7.5” bells with .508 bore slide

[jimmymclark]

If I understand right, Bach LT16 has this combo. Any other horns in .508 with a 7.5” bell on the market out there? I’m curious about differences in feel and response in that combo vs the typical 8” bell with a .508 bore size.

[hyperbolica]

I think the Getzen 3508 is 500/508, and the Edwards 302 has 7.5 available as an option. I had a Conn 38h (late 40s?) that was 500/7.5. I think the 2b+ was 500/7 3/8. 32h is a 500/525 slide with a 7.5" bell.

[Posaunus]

The Getzen 3508Y & 3508R are (as noted) 0.500"/0.508" dual bore, and each has a 7¾" diameter bell.
This feels just right to me. A "Goldilocks" compromise?

[TromboneMonkey]

Off the top of my head I cannot think of any other standard model that fits that description except a Rath R2.

I have had several horns with interchangeable slides and tend to find that the smaller slide works better on the larger bell than the other way around. My Olds Studio or Super slides work better with the Recording bell than vice-versa, for example. And I found the Shires MD slide worked better on the MD+ bell than vice-versa. Might just be me, but typically a 7.5" bell with the .508 slide feels "dead", as though I'm missing quite a bit of high overtones in the sound.

[ithinknot]

Any of the modular or custom builders could do that.

I have what I think of as a "King 16M" custom that was built for Alan Kaplan. 3B slide, 2B bell, some non-standard things happening between. Interesting horn.

[Kevbach33]

@TromboneMonkey beat me to the Rath R2. It is, however, also available with an 8" bell.

A Shires custom small bore can be built to those specs. 7¾ and 8" bells are also available.

Flare differences have been talked about in the past, mostly for bass trombone. But the same principles also apply here. In general, the sound of a smaller flare is going to project to the back of the hall better, whereas a larger flare will have a more spread sound. In other words, the sides of the hall are better filled on, say, an 8" flare than a 7½".

And for clarification, you meant the LT16M, right? An LT16 without the "M" has a .495/.509" slide, making it a lightweight version of the standard 16. Makes me wonder why Bach doesn't (didn't?) build a 16M with the standard weight slide specs.

...I have had several horns with interchangeable slides and tend to find that the smaller slide works better on the larger bell than the other way around. My Olds Studio or Super slides work better with the Recording bell than vice-versa, for example. And I found the Shires MD slide worked better on the MD+ bell than vice-versa. Might just be me, but typically a 7.5" bell with the .508 slide feels "dead", as though I'm missing quite a bit of high overtones in the sound.

Maybe that's why .500/8" is so commonly used on student horns, as well as the 6H and Williams 6. On a good/great horn, there's something a little "extra" to the sound, feel and response with this combination.

My 6H will be a tough one to let go of if/when that time comes...

[ithinknot]

Maybe that's why .500/8" is so commonly used on student horns, as well as the 6H and Williams 6. On a good/great horn, there's something a little "extra" to the sound, feel and response with this combination.

... or that's how it feels to the player

[TromboneSam]

I know I’m splitting hairs but the Bach 16M is .509” bore and the Rath R2 is .510” bore. Almost exactly the same as .508” bores, but not quite! Difference is probably even negligible…