Vintage and Custom Trombones2024-01-30T09:43:14+01:00

Swisstbone

GREAT VINTAGE AND CUSTOM TROMBONES

Trombones for sale:

New trombones

Selling used vintage and custom trombones is still at the heart of Swisstbone! But I’m very happy to also be a dealer for the magnificent Y-Fort trombones and the splendid Shires Q-Series trombones! Visit the shop page to see my selection.

Used trombones

Yamaha YSL871 Custom alto trombone

Are you considering taking up alto trombone playing and want to ensure you don’t end up with subpar gear that you’ll regret as you advance in skill? Well, I’ve got something for you!

The YSL871 Custom alto was first introduced in 1982 and was in production for several years during the eighties. Yamaha recently reintroduced a similar alto trombone with the same model number, potentially causing confusion. However, the one I’m offering is definitely from the older series, recognized for its ease of play. Switching from tenor to this one is relatively straightforward!

It features a 0.470-0.490 dual-bore yellow brass slide and a one-piece yellow brass bell. The instrument is in excellent condition, with the lacquer starting to develop some patina, giving it a distinctive look that some might even find better than new!

Price: 2050$
1885 EUR
1770 CHF

Throja “Weite 3” tenor trombone

Throja trombones is one of the big players in the german trombone market. In 2006 Thomas Robert Jahn (THROJA), started working on a series of german trombones of the highest levels. Nowadays trombonists all over the world trust Throja when looking for a high class german trombone.

The Throja Weite 3 is aimed at the “Wechselposaunist” – a player changing from tenor to bass trombone and back. But it can easily also be used on first trombone as the excellent Olaf Ott of the Berlin Philharmonic does. This one has a 0.522 / 0.547 dual bore slide of nickel silver and a gold brass slide crook – it still takes a large shank mouthpiece also with the smaller bore of the upper slide. The bell is a 9 inch gold brass bell with a 3 inch Kranz and a gold brass tuning slide. The valve looks really small but let me assure you, it doesn’t play small at all!

This Throja trombone is in excellent condition! The initial owner purchased it in 2016, and it is evident that they took exceptional care of it – no scratches, no dents, nothing. As for the sound, it is truly an exceptional experience! It plays effortlessly with a round, warm tone across the entire register. Unlike some other German instruments, the partials on this trombone align easily, reminiscent of American trombones, making the transition smooth.

Comes with a nice Marcus Bonna Bag.

Price: 4550 EUR
4890 USD
4230 CHF

Adams TB1 tenor trombone with Edwards slide

Here’s one more Adams TB1 for you, and this one comes with a Hagmann valve and a yellow brass bell. It’s an interesting combination because it’s matched up with an Edwards TBC36 slide. The result is a trombone that feels very solid and produces a deep, dark orchestral sound.

This instrument is in fantastic condition and ready to rock your next gig!

Price: 2520$
2320 CHF
2405 EUR

Thein Universal bass trombone, Kruspe style

Holy cow! This is the beauty queen of my collection right now! A beautiful Thein Universal bass trombone – independent Hagmann valves, Kruspe style screw bell (23.5 cm), 1 cm Kranz… What more do you want? Ah yeah, there’s an interchangeable leadpipe – Model NYL Z is included.

Condition: As you can see there is some lacquer wear, especially on the slide. The bell section is in excellent condition. The valves are clean, fast and silent. The slide is in excellent condition. Comes with a really nice flat MB case. Ready for your next gig!

Accessories: Comes with two leadpipes, a Thein handrest, and an additional Gb tuning slide for the second valve, allowing you to play it as a G or a Gb attachment.

Price: 7030$
6500 EUR
6070 CHF

Thein Soloist tenor trombone

This is an absolutely stunning trombone! The Thein Soloist model was created with the idea of having the ease of playability of American trombones combined with the sound we know from German trombones. It does that job really well! I have no issues at all with switching from my usual american large bores to this Thein. Of course – the sound changes – but that’s what it’s made for.

This one is in really excellent condition. The bell section is entirely made from the custom Kruspe metal, the Hagmann valve is fast and silent as is the slide. No dings or dents, lacquer is very nice.

