Indy bass switching between F/G/Eb and F/Gb/D

[BGuttman]

Pedal Bb (Bb1) has a frequency of 58.27 Hz and a wavelength (under Standard Conditions) of 559 cm. At 30 cm per foot, that's approximately 18 feet. Since a trombone is a half wave device, the pedal half wave is very close to the length of the tube.

[Matt K]

Well, a good tuner will record the pedal tones very easy. Is the tuner hallucinating?

Functionally, yes. Tuners are useful, but the're not the full picture. You can lip a note down and have a tuner tell you that you are playing "in-tune", for example, playing an in first position. But it's overtones are not going to line up as well as if you were in second position. Pedals are kind-of like that, as are alternate positions. A b in 1st vs. a T3 will have different overtones because it's a different length of tubing being played. A "pedal" Bb on a trombone vs the same note on a BBb tuba or an F contrabass, or on the same trombone but in double trigger 6th are all going to have different overtones. But all of them will register as a "Bb" on the tuner.

[ithinknot]

With an older out-of-production model where the optional crook is lost, you’d have to find a stray crook somewhere, or have a tech make one for you, like ithinknot did with a Benge, above.

All my own fabulous work (A lot of non-parallel stuff and broken solders when I got it, hence various refitting and the brushed NS areas.)

To the original point: all the systems have specific advantages, and no global advantages (unless you have short arms, in which case keeping low C and B closer would be an absolute benefit).

If you're interested, experiment and see what you like... and if not, learn F/Gb/D because everything comes that way, and be happy.

Personally, I've stuck with a particular brand of esoteric madness (Bollinger 2nd valve and 1st valve pulled enough to get back to combination D), but I'm a ridiculous person, able to modify horns, and prone to Ideas.

Also, use the 2nd valve independently. It's great. You'll see claims that "most people don't"... I suspect these are based on a sample size of one... or from observing players that don't warrant much observation.

By the same token, dependents can also be great, and I'd rather play a really good dependent than a meh indy... so try things and enjoy them for what they are.