new-to-me low brass instrument

[tbn.al]

Al, what mp do you use on your .555 Olds and do you approach it as a tenor or bass?

I play it as a tenor with a 3G and when I use it as a bass for light orchestral stuff I use a 1 1/2G. I've tried the Schilke 57/58 but it seems to prefer the Bach mp's. It is my main tenor horn and with the 3G it plays like one. It never really feels like a bass even with a 1 1/2G in it.

Maybe I should relent and let bloke pretty up my O-99 while he un-fubars it. That is some nice looking work on that Reynolds.

[Kevin Hendrick]

In a soft sweet whisper he uttered, "Close your eyes and take a trip to the dark side. A gold plated 60 is just the ticket. Bob and I love the sound. You will too."

Not gonna happen. Waaay too big for a horn like this. This is an older designed horn, works best with smaller mouthpieces, with a 1 1/2 G being about the largest that would work to achieve the desired timbre.

Well, I guess a Loud LM-30 or Marcinkiewicz 107 would be right out, then (and a Bobo TT even more so)?

Seriously, your Kelly 1-1/2G is a good choice -- *nice* mouthpiece! I have one for euphonium and alphorn playing (along with a 5G for those times when that's more appropriate). Very solid low range, good pitch, good high range.

[Kevin Hendrick]

This is your bass trombone:

This is your bass trombone after Bloke:

Any questions?




(more to come after TubeNet fast ends)

That is one beautiful instrument, Marty! Even more so now that Joe's worked on it. Thanks for the pics!

[tubapete]

If I were you, I'd ask to get the slide back too.

[MartyNeilan]

Marty, how do you set the 2 valve slides (longer one all the way in, and use the shorter one for regular tuning?)

BOB!
Missed you, buddy

You are correct: The long one usually stays all the way in, and I pull the short one about 1/2"-5/8". This lets me play a second space C in trigger first and still be able to grab a low C at the bottom of the slide. Unlike the Getzen/Edwards, these Reynolds have a pretty long slide, similar to the vintage Conn 70h/72h's. Only tradeoff with that tuning is that trigger 1 is way too flat for low F; 6 works fine.
For a genuine low B, I pull the second slide almost all the way out. This gives me a solid low B at the very bottom of the slide, no lipping required. With this tuning I can play a second line B trigger 1st if I push the slide all the way in (slide springs are nice) and lip up a little. Low E is only available 7. I could probably also pull the shorter tuning slide some and line up low Eb in trigger 1, but then I would have my second line B only in a low 7, and I would have to reset two slides after a quick change.
While a double trigger obviously makes things easier, all the notes are still there, the horn blows and sounds great, and it is a whole lot more comfortable.