TromboneChat

Bach5G wrote: ↑Tue Nov 14, 2023 12:03 pm What do they play in France?

stewbones43 wrote: ↑Tue Nov 14, 2023 4:33 am The catalogue is dated 1962 but the contents may have been made for some years before.

The mouthpiece you have is a double cup model but made by Parduba, a double cup specialist. I wondered if you had the original Henri Selmer mouthpiece?

Cheers

Stewbones

jarredjeff wrote: ↑Tue Nov 14, 2023 4:40 pm Hi Stew,
I have loked around and cannot find the original double cup, only other brands

stewbones43 wrote: ↑Tue Nov 14, 2023 4:33 am The catalogue is dated 1962 but the contents may have been made for some years before.

The mouthpiece you have is a double cup model but made by Parduba, a double cup specialist. I wondered if you had the original Henri Selmer mouthpiece?

Cheers

Stewbones

Finetales wrote: ↑Tue Nov 14, 2023 12:01 pm French Selmers are high-quality instruments that are fun to play, but they are very unique. Having owned two Selmer Largos, I think the reason why French Selmers are not in demand is that they aren't really like anything else. People compare the Bolero to a 3B, and it does have the same specs, but the Boleros I've played didn't play anything like any 3B I've played. They are their own thing, and the Largos are even more so.

While the Largo has entirely standard specs for a large bore trombone, it plays and sounds no other large bore. It has an amazing velvety sound at lower dynamics, and is bright and light at higher ones. It would probably be a wonderful soloist's instrument, but it is very difficult to play in a group. For one, that sound means it's very hard to blend with other trombones. But more importantly, the intonation is exactly the opposite of what you would expect on any other trombone...D above the staff is sharp, F above the staff is flat, and so on. It makes it nearly impossible to play in tune with a group, especially if you still play other trombones. Later on I had an F attachment model with the 9" bell and no French bell ring, which traded some of the creamy sound for better ensemble manners, but it was still very odd. Interestingly, both Largos had a disgustingly good low register.

My first (straight, 8.5" bell) Largo was my only large bore for a while, and it took a Herculean effort to get it to play nice with others. When a trombone quartet I was in went to compete at ITF one year, I borrowed a spare Edwards from one of the other members and it was an instant and drastic improvement. Blend and intonation locked in immediately with no effort, whereas with the Largo it was a constant struggle no matter which part I was playing.

Make no mistake, they are very cool horns. But they're kind of not usable in the real world in my experience. Maybe the K Modified is different, but I've never tried one.