Re: Mahillon BBb
Posted: Tue Jul 25, 2017 12:25 pm
I think this is the one that Howard Johnson made famous but with a forward bell. I like how the third valve slide and tubing bends back on itself like that. It looks alright, too. Dents, yes, but the ones in the removable bell and in the bell stack could be made presentable quickly by someone with tools. The enameled badge on the bell is pretty neat.
Top loader pistons and forward bells are kind of out of fashion these days but, at $650 plus shipping, this looks like a pretty good deal. I had a front bell horn at one time but, if I had one again, I would get a floor stand to put the bottom bow in when I needed to put it down. It was always a hassle to find a place to lay it on its back when I was playing with a group. The previous owners must have had a hard time with it, too, because it was moderately dent-free on the front but, on the back, it was obvious that it had been laid on its back a million and one times. I'd allow for the cost of a stand, too.
Top loader pistons and forward bells are kind of out of fashion these days but, at $650 plus shipping, this looks like a pretty good deal. I had a front bell horn at one time but, if I had one again, I would get a floor stand to put the bottom bow in when I needed to put it down. It was always a hassle to find a place to lay it on its back when I was playing with a group. The previous owners must have had a hard time with it, too, because it was moderately dent-free on the front but, on the back, it was obvious that it had been laid on its back a million and one times. I'd allow for the cost of a stand, too.