Price: 5285$
4800 EUR
4610 CHF

Lidl/Hagmann custom contrabass trombone

Here’s something you really don’t see every day! This contrabass trombone in F probably started life in the 1930’s as a contrabass trombone made by Lidl in Brno, in the Czech Republic. Somehow it found it’s way to Switzerland and it’s owner had some cool plans for it! It now features two independent Hagmann valves wich put it to C and D. Both valves together give you a BBb. The famous Bartok glissando is a piece of cake on this one!

There are 7 usable positions if you want to use the handle, otherwise you can probably use 5 positions. The slide inners are not chrome plated but slide action is really good. As usual on those old horns, the slide brace isn’t fixed. That means the outers are free floating wich actually helps with slide action. That slide is far too long to reach for you spit valve. So it has a siphon wich simply empties spit when you put the slide to the floor.

Slide bore is quite small at around .525 inches. So it takes a small shank mouthpiece, wich you would take with a contrabass cup of course… Two more details about the slide: it’s spring loaded and there’s a German slide lock so you can’t accidentally loose your outer slide on a fast passage. It just blocks around 7th position, if you can get there…

The trombone is unlacquered and starts having a nice patina, you could polish it if you want it to be shiny, but I prefer that look. All work has been done in 2002 at the shop of Mr. Hagmann in Geneva.

REDUCED PRICE:

4250 USD
3900 CHF
3750 EUR

Sold trombones

Here you can see some trombones I sold recently. If any of those trombones is of interest to you, contact me. I may well be able to source another one for you!

Adams TB 1 tenor trombone

The Adams team has built a good reputation for their craftsmanship in creating top-notch custom trombones. What we have here is the Adams TB1 Open Flow trombone, featuring the Meinlschmidt open flow valve. This instrument produces a remarkable orchestral sound, thanks to its yellow brass bell and lightweight dual bore slide.

If you’re not yet familiar with this particular trombone, I’d recommend checking out the detailed information available on the Adams website; it’s quite informative.

Regarding its condition, it’s safe to say this trombone is in excellent shape, with hardly any noticeable wear or scratches to speak of.

Price: 2627$
2420 CHF
2510 EUR

Getzen 4047DS Custom Reserve

If you’re interested in all the marketing jargon, you can head over to the Getzen website. But let me tell you, this trombone plays! In fact, it might just be the best-playing Bach-style horn I’ve ever had the pleasure of playing.

Price: 2640$
2430 CHF
2520 EUR

Thein Universal 2 tenor trombone

Another stunning Thein Universal 2 tenor trombone! Frankly – probably one of the best playing tenor trombones I’ve ever played! Crisp articulations, big sound, nice core, easy high range, thundering low range… it does it all.

And as you can see from the pictures, it is in really good condition. Hardly some lacquer wear, no dings, no dents – nothing. And of course the Hagmann valve and the slide are fast and silent. Single bore slide comes with an S1L and an S1 leadpipe. The MB case has been signed by Jörgen van Rijen – so you even get some extra bling.

Price: 4900 $
4666 EUR
4500 CHF

Thein Spain tenor trombone

Here’s a nice find – a Thein large bore tenor trombone! Based on an old Kruspe design, this trombone has been updated with a Hagmann valve section, much like the renowned Spain model by Thein. The instrument is in pristine condition, with no dings, dents, or scratches – it’s not new, but you’ll be hard pressed to find another one in this condition!

The valve is quick and silent and the slide is smooth. The trombone also comes with a cool MB case.

Price: 3950$
3550 EUR
3550 CHF

Kruspe Virtuosa tenor trombone

Here’s one for those looking for a nice german trombone. A Kruspe Virtuosa tenor trombone! At least I think it’s a Virtuosa… it features a .430/.480 dual bore slide and a 9 inches bell with a 2.75 inches Kranz.

The brass is in really nice condition, no dents or particular scratches. The Kranz on the bell flare needed some attention and has been thoughtfully restored by one of the finest craftsmen in Switzerland, Aron Vajna. The slide hasn’t probably seen much use these last years and isn’t the fastest right now. The inners are unplated and look a little worn, but they are straight and parallel.

