Conn•King•Benge•Vincent Bach•Holton•possibly other

[Dan Schultz]

Selmer already owns machinery that is specifically set up to make Stradivarius trumpets and trombones. The Chinese do not. However, there are obviously a lot of good craftsman in China, because their tool and die products are quite good.

Hmmm... That's news to me I've been away from the tooling business for about three years and unless things have dramatically improved, the Chinese would be the last folks on Earth to get an injection mold (or any other kind of tool) right the first time In over ten years of building secondary tooling for automotive molded parts, I've never seen a Chinese-built mold go into a press and make a good part the first time. I will however, agree with you on one point... there are indeed excellent craftsmen in China but their work will cost you just as much as comparable domestic work.

[LoyalTubist]

Correct. Have you ever tried to use a Chinese knock-off of a pair of Vise-Grip® pliers?

[prototypedenNIS]

I'd like to point out that we get Bach Prelude trumpets that seem to be made in China... we just sold a new Bach Strad 72 trumpet made in the US... which one has valve problems including horrid threading?


We just got a "Bach" french horn (UMI) that has several dents and sloppy solder work... US made...

I'd stop saying that the Asian factories are going to start getting better, I'd say they're already there.

[NickJones]

Of the ones listed, my guess would be that Benge would be the first to go.

That would put a lot of mariachi bands out of business.

Aye Caramba....
that was my next idea for a band!!!!!

[ken k]

The enduring and sought after designs will continue.
take the trombone line for example

Conn 88H trombones will remain
Bach Strads will remain
King jazz bones will remain (i wish they'd bring back the bass bones)
unfortunately the Benge bones are gone already
Student level horns will probably end up being stenciled and cross bred, Conn and King student trombones already are. The Bach student models are still the same old Bundy designs.
Few will miss Holton trombones
Martin had the Urbie Horn, but they couldn't have sold too many at least not recently.

In the tuba dept. they really only have the Kings and the Conn.
Holton's Harvey Tuba never seemed to catch on (never played it so I can not comment on it)

Like everything else the brands will become more model specific and Conn-Selmer will become a "brand" of its own.
The botoom line is they will keep making what sells.
ken k

[windshieldbug]

I'm looking forward to the day when trumpet players will be arguing which province of China made the best bells, and how the quality of build has dropped off ever since they moved production to Africa...