TromboneChat

Hi there. New to trombone chat.

I have a Getzen 300 series that I have been playing for 20 years. I love my horn and I'm comfortable playing it. I know its quirks and can adapt easily. I play in a community band, and a college level wind ensemble when I have the time. There's been some push to upgrade, especially since they put me at the bottom to round out the bass section (less because of skill and more because our bass players are frequently absent).

Trying as many horns as possible is the way to go, I know, but I live in an area where the nearest music store is in a town an hour away and only has 2-3 horns. I've exhausted my options at home and going to the nearest city requires a full day of dedication so if I have a list of horns to try, I can call ahead to see which stores have them.

So I'm looking for recommendations. I'm a woman if that makes a difference. Short arms, small hands.

If you do not want to change horns, then do not let others force you into it, you play for fun and enjoyment.

If you have decided on reflection, that yes you would like a better quality horn, then decide on a budget,new or used, if you want a straight or Bb/F. Same size bore or bigger .508 , .525, .547 (I would suggest not the last one)

Without knowing you or your level as a player you will get lots of well intentioned recommendations which may only add to your confusion without knowing your answers to the above questions.

Take a day and go try some different horns. You may find you love your Getzen. Or you may find something you love more. I played a straight horn for decades then learned to love a trigger. Hard to do a fall on a low C without a trigger, no where to go.

King 3bf
Yamaha 4 series can’t recall if the 445 or 455 which is the 525 versus 547 but good horns for what you want and won’t break the bank

Bach 36/36b
Getzen eterna series with f att

A few reccomendations , all used of course is where I would go

It's all for fun. I'm no professional by any stretch. What I'd like is to still be playing when I'm my seat mate's age (easily 80 something, hard of hearing, and poor eyesight).

Part of the reason for upgrading is because I struggle with getting to 7th position. I have to stretch and use my finger tips to get there and I hurt myself overextending. Triggers would protect against further injury. Plus I get the stink eye from one conductor and a frantically screamed "pitch!" from the other when I can't quite hit B natural.

I've been saving up for something fun. A few unfortunate hits the last few months drained my savings a bit but I think I can swing $1.5-2k.

FeatherStone wrote: ↑Fri Apr 21, 2023 10:33 am I've been saving up for something fun. A few unfortunate hits the last few months drained my savings a bit but I think I can swing $1.5-2k.

You don't necessarily even need to spend that much. Trevor's suggestions for used but good condition horns are great - King 607F, 608F or 3BF, Yamaha 446 or 640 (both are .525 bore, small shank mpc, with F trigger) or the slightly cheaper 356, Bach 36B, or this Getzen https://www.ebay.com/itm/334838072402 would all come in below 1500.

Obviously if you can try things in person that's ideal, but if that's an issue then I wouldn't worry at all about an ex-demo Yamaha or Getzen from The Mighty Quinn on eBay, or one of the experienced sellers here.

Happy playing!

I agree that an F-att would be *very* helpful to you. And these ^ recommendations (one post up) are good ones. I love the two Yamaha mentioned. I would add a King 3B+/F, which is the .525-bore version of the 3B/F. Coming from a .500-bore horn for so long, moving to a .525-bore might be easier to transition that a .547-bore.

Also... get your self a book for learning the F-attachment. Many players never learn to use it beyond a couple notes. That is unfortunate for them.

I agree. For your use case, a medium bore will probably make things easier for you, as will an f attachment. The Yamaha 4xx, 5xx, and 6xx series are probably your best bet at the moment. The exchange rate seems quite favorable and I’ve seen tons of really good looking pre owned Yamaha from Japan for crazy good prices. The 446 or 646 would probably be what I’d recommend.

That said, there are also many medium bores available from other manufacturers and the Kings recommended would also probably fit the bill

I will throw the yamaha 640 in the mix and re-enforce most of what was said. A good .525 horn is a wonderful and flexible thing. The 640 is a newer design than the 646. When I got mine, I found I liked the sound from it's trigger range better than my .547 horn which is now for sale. The 640 can certainly be gotten in your price range. I got mine at such a good deal on ebay(under your price range and it was mint), that I bought it blind. And yes, as Matt K said, it came from Japan. I think the exchange rates are working to the favor of US buyers right now.