Bach 36: why are so many for sale?

[mcphatty00]

I've never been a fan of medium bore, mostly because I never had a specific use for them, but why are so many for sale here and on Facebook?

[spencercarran]

It's been in continuous production for something like 80-90 years and there's just a lot of them floating around. I like them; nice medium bore horn that has no difficulty filling in for large bore when needed.

[Posaunus]

Many of us find medium-bore trombones very useful, in a variety of settings and repertoire - even orchestral if the ensemble or venue is not large. I had a nice Bach 36B (the only Bach trombone I've ever enjoyed playing), which I replaced only when I encountered a Conn 79H that I liked even more.

[EriKon]

I've bought a beautiful LT36 BOG (from about 1985-1990 if I've checked correctly) a couple of months ago, which plays absolutely awesome. It's such a versatile instrument. I mostly use it for pit work that varies from classical to jazz to horn section stuff, but also played bigband gigs (3rd chair) with it already and it does a great job on all of those. I wouldn't have the same result playing my Conn 88H (too big and exhausting for Jazz and Pop section) nor on my .508 bore jazz horn (too small for making a really full classical sound). Bach 36 with a Doug Elliott setup has been the deal for me, although I'm still curious about testing a 79H at some point if I'll ever get the chance.

[Thrawn22]

Many of us find medium-bore trombones very useful, in a variety of settings and repertoire - even orchestral if the ensemble or venue is not large. I had a nice Bach 36B (the only Bach trombone I've ever enjoyed playing), which I replaced only when I encountered a Conn 79H that I liked even more.

This right here.

A medium bore horn can be very useful in a multitude of situations.

I too would like a 79H.

[mcphatty00]

I have a buddy that swore by a 525 on Broadway. I can't remember if he had a 36.

[Vegastokc]

+ 1 for Team Medium Bore

(Although...I am really enjoying playing my Benge 165F lately... ).

[Burgerbob]

I've owned a few, as well as a King 607. I LOVE them every time... and then they never get used. And they're worth just enough that it's not worth keeping them around if they don't make money.

That said, I have another one on the way...

[Posaunus]

I've owned a few, as well as a King 607. I LOVE them every time... and then they never get used.

Aidan,
Just play a gig with an orchestra playing Mozart or something similar. The 36 will fit in beautifully!

[Pezza]

I much prefer my 36 over any 42 I've played!

The only large bores I've really liked are Conn 8H / 88H.

[paulyg]

They're perfect for performing principle parts for 19th/20th century French rep with a modern orchestra. Beyond that they don't really fit too well. They sound small in a big section, and sound huge in a small section (jazz).

If you asked me what niche they ACTUALLY fill today (and I had to answer), I would say they are the perfect horn for a university music student with limited means and a very large array of ensembles to play in. You're gonna be missing the vacuum secondaries that a 42 offers on huge orchestral rep, but for the wind band, 99% of the orch standard rep, brass band, brass ensemble, chamber music, and solo, it's gonna be pretty hard to push past what a good 36 has to offer.

Why so many for sale? Community music is dying.

[MrHCinDE]

They‘re plentiful and used ones retain value so I suspect that some of the turnover is due to people, myself included, trying the medium bore route then reselling for about what they paid. It‘s a low(ish) risk way to have a go on medium bore for a bit at little or no cost if it doesn‘t work out.

I personally sold mine on in the end, despite quite liking it, as I thought the cash released would be better used for a medium bore slide for my 8h. Keeping the 36 as well as an 8h with .525“ slide seemed excessive for my medium bore needs.

[imsevimse]

"Bach 36: why are so many for sale?"
It's a good horn that many tromboneplayers have bought. I guess now students think they either need a .547 or a .500 as long as they are playing tenor and then everything else gets out of fashion. It's probably what happend with.485 horns in the jazz world when they considered to be too small and stuffy (they are not to me). Now a .525 is undergoing the same in classical. I use a Bach 36BO for first part in a Windorchestra and brass quartet but everybody else have .547 horns. I fit right in there. It is easier to play a smaller horn big than vice versa. I think straight horns for classical also are rare, maybe it is because students in early years get used to rhe trigger for every b and c in the staff. I'm old school and often use the sixth position for my c's. I tend to use the trigger for the b on the staff most of the time they show up though if I have a trigger.

/Tom

[tejasbonedog]