Price: 1875$
1865 CHF
1880 EUR

Corporation Bach 42b, #28xxx

Here’s a nice Corporation Bach 42b tenor trombone from the late 70’s. Not a lot to say about it. It’s in excellent condition: no scratches, no dents, only very little lacquer wear. The yellow brass slide (not a lightweigh slide!) works great and the valve does what it should. Nice horn for the vintage Bach fans!

Price: 2780 $
2600 EUR
2565 CHF

Conn 8H SPEC – Coprion bell

Here’s an absolute rarity! A Conn 8H SPEC from 1941 with a Coprion bell!

If you visit my website you probably know that Conn experimented a lot with materials, alloys etc before they settled on the popular models we all know today. Some of the prototypes out of these experiments made it to the market and they are marked as “SPEC”. This particular trombone is pretty much a standard 8H, but instead of the rose brass bell, it features a smaller Coprion bell.

Coprion is 100% pure copper electrolitically deposited on a stainless steel form. This creates a seamless bell wich gives a nice dark, velvety sound that holds together really well even at high dynamics. Read more about the Coprion bell at The Conn Loyalist.

For an 80 years old instrument, this trombone is in outstanding condition. There’s one point of Conn wear on the inner slide but the slide is still pretty good – more than useable as a daily driver. There’s some lacquer wear and it looks like the handgrip area has been touched up with some chrome plating – actually a very good idea! This is probably more of a collectors item, but it’s also an absolutely usable trombone if you are looking for a nice straight large bore trombone.

Price: 1950$
1805 CHF
1800 EUR

1969 Elkhart Conn 88H tenor trombone

Here’s a beautiful 1969 Elkhart Conn 88H trombone with serial number M15xxx. This vintage instrument is in great condition, with only some minimal lacquer wear and small scratches. No dents or evidence of major repairs. No Conn wear on the inner slides. The slide and valve are both in really good condition, fast and slient. Really a nice opportunity if you’re looking for a good vintage Conn.

Price: 2300$
2130 CHF
2125 EUR

Mount Vernon Bach 50b bass trombone

Here’s the Bass Trombone of your dreams, straight from my personal collection – a Mount Vernon Bach 50B! This instrument is in exceptional condition, with only minimal lacquer wear. The bell is in excellent shape, I don’t think it ever needed any repair. The tuning slides are in great condition and work flawlessly. The valve is silent and quick, while the slide is really smooth, with no signs of repair.

This Bass Trombone is truly a rare find!

Price: 4650$
4310 CHF
4295 EUR

Corporation Bach 42b open wrap

Here’s a killer deal on a great trombone! It started it’s life as a traditional Corporation Bach 42b. I don’t know who did the work to make it open wrapped, but the work has been done really well. It blows really open and articulations are great on this one! No lacquer on the bell section, so it will tarnish nicely.

I had it services some days ago so it’s in top notch condition. Ready to play.

Price: 1540$
1460 EUR
1500 CHF

Kühnl & Hoyer Big Band Bass

Here is a top notch bass trombone designed by Martin van den Berg and Kühnl & Hoyer: The model “Big Band Bass”.

On all K&H trombones one aspect sticks out to me: They are really comfortable to hold! The curved bracings really help with ergonomics. Craftmanship is top notch. Specs: All yellow brass, dependent valves – one with a heavy valve cap, 9,5 inch bell. Nice trombone with a really nice sound! Can you use it as a big band instrument only? Not at all! It’s sound is very versatile and you can fit in wherever you want of course. Where it really shines – to me – is with the warmth it has in it’s sound.

This one has been serviced recently and is ready to go. Some smal scratches on the lacquer, but other than that, it’s absolutely mint!

Price: 3380$
3200 EUR
3300 CHF

Thein Universal bass trombone

Ok. I may be a little excited here. But it isn’t every day you can sell a Thein Universal bass trombone! This is the stuff a bass trombonists dreams are made of – but let’s keep it objective.
This Thein Universal is in great condition. Small areas of lacquer wear and tiny mute pings on the detachable bell flare. Otherwise it’s quite perfect. And it plays great – but do I really need to say that talking about a Thein?
Details: All yellow brass, screwbell, independent Hagmann valves in F/D. Comes with a nice and compact Marcus Bonna case.

