pBone?

[Rick Denney]

I believe the black slide is actually fiberglas, not sure?

The outer slide tube is a carbon composite. That is listed as an advantage--as the slide wears, the carbon dust lubricates the slide.

Rick "we report; you decide" Denney

[J.c. Sherman]

As one of the first US owners of a pBone, here's my take.

You'll never find a better $150 trombone unless it's 2B or Olds Ambassador in better shape than the cost deserves.

The slide, with regular cleanings early on, breaks in very well. Several techs on the trombone-l have worked out a couple slick tricks for reducing the break-in time and quieting the slide.

I use either slide-o-mix or plain water. Water fills the waterkey very quick, but it seems to work the best, as the original designer indicated.

Listen with your ears on these. My two very nice period trombones have been "voted off the island" in favor of the pBone in both Dixieland bands and my 20 dance band. They much prefer the pBone, despite the extreme anachronism. The only instrument they prefer to the pBone is an early Bach 36, which I don't like taking to these gigs too much. It's a beloved instrument now after only 6 months.

It sounds weird for a while to the player, because the tone radiates from the bell differently than we’re used to. You get used to it.

Bag sucks... but you should be careful with any instrument, and with minor attention paid, it's not an issue.

Local band directors hate it, curse me, my shop (I’m not owner) and our parents when a student buys one. Then we send a link to them of Jiggs playing on (and now a photo of the BSO playing them) and they STFU.

My wife calls it nerf trombone... she loves asking to carry it in for me

Pedal tones and notes above high D are not fantastic. With a Kelly plastic they improve a great deal. I don't like how the instrument plays with a metal mouthpiece, but YMMV. The slide is the lightest in existence, and it makes 4 hour gigs pass pain and fatigue free. You also feel at liberty to try things you wouldn’t normally try on a straight horn. Bottom line is, if you’d accept a student with a King 3B, this is just fine.

J.c. "pBone" S.

[pjv]

The slide "breaks in"? You mean when you buy it new you're not supposed to be able to play 16th note passages at 120 bpm? 'Cause this is the reason I didn't buy it. It wasn't the sound that deterred me, it was the horrible slide. I just figured all Chinese trombones were like that. (sorry)

It seems strange to sell a brand new musical instrument and expect the buyer to go through a major period of unacceptable musical standards and physical pain on the lips to boot. Even if they are selling this as a student trombone; a student shouldn't have to deal with a slide quality which surely would only encourage bad habits.

-Patrick

[J.c. Sherman]

The slide "breaks in"? You mean when you buy it new you're not supposed to be able to play 16th note passages at 120 bpm? 'Cause this is the reason I didn't buy it. It wasn't the sound that deterred me, it was the horrible slide. I just figured all Chinese trombones were like that. (sorry)

It seems strange to sell a brand new musical instrument and expect the buyer to go through a major period of unacceptable musical standards and physical pain on the lips to boot. Even if they are selling this as a student trombone; a student shouldn't have to deal with a slide quality which surely would only encourage bad habits.

-Patrick

$150.00

It's new technology, and it's not a metal-on metal, 500 years of construction knowledge instrument. They do work well. And, I'll bet the one you tried had a slide better than 85% of young students I've met, some with brand new instruments.

Bottom line, $150. It ain't a Schmeltzer.

J.c.S. (who'll happily send you a perfect slide pBone for a mere $250.00).

[TMurphy]

The slide "breaks in"? You mean when you buy it new you're not supposed to be able to play 16th note passages at 120 bpm? 'Cause this is the reason I didn't buy it. It wasn't the sound that deterred me, it was the horrible slide. I just figured all Chinese trombones were like that. (sorry)

It seems strange to sell a brand new musical instrument and expect the buyer to go through a major period of unacceptable musical standards and physical pain on the lips to boot. Even if they are selling this as a student trombone; a student shouldn't have to deal with a slide quality which surely would only encourage bad habits.

-Patrick

$150.00

It's new technology, and it's not a metal-on metal, 500 years of construction knowledge instrument. They do work well. And, I'll bet the one you tried had a slide better than 85% of young students I've met, some with brand new instruments.

Yup. If I'm going to handing these to 4th and 5th graders, I'm pretty sure the slide is going to be more than good enough, out of the box, for what those kids will be playing for the first few months.

-TM, who refers to September as "Hot Cross Buns season."

[daytontuba]

I am the assistant director of a local community band, and two of our better trombonists have PBones (in addition to their regular horns of course!). One red, one yellow. They have used them in several rehearsals, and they sound fine (albeit we are not playing any really challenging pieces right now). We shall see as this concert year goes on how well they do.

[PMeuph]

It seems strange to sell a brand new musical instrument and expect the buyer to go through a major period of unacceptable musical standards and physical pain on the lips to boot. Even if they are selling this as a student trombone; a student shouldn't have to deal with a slide quality which surely would only encourage bad habits.

