may still be the case. At least I can justify the catch and release of the 607F...
Conversation at home will be "I don't think you really need another trombone" and my reply "But Burgerbob, a professional, had to have all of this work done to his..."

[Burgerbob]

Call me Burgerscapegoatbob!

[JKno]

Call me Burgerscapegoatbob!