Price: 8530 $
7800 EUR
7930 CHF

Yamaha YBL620G bass trombone

When taking pictures of my trombones I often get a little frustrated. As I try to show you all minor imperfections, often times the pictures look worse than the trombones look in real life. Well not this time! This Yamaha YSL620G bass trombone is in pretty much perfect condition. Some tiny little scratches on the bell section – I can’t even picture them – and two very small creases on the bell stem. The slide crook had some meetings with music stands, but other than that this bass trombone is in outstanding condition.
Features: 9 1/2″ gold brass bell, yellow brass body, nickel silver slide, dependent F/D valves. Through a quite ingenious design you can also put it in F/Eb.
So, how does it play? I think I actually never played a Yamaha bass before, so I was curious to try this YSL620G out. First play test: “Wow, this is nice!” Second play test: “Oh I really like that!”. Third play test… well, you get the idea. I like it. Sounds big and dark but still has that nice core I am looking for in a bass trombone sound.
Buy a new Yamaha YSL620G from Yamaha for more than 6’000$ or get this one at a radically better price!

Price: 2350$
2150 EUR
2160 CHF

Holton TR159 trombone

What is it? A big tenor trombone? A small bass trombone? Who cares! This Holton TR159 does it all!

Why? Because it’s really mouthpiece sensitive. Put a 5G in it and it will work perfectly fine as a tenor trombone. Take a 1 1/2G and you can play bass trombone all day. The nice red brass bell takes care of you if you “go over the top”.

This one has seen some use as you can tell from the wear on the chrome plated slide handgrip area and the lacquer wear throughout. The valve action is ok. Slide also – could use a tune-up but absolutely playable as is.

It really is a nice player. I’m used to big bass trombones, so switching to this baby is actually easier than switching to my Bach 42.

Price drop!
Previously: 1380$, Now: 1080$!
Previously: 1245 EUR, Now: 1000 EUR!
Previously: 1269 CHF, Now 1035 CHF!

Schagerl Fontana tenor trombone

Here’s something you don’t see every day. I actually don’t think I’ve ever seen one on the used market. It’s a Schagerl Fontana large bore tenor trombone.

Schagerl produces fine handmade brass instruments in Austria. They have quite an illustrious artist roaster with Zoltan Kiss, James Morrison, Thomas Gansch and – of course – Argentinian trombone star Lito Fontana. The Fontana model was developed in a 2 year collaboration with Lito and has some quite unique features!

A gold brass bell with a yellow brass slide – nothing fancy so far. The slide crook is in gold brass, as is the valve section. As you can see in this particular exemplary, the bell section is unlacquered.

The valve wrap is really unique as are the ferrules and the bracing design. I also have never seen a tuning slide with this design where one of the tuning slide legs goes into a sort of guide. Works really nicely!

So if you want to sound like Lito – go practice! If you want to have the same horn as Lito, this is it!

Price: 2940$
2655 EUR
2705 CHF

Corporation Bach Extravaganza #4: Vintage Bach 42G

The last of the Corporation Bach extravaganza! Another 42G in good vintage condition. This one has more scratches and lacquer wear than the one from the #3 extravaganza. But it plays just as well.

Unfortunately the bell brace is a little out of alignment bringing the light weight slide nearer to the bell rim. But you get used to it pretty quickly. Slides and valve are fast and quiet.

Price: 2480$
2190 EUR
2300 CHF

Corporation Bach Extravaganza #3: Bach 42G in excellent condition

Corporation Bach Extravaganza #3: Bach 42G in excellent condition! Corporation Bach’s with the gold brass bell are probably the most asked for trombones at Swisstbone. And I can understand why! The gold brass bell gives a nice warmth and presence to the sound you simply can’t achieve on a yellow brass bell.

This exemplary is no exception. Made around 1978 this is in very good condition! Some lacquer wear and scratches on the lightweight slide and two spots of acid bleed around the bell rim. But other than that it looks great. And it’s of course gig ready out of the box!

Price: 2650$
2380 EUR
2500 CHF

Corporation Bach Extravaganza #2: 42b yellow brass with standard weight slide

Part 2 of the Corporation Bach extravaganza! A 42b with yellow brass bell and standard weight slide – most corporations I had so far came with a lightweight slide.

According to the serial number this has been made around 1976. Slides and valve are fast, some lacquer wear and scratches – but nothing bad for a trombone of this vintage. The first bell brace is a little out of alignment wich brings the slide nearer to the bell. But once you get used to this, it isn’t really a problem.

