Soviet Trombones/Horns

[JacksonF]

I found a Soviet Trmbone from the mid 70's that is in incredible condition, and I've been wondering if it would be a usable horn. The mouthpiece shank looks about 2 inches longer than any that I've seen, and it's got a raw brass inner slide. It looks beautiful, and it comes with a case but I'm just wondering if it would be playable if I were to get it. (I also want to expand my collection and I think it would ho well with some of my Cold war era collectibles.)

[CalgaryTbone]

Back when the NY Philharmonic travelled to the Soviet Union w/Bernstein in the early 60's - a big deal at the time, there were stories of a couple of the brass players meeting some of their counterparts who asked to meet them again in public parks. The Soviet musicians were hoping to play the NY players' instruments, because their Soviet-made instruments were so bad. They just wanted a chance to play some horns from Europe or N. America.

More recently, we had a Soviet orchestra play here in Calgary a few years before the fall of the wall, etc. and the Trombones were playing Holtons (at least the tenors). The government must have loosened up a bit on the prohibition on foreign instruments. I think you'll find that horn to be worth more as a collectable piece of history that as a playable instrument.

Jim Scott

[LeTromboniste]

From what I've seen, sovietic trombones (and pre-sovietic Russian trombones) are typically German-style, although sometimes heavier-built, especially if military-issue. Not much use for instruments like that today for most people.

[JacksonF]

Thank you for the answers, I have been trying to do research on the Soviet horns but I can never find and answers. I am gonna try to get it because I love any kind of Cold war memorabilia, especially that of the Soviets.

[Trombo]

Soviet trombonists played German trombones until World War II. After the war they switched to American style trombones.
In the USSR, trombones were produced by the Leningrad Factory of Musical Instruments. These trombones were copies of the Conn 8H and 88H in design. But for some reason they were made for the euro-shank mouthpiece. They felt like a bad Conn 8H or a bad Bach 42 in-game. A copy of the Conn 8H could be bought in stores, but a copy of the 88H had to be ordered from the factory.
These instruments were played by students, amateurs, and occasionally by military musicians. All Soviet professionals played American trombones (Bach, Conn, Holton, King), sometimes Japanese Yamaha. The state purchased all these trombones for state orchestras. They could not be bought in the store.
In the USSR also supplied B&S trombones from the GDR (.525 bore and 8-inch bell) straight and with F-rotor and Amati from Czechoslovakia (.485 bore and 7.5-inch bell). These trombones were not played by professionals. They could be bought in stores. They were considered worse than the Leningrad copy 88H, but better than the copy 8H.

[MStarke]

Interesting information!

This lead me to quickly search a bit for St Petersburg tubas which I had seen in an online shop a while ago.
While I had somehow suspected that they were just another try to sell Chinese-made instruments under a more western sounding name, they seem to be made in Russia. According to the information I found the origin is a German maker who build and instrument factory in Russia which then went through multiple closings (as can be expected with some of the Russian history). I have no idea about their quality, prices are maybe a little higher than the Chinese options. They only seem to offer valved low brass.

http://www.stpetemusic.ru/index.php/en/

[Trombo]

Yes, this is the same former Leningrad factory. The fact is that after the collapse of the USSR, the factory went bankrupt. The factory director was from Ivano-Frankivsk in Western Ukraine and he moved the entire factory from St. Petersburg to Ivano-Frankivsk in Ukraine.
They have always made very good tubes. Also German style baritone. These tubas and baritones are so much better than Chinese shit. These Soviet-made tubas and baritones are still played in brass bands. The tubas are played by students at conservatories.

[Trombo]

Here the USSR Defense Ministry Band plays the same Leningrad tubas and baritones:

[Klimchak]

Here are pictures of one I picked up years ago while studying Russian. Large bore, euro shank, friction fit and no slide lock. Looks like it was made in 1992 and purchased in 1995, so post-soviet era.

[Trombo]

Yes, this is the same Leningrad trombone. It should also be added that they were unvarnished or nickel-plated.
Leningrad trombones were much worse than their baritones and tubas.

[baroquetrombone]

I came across one in the US when I was doing some other work. It looked interesting, but as mentioned, quite heavily built. I didn't get a chance to play it, but compared to the Bach next to it, it looked more utilitarian. It would've maybe been cool to have (for $300) but I have enough problems with instruments that I actually use.

soviet.jpg

soviet bell.jpg