TromboneChat

Hey all!
Im playing a Shires custom series Bass T. I’m super interested in the new Brian Hecht Bass that is coming out, or the BVD model ?There are no used ones that I can find or try of any model. Has anyone tried either of these horns? And have any thoughts on comparison to a Shires custom? As you can see I’m a gear nut…..
Ric R

I have not played them . HOWEVER unless you're looking to donate a lung to purchase one can it really be that much better than what you're on? And I don't even play Shires.

Great horns! They are next to impossible to try out if don’t live close to Houghton Horns in Texas, your best bet would be something like the International Trombone Festival or similar events. As stated above, they’re also about twice as expensive and even as someone who plays on one, they are certainly not twice as good as the top of the line American horns. But for me it was worth it to have that horn, but I would not recommend that for most people. Hope that’s useful!

Bbonedude,
Which Thein model are you playing? And can you tell me why you choose that one?

I tried both brands and stick to Thein. Once I had a Shires custom bass with yellow brass bell, Axial valves and B62NLW handslide. Was quite good, just the slides wasn‘t my cup of tea. Some years after I tried some other options of Shires at Musik Bertram, Germany, and was quite disapointed. They sounded ok, but were difficult to play, a lot of the invested energy got somewhere but not in the sound. The Lone Star model was quite unplayable to me. So, Shires difinateley makes good and great horns, but till now I didn‘t find one.

This year I was at the Thein factory. I actually was there to pick up my new CAIDEX valve section. I took the opportunity to try the American 22, Brian Hechts model. I think I had a yellow brass bell on it. It blew me away! The most easy to play horn I‘ve ever tried, even easier as the one I picked up. The sound was so clear and easy to color it. The blow was open, but with a nice resistance, very different to the othe Thayers/Axials/Infinity valves I‘ve tried. The high register was incredible nice to play, the low was powerful with the big fat sound you want to hear from a bass. If I wouldn‘t let made the CAIDEX valve section for me, I would have bought the American 22 valve section.

Thein horns are very expensive, everbody knows that. It‘s not that they are double as good (althought compared to the Shires I tried I would say they are 3 times as good, but that‘s my experiance). It‘s more like how much more you want to pay to get the extra bit. Like climbing a mountain with 6,000m compared to a 3,000m high one. You need more that just double of the effort to get there. So, if you want to inverst more to get that extra, do it you wilm be more than happy!

The Theins are very good. I really liked the new Hecht model, and I also love the van Dijk model- be aware that they are just about as different as you can get with modern bass trombones. I'd love to own a van Dijk but it certainly wouldn't get a lot of use.

The Hecht is much more comparable to Shires, Edwards, etc as it's a very American design in most ways. Because of that, I don't think it's really worth the cheddar- my Shires Curran is a very similar style of instrument, just as good in most ways, better in some, and new costs probably half of the Thein. I also have a custom Bach with the same valves as the Thein that I think is pretty much on par... it didn't cost $12k to put together!

I personally don't think the price proposition holds up as a professional, but I don't like to spend a lot on instruments and I do expect them to make me money at some point. If I were purely an orchestral pro... I probably still wouldn't.

I do understand that there are people out there with the money and the will- nothing against them! I just don't see the purpose myself. If they were sold at a similar price point to the top American horns, there would be a case to be made.

Been reading this thread. They're great horns. I'm happy to sell mine since I don't play a lot of bass and don't need a lot of basses. No one has bitten at $8500, though reasonable interest. Maybe I'll list it again for sale.

Here's a link to me a long time ago playing one on a gig:

Neo Bri wrote: ↑Thu Aug 17, 2023 1:09 pm

Here's a link to me a long time ago playing one on a gig:

Straight fire

Neo Bri wrote: ↑Thu Aug 17, 2023 1:09 pm
Here's a link to me a long time ago playing one on a gig:

Very impressive! (Both the trombone and your performance. )

Hey thanks guys! Yeah, the Thein is really easy to play. Good high range, good low range, surprisingly lightweight. Great horn.

Neo Bri wrote: ↑Thu Aug 17, 2023 2:45 pm Hey thanks guys! Yeah, the Thein is really easy to play. Good high range, good low range, surprisingly lightweight. Great horn.

Neo Bri wrote: ↑Thu Aug 17, 2023 2:45 pm Hey thanks guys! Yeah, the Thein is really easy to play. Good high range, good low range, surprisingly lightweight. Great horn.

Neo Bri wrote: ↑Thu Aug 17, 2023 2:45 pm Hey thanks guys! Yeah, the Thein is really easy to play. Good high range, good low range, surprisingly lightweight. Great horn.

Nice playing! I assume you have the BVD model from the looks of it?
RicR

RICR wrote: ↑Thu Aug 17, 2023 4:06 pm

Neo Bri wrote: ↑Thu Aug 17, 2023 2:45 pm Hey thanks guys! Yeah, the Thein is really easy to play. Good high range, good low range, surprisingly lightweight. Great horn.

Neo Bri wrote: ↑Thu Aug 17, 2023 2:45 pm Hey thanks guys! Yeah, the Thein is really easy to play. Good high range, good low range, surprisingly lightweight. Great horn.

Neo Bri wrote: ↑Thu Aug 17, 2023 2:45 pm Hey thanks guys! Yeah, the Thein is really easy to play. Good high range, good low range, surprisingly lightweight. Great horn.

Nice playing! I assume you have the BVD model from the looks of it?
RicR

Yes indeed!