Price: 2160$
1910 EUR
2010 CHF

Corporation Bach Extravaganza #1: 42b yellow brass bell!

Ok! So let’s start a 4 part Bach corporation extravaganza with this nice 42b yellow brass bell in really nice condition. Some dings were taken out of the flare and the lacquer still shows signs of that repair. But otherwise the bell section is in really nice condition. All original lacquer, valve section works perfectly. No dings or dents on the tuning slides or on the body.

According to the engraving, this should be a standard yellow brass bell. I must say, however, I can not see any difference in color to the two 42G bells that I also sell. If it’s a yellow brass bell, it has darkened a lot!

If you’re a fan of those vintage Bach’s and have a nice slide lying around, this might be the ticket to create an awesome Bach.

Price: 1850$
1620 EUR
1700 CHF

1934 Conn 70H, Dick Nash

Unfortunately – or fortunately for the buyer – this trombone is already sold. But it is so nice, I just have to document it – and brag a little about it!

It is one of several trombones a customber asked me to find for him – a Conn 70H. And – with a little help from my friends – I was able to find 2 70H’s, this one and the silver one for sale here.

Turns out this 70H belonged to the trombone legend Dick Nash! Dick sold it through the Hornguys in 2007. Here’s a snippet from when they sold it:

Holy S*#!!!! A near mint condition Conn 70H. This bass trombone is not only one of the most rare and sought after models, but it also belongs to Dick Nash, famous studio trombonist. We were all speechless when he brought this in to the store. The serial number on this horn is 295XX making this specimen from 1934.  The slide is perfect and there are no dents anywhere (some evidence of tiny dents in the F wrap, repaired). The bell is beautiful, never been damaged or repaired. The engraving is clear and crisp. Looks like it is original lacquer and has darkened to a nice patina (could have been relacquered at some point but it was done a long time ago). This  bass plays amazing!

Well, I can’t add a lot to that. The instrument is still in absolutely amazing condition and plays like a dream. I call it “the song horn”. Every time I picked it up, I just had to play some ballads that came to my mind. I rarely ever experienced something like that on any other trombone.

And another legend may have owned that trombone: George Roberts! One of the owners before me had a letter from Dick Nash stating, it was sold to him, but that letter was lost somewhere on an old hard drive. But there’s some more evidence for it: Commenting the great recording “Art Pepper + Eleven” on Amazon, user “ddsbstrb” writes in 2012:

For those of you who are trombone-players and bass trombone players, that is Dick Nash on bass bone. According to Dick’s story, George Roberts was busy on these session-dates and I believe sold Dick one of his extra Conn 70H’s and Dick went on the session and sounded…….great, as you can hear! I ask Dick about this, at an International Trombone Festival, out in Salt Lake and Dick relayed the story of how he ended up on bass bone for this historical event.

ddsbstrb: If you read this, I’d love to hear from you!

As I said, this baby is on it’s way to a happy new owner. But I am pretty sure, I’ll regret it.

Yamaha YSL681B tenor trombone

The Yamaha YSL 681B has been developped by Yamaha and Ian Bousfield and is the straight version of the 682B. It features a yellow brass slide and a gold brass bell. It’s probably based on a good Conn 8h as Mr. Bousfield played Conn trombones a lot.

This one is in ok condition. A good polish would take it visually to the next level, but I like trombones with character! The tuning slide is completely unlacquered and looks like it had some dent repair, lacquer is a little worn. The slide is good and silent. This is actually a pretty good sounding large bore trombone. It definitely makes me think of a Conn 8h.

Price: 675 $
605 EUR
625 CHF

Hagmann custom tenor trombone

Hagmann does not only build trombone valves, but you can also get to their shop and they will build you a trombone out of the different pieces you like. This is one of those custom trombones featuring a yellow brass Courtois bell, a Bach 42 slide and of course a Hagmann valve. The vibrabell system allows the bell to vibrate more freely and makes it really easy to assemble and disassemble the bell section. It’s a great concept wich I use myself on my daily drivers on tenor and bass trombone.

This particular trombone is in excellent condition. The bell section is unlacquered without any dents or scratches. The slide is in excellent condition, fast and silent. As is the valve of course.