the dilemma-does a 36 fill your void? it's a little hard to not have a personal opinion or experience, since so many of us grew up on medium sided horns-it's stamped in our educational and personal DNA trombone experience. i started on a 78H and it was my siren of love. It's also allusive in some aspects, since many of us don't do all types of gigs or need different sizes for studio-we go with what feels right and sounds correct for the gig. I've broken out of this recently, as I'm more freelance and retired but still a part of the cattle of players on the local scene. I just don't take all the gigs that are sent to me lol. So I fall back and look at my horn stands, each having a different attitude and presence. Ok, a little dramatic, but here it is for me. One stand holds a 50's elkhart 8H with nickel tuning slide and lightweight 36 slide-shouting, I'm good enough for anything, bitches! The second horn on a stand, an early 60's King Silver Sonic w/ original slide and a custom lightweight BAC .508/.525 dual nickel silver. I just got this one back, but I'm hoping it's the combo I also felt a 3B should be, that or a .525 single bore. my third stand is a '70 36 w/ lightweight slide-it's light, responsive, sings and gets moody when my jaw drops. This has been my main axe for jazz, commercial and studio, but with a few exceptions. The fourth stand holds a 78H with a custom 6H slide w/williams hand grip. yes, it's sweet and aggressive/edgy when taunted! This horn like many 6H's is my favorite easy horn to get a quick responsive reaction with-you can be warm and sweet with it too, so I've always have been partial to this horn, not just because of Rosolino evolved the trombone technique on it...hell, look at Jack Teagarden and the things he did on his horn. So what I realized on most of my career experience is that an 8" bell fits well on a trombone-it achieves so much from tight compressed sound to wide and loud. Like I said, it's how you feel and lean on your own history. I leaned med to large on horns-my favorite .547 is still early, even abilene, 88H's-that bell just sang and could still edge maybe not like a 42, but still my favorite large tenor-classic!

[Backslider]

Hi All,
I have another theory on why so many Bach 36 bones are for sale.
It may have a lot to do with the era when they became very popular and the life span of Trombonists!

Firstly, I am a 36B owner and got it when I played in high school. It was selected for me by my band leader / teacher. Why? I was a kid and my parents bought it based on his recommendation. My original student horn was stolen with a large number of instruments from the school's band storage room. My parents leveraged the insurance pay out along with an additional investment to buy me the 36B as a "step up".

In the 70's, there were not many options available for your average suburban or rural kid playing in school. Bundy, Selmer, Conn. Occasionally you would see a King that was handed down to a kid from a family member. But Bach came on strong in the school supply market and band leaders were outfitted a lot of kids with them.

My instructor wanted me to have an F-Trigger and the band leader wanted someone to be able to play low register in the stage band. So, the choices then were the Conn 88H or a Bach 36B. Economics made the Bach the right selection.

Now I'm in my 60's. My theory is that a lot of us 60 year olds are selling off old horns and because they were so popular in the 70's and 80's, they are hitting the resale market pretty hard.

By the way, I love this horn and it is truly versatile. I was lucky to play it in:
-Marching Band
-Concert Band
-Orchestra
-Stage Band
-Pit Orchestra
-Brass Ensemble
-Community Bands
Through High School, College, and beyond.

And after many year's of back sliding and neglect, it is back in play and I'm working hard in the woodshed!!

Cheers,
--Matt S

[dukesboneman]

Every thing goes in cycles.
There was a time when many years ago that everyone seemed to want a King 4B
Then suddenly there were a lot for sale
I`ve seen this with a number of different horns over the years. Their Hot then their not
right now the 36 is not
Give it time and this will change

[Trav1s]

+ 1 for Team Medium Bore

(Although...I am really enjoying playing my Benge 165F lately... ).

Ditto on borh points.

[Finetales]

There was a time when many years ago that everyone seemed to want a King 4B

Secretly, I would love to pick up an old straight 4B to mess around with. Need those straight 4Bs to be as cheap and plentiful as 3Bs are!

[harrisonreed]

Silversonic Duogravis .... Why are so few for sale ?

(Is the plural Duogravii? Or is it already plural? Perhaps neuter-genitive - Duogravum? Adjective - duograves or duogravia? Dual-gravis? DuoGravies?)

[JohnL]

Silversonic Duogravis .... Why are so few for sale ?

Maybe because there just aren't that many out there, period? I'd guess that there are at least 10 times as many Silver Sonic 3B's as there are Silver Sonic Duo Gravises.

[Posaunus]

Silversonic Duogravis .... Why are so few for sale ?

Maybe because there just aren't that many out there, period? I'd guess that there are at least 10 times as many Silver Sonic 3B's as there are Silver Sonic Duo Gravises.

20x?
30x?

[JohnL]

Maybe because there just aren't that many out there, period? I'd guess that there are at least 10 times as many Silver Sonic 3B's as there are Silver Sonic Duo Gravises.

20x?
30x?

I did say "at least".

[greenbean]

Every thing goes in cycles.
There was a time when many years ago that everyone seemed to want a King 4B
Then suddenly there were a lot for sale
I`ve seen this with a number of different horns over the years. Their Hot then their not
right now the 36 is not
Give it time and this will change

^ This. Vintage horns seem to go in cycles. I have seen it with 6H's, 3B's, 4B's, ...

[sgreatwood]

I do a reasonable amount of pit playing. If it's a sight-read, I take my 36B.
If it's a general tenor book, I take my 36B.
If it's a tenor/bass doubling book with anything vaguely resembling orchestral playing (Miss Saigon), I take my 36B.
If it's a straight orchestral 1st book, I take my 36B.
If it's a straight orchestral 2nd book, I'll take a 42/88 if I know who is playing 1st and what on.
If it's a rock/old-jazz book, I'll take something smaller.
I've got a killer mid-70s, so it's glorious to play.

[Chazzer69]

Secretly, I would love to pick up an old straight 4B to mess around with. Need those straight 4Bs to be as cheap and plentiful as 3Bs are!
[/quote]

A big off topic, but I thought I would share that I've seen 3 of these critters for sale recently. Price range has been $1200-$1800.