FWIW, My Yamaha euphonium, that I bought new, needed about two cleanings and a week of constant playing and oiling before it was ready to go. From what I heard, I don't think that is too much outside of the ordinary. I imagine that most people need a bit of adjusting to new horns.

[pjv]

From what I've read on trombone forums and Facebook, those who've had success have sanded there inner sleeves and clean their slides about every 5 minutes during the "honeymoon" period.

Its a shame really. There are a couple of really good carbon fiber slides out there. A $250 version with a bit better slide would be a welcome option.

Who knows, if I get a free weekend to spend on a sanding and breaking in a pBone slide, I might just take the risk and buy one. For me, its not about a cheep trombone, but about the advantages of having a plastic horn in the stable.

Cheers, Patrick

[TUBAD83]

These were being displayed at at least 6 different booths at TMEA and the kids flocked to them of course. Every band director I talked to that had tried them basically said "No F****** way is that thing coming into MY band hall". In fact, one of my band director friends told one of his trombone kids who brought one to school not bring it back...ever. Call me closed minded, but I thing they are just gross.

JJ

[Chuck Tuba]

From my experience, they are great instruments. Granted they are plastic, but they have great response and tone quality. They also bring a different color and texture to an ensemble. A good friend uses one for my institutions pep band and it can project. The slide can get some resistance but a player can easily exert more muscle to get past that. P-Bones are also pretty indestructible, I have seen one dropped multiple times with no affect to the horn or its sound.

Overall, a great horn for a beginner or clumsy player because its tough to break, very cheap, and works well given the material.

This is just one person's opinion of course but they should not be overlooked depending on a situation.

[Rick Denney]

These were being displayed at at least 6 different booths at TMEA and the kids flocked to them of course. Every band director I talked to that had tried them basically said "No F****** way is that thing coming into MY band hall". In fact, one of my band director friends told one of his trombone kids who brought one to school not bring it back...ever. Call me closed minded, but I thing they are just gross

Okay, Jerry, you are closed-minded.

Have you ever played one?

For all who have complained about the pre-break-in slide action, how do you think it compares to the standard action of, say, a Conn Prelude or Bundy trombone after enduring the loving hands of a seventh-grader for half a semester?

Rick "thinking a material that doesn't bend or break easily is not 'gross'" Denney

[J.c. Sherman]

Bingo, Rick.

Listeners are the final vote for me... and it's amazing how much audiences LIKE the sound. They're more powerful than the player thinks at first. But you listen to Jiggs play one, listen to a pro play one (there're two of us at least in Cleveland) and you see they're good horns... and after a Chinese Bach, Chinese Yamaha, or a used Bundy after 6 months... well, Rick said it. The pBone will be the lone survivor.

Did I mention how light and easy they are to hold? I know of one pro whose career has been saved due to the light weight.

J.c.S. (who thinks the Boston Symphony isn't going to play a novelty if it sounds or plays like $#!+.)

[ai698]

I bought a pBone at TMEA last week. Here's my take- It's not a Shires or Edwards. So, don't even start to compare it to any high end bones or intermediate or better student models. It's a trombone made of plastic from China that does not sound or play like a plastic trombone made in China. The slide is fiberglass with a brass tubing on the bottom of the inner slide. The brass actually shaves the fiberglass off the outer slide. That's what makes it faster. I've had it a week and the slide is getting quicker each time I play it. It even has a tuning slide, which is plastic. I'm planning on getting a set for my beginners next year. They can break. There's a seam on the bell that could pose problems. If it does break, it's a $150 trombone, not a $150 repair like I had to do for a couple of my King 600's I had to repair thanks to my 6th graders. Like someone else said, a smaller mouthpiece works better for this horn. I had a Kelly 12C that works well with it. I wouldn't use anything larger than a 6 1/2AL. Toss the mouthpiece that came with it. It is a plastic mouthpiece, not lexan like a Kelly.

For a school setting, it would be great for beginners, especially 5th or 6th graders. After they move into a "real" trombone, they could keep this at home to practice with and little brother or sister can't do much damage to it. It would be fine for marching band or pep band where a brass trombone could get damaged. I would not let them use it in a concert setting.

For an adult, get one! It's a $150 trombone that plays better than it looks. The sound is surprisingly good. Don't play trombone, learn on a pBone. Or play one along with your $3500 Shires or your $150 Chinese brass trombone with matching colored lacquer. It could be the ultimate travel trombone. The instructions says to avoid extreme temperatures. You wouldn't want to leave in on your back seat in 100°+ temps. You might come back to a pile of ex-pBone goo. For you snobs that snicker at it, try it first (reminder, don't use the mouthpiece that comes with it). After that, snicker or buy one. I didn't see Bill Watrous at TMEA snicker at it (didn't see him playing one, either).