Price: 3850$
3410 EUR
3550 CHF

Silver Conn 70h

This is the beauty queen of today’s photo shooting! A very nice Conn 70H! The two tone silver finish is gorgeous and in very nice shape except some spots where the lacquer has come off. When it came to me it was nearly entirely black, after a very light polish it looks really nice again.

I initially posted this trombone as being from 1966 wich is of course impossible since Conn discontinued the 70H after 1955. The serial number on the slide handgrip of the slide indicates H41xxx. Also the metal on that section looks slighty different. So that makes me think, the slide grip may have been replaced sometime. The outer slide looks original to me as do the slide inners.

This remains us with the question, when this trombone was made. The engraving on it may indicate it is from before 1945. A previous owner also contacted me with some precious info on it. It looks like this trombone was originally owned by the bass trombonist of the Oslo Philharmonic in the 1950’s, Lyder Vengboe. It may very well be the bass trombone played on this recording of the Grieg Piano Concerto from 1961: https://youtu.be/9tc0ljAFMCU

And those two pictures seem to indicate that he already played that Conn in 1952 on a tour in Norway:

So it is at least from before 1952. Nice shape for being that old!

Slide and valve are fast and silent although there is some wear on one of the slide inners. This is the “long slide, short bell” version and it produces a glorious sound!

Price: 2125$
1890 EUR
1960 CHF

Corporation Bach 50BL

Check this out! A really nice Corporation Bach 50BL in excellent original condition. It features a 10.5 inch yellow brass bell, two dependent valves (F/Eb) and of course a .562 slide. Everything is in nice shape, the slide is good, the valves are fast and silent. Ready to play!

Some small blemishes: One ding on the bell stem and a smaller one on the tuning slide. Some scratches, but for a horn made in the 70’s this one is still really nice!

Price: 2550$
2250 EUR
2350 CHF

Elkhart Conn 88H, 1968

A classic Elkhart Conn from probably around 1968.

It’s in very nice shape. Really not a lot of wear or traces of repair. No Conn wear on the inner slides and no rattling on certain tones as you can hear on a lot of Elkharts. The geometry is a little out of whack as the slide tenon seems a tiny little bit off angle wich brings the slide rather near to the bell. But it’s a quick fix or you can get used to it rather quickly.

Price: 1970$
1700 EUR
1800 CHF

Original Greenhoe tenor trombone

If you are here you probably know how good Greenhoe trombones are. And the exemplaries from back when Gary Greenhoe was still running the business, have become very sought after. Here’s your opportunity to get an original Greenhoe large bore tenor trombone in really nice condition – original means not a Greenhoe Schilke.

Some history on Greenhoe: Gary Greenhoe founded his business in 2001 and Greenhoe trombones became rapidly known as instruments of the highest quality. Gary patented a new valve – wich was also used by Shires if I recall right.

Turns out this is actually a bit of Greenhoe trombone history! When I posted this trombone in the classifieds section over at the TromboneChat, Matthew Walker – owner of M&W custom trombones – posted an interesting answer:

I remember making that trombone. It was the only one sold with a one piece red brass bell!

Matthew worked at Greenhoe prior to it’s closing in 2012. Imagine how much attention he put into that trombone bell to still remember it after so many years!

The trombone features a red brass Greenhoe bell, lexan valve cap and a nickel silver light weight slide. All slides and the valve work perfectly. There’s some lacquer wear throughout the instrument and the bell has some tiny “mute kisses”. Quite a lot of acid bleed around the bell rim. Comes with an older style MB case. Some people prefer heavier valve caps – from what I know, the valve caps from the Greenhoe by Schilke trombones should fit this trombone too.

It’s a really nice sounding trombone wich makes me think of a middleway between a Conn 88H and a Bach 42. Somehow the red brass bell in combination with the larger slide crook has to do something to it.

Price:
4440 $
3830 EUR
4145 CHF

Corporation Bach 42B from 1976

Can I say it one more time? I like vintage Bach trombones. And this one is no exception. It simply plays!

According to the serial number this Corporation 42B has been made around 1976. It is really exceptionnaly clean. No real dents or scratches. A little lacquer wear as you might expect, but for a horn that old it is in great condition. The slide and the valve action are excellent, tuning slides move freely and easily.

