Bass Trombones with Mismatched Valves

Post Reply
BirdofBray
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Jun 25, 2022 11:34 am

Bass Trombones with Mismatched Valves

Post by BirdofBray »

Does anyone have any pictures or examples of bass trombones with different types of first and second valves. I’m sure they must exist, but I have yet to see more than one example.
User avatar
Matt K
Verified
Posts: 4288
Joined: Tue Mar 20, 2018 10:34 pm
Contact:

Re: Bass Trombones with Mismatched Valves

Post by Matt K »

I’ve seen maybe 2 or 3 in the last few years. I seem to recall a Bach 50T (single) that had a Yamaha rotor added as a dependent. I don’t remember off hand what the others were so it’s more rare than one might expect with as many tinkerers as there are
User avatar
elmsandr
Posts: 1085
Joined: Fri Mar 23, 2018 2:43 pm
Location: S.E. Michigan
Contact:

Re: Bass Trombones with Mismatched Valves

Post by elmsandr »

Handful of single Thayers with a drop in rotor. A couple of rotor horns with a dependent Thayer out there, too. Plenty of examples of modified singles with a slightly different rotor as the second valve, either in-line or dependent. (Including the semi-famous example of an early G. Steucil (sp?) independent bass trombone).

A few of the examples have been done this way for playing reasons… I think 99% are probably done like this due to part availability.

Cheers,
Andy
User avatar
Burgerbob
Posts: 5131
Joined: Mon Apr 23, 2018 8:10 pm
Location: LA
Contact:

Re: Bass Trombones with Mismatched Valves

Post by Burgerbob »

The most fun one was that 50G with Olsen rotor, then dependent Olsen axial.
Aidan Ritchie, LA area player and teacher
BirdofBray
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Jun 25, 2022 11:34 am

Re: Bass Trombones with Mismatched Valves

Post by BirdofBray »

Burgerbob wrote: Tue Jun 13, 2023 10:04 am The most fun one was that 50G with Olsen rotor, then dependent Olsen axial.
Any chance you’ve got a picture of that one or know where I could find any info on it?
User avatar
Burgerbob
Posts: 5131
Joined: Mon Apr 23, 2018 8:10 pm
Location: LA
Contact:

Re: Bass Trombones with Mismatched Valves

Post by Burgerbob »

BirdofBray wrote: Tue Jun 13, 2023 10:51 pm
Burgerbob wrote: Tue Jun 13, 2023 10:04 am The most fun one was that 50G with Olsen rotor, then dependent Olsen axial.
Any chance you’ve got a picture of that one or know where I could find any info on it?
Hmm, I thought I might have a picture saved but I can't find any.
Aidan Ritchie, LA area player and teacher
User avatar
Backbone
Posts: 151
Joined: Sun Apr 08, 2018 9:46 pm

Re: Bass Trombones with Mismatched Valves

Post by Backbone »

Crazy4Tbone86
Posts: 1447
Joined: Tue Jan 14, 2020 10:52 am

Re: Bass Trombones with Mismatched Valves

Post by Crazy4Tbone86 »

I have a guy who brings his bass trombone into the shop about once a year for a cleaning and tune up. It it a hodge-podge horn of assorted parts, but the primary aspects of the horn are:

*Olds bass trombone slide and bell
*1st valve (in F) is also an Olds, although I not sure if it is the original valve for that horn. Approximate bore is in the .560 range.
*2nd valve (independent in G-flat) is from a Benge 290 and it is a bore of about .592 inch.

There is huge difference between the feel of the two valves. Obviously, the G-flat side is much more free-blowing. Thus, the owner favors the G-flat side for everything. I think he only engages the F-valve for low D-flat, C and B.

Sorry, I don’t have any photos.
Brian D. Hinkley - Player, Teacher, Technician and Trombone Enthusiast
Kbiggs
Posts: 1292
Joined: Sat Mar 24, 2018 11:46 am
Location: Vancouver WA

Re: Bass Trombones with Mismatched Valves

Post by Kbiggs »

I had an old Bach that had been a tech’s experimental horn. The valve was modified so the exit and entrance tubing was straightened out (like the old Thein “Star” Valve). It was too open. I needed a second valve pronto, and my old tech found an old Conn 110H valve. We simply grafted it onto the horn. I played the horn that way for too many years.
Kenneth Biggs
I have known a great many troubles, but most of them have never happened.
—Mark Twain (attributed)
Wilco
Posts: 151
Joined: Sun Mar 24, 2019 6:54 am

Re: Bass Trombones with Mismatched Valves

Post by Wilco »

tbonesullivan
Posts: 1616
Joined: Tue Jul 02, 2019 9:06 am
Location: New Jersey
Contact:

Re: Bass Trombones with Mismatched Valves

Post by tbonesullivan »

Definitely interesting. I wonder how it plays?
David S. - daveyboy37 from TTF
Bach 39, LT36B, 42BOF & 42T, King 2103 / 3b, Kanstul 1570CR & 1588CR, Yamaha YBL-612 RII, YBL-822G & YBL-830, Sterling 1056GHS Euphonium,
Livingston Symphony Orchestra NJ - Trombone
Wilco
Posts: 151
Joined: Sun Mar 24, 2019 6:54 am

Re: Bass Trombones with Mismatched Valves

Post by Wilco »

Probably not as good as expected—> it went on sale
JoeStanko
Posts: 122
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2018 9:04 am

Re: Bass Trombones with Mismatched Valves

Post by JoeStanko »

This was a project that I had Scott Sweeney build. His work is fabulous - axial valves hit my jaw and neck to the extreme so I only use dependent rotary valves. He came up with this design after our talks.

Joe Stanko
Macbone1
Posts: 408
Joined: Tue Oct 01, 2019 1:17 pm
Location: Massachusetts

Re: Bass Trombones with Mismatched Valves

Post by Macbone1 »

JoeStanko wrote: Wed Jun 21, 2023 7:01 am This was a project that I had Scott Sweeney build. His work is fabulous - axial valves hit my jaw and neck to the extreme so I only use dependent rotary valves. He came up with this design after our talks.

I get it about the parts hitting the jaw and neck in uncomfortable ways. This bass does look well crafted.
King Jiggs 2BL
Olds Opera
Besson Sovereign Bb/F bass
Holton bass trumpet
B&H Imperial shepherd's crook cornet
User avatar
elmsandr
Posts: 1085
Joined: Fri Mar 23, 2018 2:43 pm
Location: S.E. Michigan
Contact:

Re: Bass Trombones with Mismatched Valves

Post by elmsandr »

In a timely update… finally found this old pic.
1A6650C8-4ECA-4A9A-A09F-58C48DFEA39C.jpeg
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Wakawaka555
Posts: 32
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 3:02 pm
Location: Kent, Washington

Re: Bass Trombones with Mismatched Valves

Post by Wakawaka555 »

I’ve owned this horn for about 8 years now and I love it! There’s more info from the original owner and the build in this thread: viewtopic.php?p=12287#p12287
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Post Reply

Return to “Modification & Repair”