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King Tempo
Posted: Wed Aug 12, 2020 12:12 am
by Amconk
I just bought a Vintage King Tempo through DJ Kennedy, it’s the old style with nickel bell and curved hand brace. Vintage 3 piece counterweight. Serial places it around 1965.
Hot cheese on a cracker, this thing sings. I love it! I would put this thing at or above any 2B I’ve ever played. It slots well, screams in the high register, and flows through ballad style work.
Any other Tempo lovers here?
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Re: King Tempo
Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2020 11:22 am
by Vegastokc
Amconk wrote: ↑Wed Aug 12, 2020 12:12 am Hot cheese on a cracker...
Thanks for posting your impressions.
As a fan of King's I have been wanting one of these for a while, but every time they come up for sale (ebay, facebook, etc) they go fast and usually out of my budget.
I think these are one of those really nice not-so-hidden gems.
As soon as I can get one I will try to remember to find this post again so we can nerd out some more.

Re: King Tempo
Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2020 1:13 pm
by Klimchak
I really like the 1306 Nickel-belled Tempos (tempi?). These are .500" bore with an 8" bell that mates up with 3B slides. They also have the curved brace. Great for hard Latin music and loud rock gigs.
Re: King Tempo
Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2020 1:23 pm
by Kingfan
I like'em! There is a 1506 Super Tempo for sale in Alliance, Ohio for $75. If it was closer, and I didn't already have a 2B, I would be all over it.
Re: King Tempo
Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2020 1:54 pm
by hyperbolica
Klimchak wrote: ↑Thu Aug 20, 2020 1:13 pm
I really like the 1306 Nickel-belled Tempos (tempi?). These are .500" bore with an 8" bell that mates up with 3B slides. They also have the curved brace. Great for hard Latin music and loud rock gigs.
Thanks for that tip. I've been looking for a 500/508 hybrid horn, and I love nickel bells. The 48h with a Getzen 3508 or 1050 slide seems to be another option I've learned here.
Re: King Tempo
Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2020 7:02 pm
by dukesboneman
I have a Tempo bell on my 2B Valve section. Love the way it plays and sounds
Re: King Tempo
Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2020 10:35 pm
by Fruitysloth
DJ set me up with a Tempo because I asked for something that would peel the paint off the walls. I love mine! The slide is just a bit too narrow, but I make it work because I love how it is!
Re: King Tempo
Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2022 12:09 am
by shankbone
I know this is an old post, but wanted to also geek out about my King Tempo.
I bought mine back in 1980 from another trombone player in my high school. He actually damaged my trombone, and felt guilty about it. He sold me his King Tempo. It was in pretty good shape, and played great. I paid him $75 for it back then. Over the years I took it out from time to time, but it was having some slide issues.
I bought a Yamaha YSL-356R about 5 years ago. I wanted to get back into playing regularly, and knew my old King wasn't up for the challenge. I've been playing in a local concert band for the past 4 years, except for a long pandemic break. We started back up over the summer. Recently I decided to take the King in for repairs and a good cleaning. The slide feels great again. I started our new season in our local concert band last week playing the King, and I LOVE IT! It's like finding an good friend you haven't seen in a while.
Re: King Tempo
Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2022 6:57 am
by bellend
Are these actual Nickel bells ? or ( more likely) they are Nickel plated brass?
Just sayin'
BellEnd
Re: King Tempo
Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2022 7:21 am
by Matt K
My understanding is a heavyweight, nickel plated brass bell.
Re: King Tempo
Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2022 8:56 am
by Kingfan
Kingfan wrote: ↑Thu Aug 20, 2020 1:23 pm
I like'em! There is a 1506 Super Tempo for sale in Alliance, Ohio for $75. If it was closer, and I didn't already have a 2B, I would be all over it.
I live nearby. What site is it listed on?
Re: King Tempo
Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2022 9:57 am
by bassclef
Kingfan wrote: ↑Thu Sep 08, 2022 8:56 am
Kingfan wrote: ↑Thu Aug 20, 2020 1:23 pm
I like'em! There is a 1506 Super Tempo for sale in Alliance, Ohio for $75. If it was closer, and I didn't already have a 2B, I would be all over it.
I live nearby. What site is it listed on?
LOL did you just ask your 2020 self a question?
Re: King Tempo
Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2022 10:04 am
by bassclef
I have one of the sliver plated 1306's. Played it for a few years straight during my ska band days in the late 1990's. I have never played another trombone which even comes close in terms of raw projecting volume. I picked it up to use instead of the '61 3B I had at the time in the high-risk situations I was found in while touring in a van and playing all sorts of "venues". The volume capacity turned out to be a huge asset because I was often working without a mic against mic'd drums and guitar amps. This isn't to say that it didn't require a lot of effort, but I never had trouble cutting through. Other horns would back up and kind of fold before the point to where I was trying to push them. The 1306 took all I could give and turned it into sound. I don't know why or how, but that's the only horn I could do that with.
Re: King Tempo
Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2022 10:28 am
by Kingfan
bassclef wrote: ↑Thu Sep 08, 2022 9:57 am
Kingfan wrote: ↑Thu Sep 08, 2022 8:56 am
I live nearby. What site is it listed on?
LOL did you just ask your 2020 self a question?
Deja vu all over again...

I just found a nickel Tempo on a site called Junkum for $71 shipped. If it is too good to be true, it probably is...
Re: King Tempo
Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2022 10:37 am
by Finetales
I've been somewhat on the hunt for a 1306 Tempo for a few years now, for exactly the reasons outlined in bassclef's post...my '70s 3Bs are stupid loud but on rock and salsa gigs something even more incendiary would be very welcome.
But I also have a 3B, a 3BF, and a 607, and I still need to get a nice 6H, so my allocated 1306 fund is not large.
Kingfan wrote: ↑Thu Sep 08, 2022 10:28 amI just found a nickel Tempo on a site called Junkum for $71 shipped. If it is too good to be true, it probably is...
A quick Google shows that Junkum is not a site you should be gambling with. A legitimate $71 Tempo on eBay/Facebook/Craigslist isn't far-fetched, though.
Re: King Tempo
Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2022 1:01 pm
by Matt K
I'm selling my King tempo bell section. If you can't find my ad, send me a PM and I can dig it up with pictures. My price is fiexbile and I'm open to trades.
Re: King Tempo
Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2022 1:19 pm
by brassmedic
bellend wrote: ↑Thu Sep 08, 2022 6:57 am
Are these actual Nickel bells ? or ( more likely) they are Nickel plated brass?
Just sayin'
BellEnd
NIckel plated.
Re: King Tempo
Posted: Wed Sep 21, 2022 1:15 pm
by Macbone1
Yes, King Tempos can be real "sleepers", just like Holton Galaxies. Paint peelers one and all. I have a Tempo bell section for my King 2B Jiggs because the Jiggs can't hold up to any mute action without getting a dent rash. Feels and sounds good, but probably even better with a Tempo slide on it.
Re: King Tempo
Posted: Mon Jun 12, 2023 7:59 pm
by BaronVonBone
.
How compatible are Tempo and 606 parts (if at all)?
--
Never Mind:
viewtopic.php?p=172996#p172996
Actually, I'd still like to know if this just means either can use the other's slide, or if individual parts (outers/inners, tuning slides, etc) are also compatible.