The original contoured Bach case is like new. I don’t think it ever left the house!

Price:
2720$
2350 EUR
2545 CHF

King 4B tenor trombone

Here’s the next one in the series: “can you find this for me?”. A King 4B tenor trombone in really nice condition!

Have a look at all the distinctive details the King 4B features! The bent cross brace, the under the thumb trigger, the finger ring on the slide etc etc. By the way, if you have small hands and are looking for a comfortable to hold large bore tenor, this may fit you very well!

This one has gotten to me all the way from the US and will be sent to it’s new happy owner in Germany tomorrow.

Shires large bore tenor trombone

Here’s a nice playing Shires large bore setup! 1G bell, Axial valve and a TB47NLW slide. Let me know what leadpipe you’d prefer and I’ll see what I can do.

The bell flare and the slide are basically new. They have only been used 4 or 5 times for testing. The valve section is slightly used, the f-tuning slide is delacquered.

Price:
2800$
2400 EUR
2600 CHF

Bach 42G Friedman

Together with Jay Friedman Bach developed this tenor trombone model around a lightweight 42G bell, a thayer valve and a .562 slide. Basically it’s a light gold brass bell with a bass trombone slide. Perfect if you are looking for that big orchestral sound. Keep away if you struggle with efficiency though, the .562 slide needs a lot of air!

This one is in nice condition. Lacquer is 99% intact. A tiny dent on the slide bow. Valve and slide are fast and quiet.

Price:
3000$
2600 EUR
2800 CHF

Greenhoe Bach 42G tenor trombone

For all those guys looking for that elusive Corporation 42G, here’s something event better! A 2011 Greenhoe Bach 42G bell section with a nickel lightweight slide from the Corporation era. Comes with two tuning slides for the F valve: The original in yellow brass and one made by Matthias Hölle made in red brass. This horn plays! Classic Bach 42 sound with the playability of a modern valve.

Yes. 2011 means original Greenhoe. Not Greenhoe by Schilke.

SALE PENDING

Rath R3F tenor trombone

Holy moly this is a flexible trombone! Got a symphony gig and a Salsa band on the same day? This horn will do it all.

The 745G gold brass bell gives this trombone a nice, warm sound. It can be really dark if you want it to but also let’s you color the sound however you want. It just does what you want. The Rotax valve is fast and quiet. Don’t need the valve? No problem, switch to the straight gooseneck. AND the .525/.547 slide comes with a small shank and a large shank leadpipe. I used this as a quintet horn, 2nd trombone in a british style brass band, first in wind orchestra, some jazz… you name it.

Quite a lot of lacquer wear and scratches throughout, but no big dents. Slide, tuning slides and valve are fast. It doesn’t look good, but it still has a lot of music in it. I nearly kept this one for myself…

Price:
3125 USD
2670 EUR
2950 CHF

Elkhart Conn 35H alto trombone

Here is a real collectors item, but one that play so well, it deserves to be played!

The Conn 35H is considered as one of the best altos ever made. It’s dual bore slide and the tuning in slide mechanism make it stand out from most other alto designs.

This one is in pretty much mint condition. Even the paperwork Conn sent with the horn is included!

SOLD

Shires custom medium bore setup

Shires custom medium bore trombone setup. Like all the other Shires stuff I have for sale, this one is in excellent condition. Specs:

  • TW25 slide
  • M2 leadpipe
  • Rotary valve section
  • Gold brass tuning slide
  • 1G bell

Please contact me if you are interested in parts only or want to mix and match any of those parts with the other Shires parts I have for sale.

Rarely played and serviced in February 2021. Just waiting for your next gig!

Price: 2750$

Shires custom large bore setup

This is a really nice Shires custom large bore setup in excellent condition. The bell has some acid bleed around the rim, but otherwise it’s really nice. The setup consists of:

  • TB47 NLW slide
  • Shires 1 leadpipe
  • Rotary valve section
  • Yellow brass tuning slide
  • 1G bell

Of course, if you are interested in switching some parts with anything else I have for sale, that’s possible.

Price: 3192 $

Yamaha YBL 620G bass trombone

If you asked me what bass trombone you should buy to start on the instrument, this would be one of my top choices. Easy playing, nice bass trombone sound and it can last you a lifetime even as a pro bass trombone player.

This Yamaha YBL 620G has probably seen very little use and in excellent condition. A tiny bit of lacquer wear here or there, but no dings or scratches. The slide is lightning fast and the valves are excellent.

Price: 3577$ or 2995 EUR

Yamaha YSL891Z Custom tenor trombone

Now this is a funny little horn! The Yamaha YSL891Z Custom was developed with Andy Martin and Wycliffe Gordon it comes with 2 leadpipes: The LA pipe developed by Andy and the NY pipe developed by Wycliffe.

Yamaha really did a great job with this one! It plays really evenly through all ranges, it can bite, it can pop, it can sing. Really versatile! But the highlight for me is that really cool counterweight!

This one is only very lightly used. There is a small dent on the tuning slide, besides that it is pretty much mint.

Price: 1720 $ or 1420 EUR

Thein Universal 2 Tenor trombone

Here’s a nice example of what I can do if someone needs a great horn. The story goes like this:

“Hey man, can you find me a Thein tenor trombone?” “Sure I can!” And some weeks later this baby turns up at your door.

Not much to say about this nice trombone. It is in absolutely fantastic condition and plays as you’d expect from a Thein – great! It feels very solid and it’s really easy to get a big orchestral sound out of it. Kind of like it has been built in…

This one features a Hagmann valve and a screw bell. The case is so small, people could think you are a viola player!

Price: 4915 $ or 4150 EUR

SOLD

Corporation Bach 42B with Marston valve

Now here’s a rare gem! A Bach 42B Corporation with a valve made by Bernie Marston. Those are the valves used on the legendary Mount Vernon Bach trombones, they are just a little bigger than the valves Bach used afterwards. Only a few trombones of the Corporation era with that valve exist. As you can see the brass used on the valve section is just a little more red than the rest of the horn.

The instrument is in great condition with only a little lacquer wear.

Price: 3050$ or 2500 EUR

Corporation Bach 42B, late 70’s

A nice Bach 42b from the Corporation era. Certainly built around 1977. As you know, I am a fan of Corporation Bach’s so I won’t tell you how well they play, how well they where built etc…

This one has the “standard” features, a yellow brass bell, yellow brass slide, yellow brass valve section. Lacquer wear all around, so it’s not a beauty anymore. But the slide and valve action are still really good. So this one is ready to go out of the box.

Price: 2805$ or 2300 EUR

Yamaha YSL-871 alto trombone

One of the top notch professional alto trombones, the Yamaha YSL-871 Custom.

It features a .470/490 dual bore nickel silver slide with a yellow brass crook and a yellow brass bell section. This instrument is in excellent condition. One tiny ding on the bell flare, lacquer is 99.9% intact. This might be your entry horn into the world of alto trombones, but it could also be the only alto you’ll ever need.

Price: 1912$
SALE PENDING

Rath R4F with Rotax valve

She is  not a beauty queen anymore, but this Rath R4F plays!

Featuring a 750R bell, a yellow brass Rotax valve section and a yellow brass slide. The slide doesn’t look that well with a lot of lacquer wear, but I have to say it is one of the fastest slides I had so far! Some lacquer wear on the valve section also, the bell flare looks excellent!

SALE PENDING

Kühnl & Hoyer Bart van Lier .500

And another Kühnl & Hoyer finds it’s way to my shop!

K&H developed 7 trombone models together with trombone soloist Bart van Lier. This is the model .500 with a yellow brass bell, nickel silver slide, extremeley ergonomic handgrip and a detachable counterweight wich looks really cool!

This instrument is in pristine condition. No dings, no dents, no scratches, no lacquer wear. Virtually new! If you are looking for a great .500 bore trombone, this might be it!

Price: 1915$

Corporation Bach 42

Here’s a super clean straight Corporation Bach 42. Not a lot to say about it. It is in great condition and play really well. Serial number puts it in about 1973. The slide is really smooth, it has some lacquer wear and some tiny red points on the slide outer, nothing to be worried about for a horn of this vintage. The bell section has one small scar on the flare, besides that it is pristine. No dings or dents on the tuning slide or on the slide crook.

Price: 1540$

Large bore Kruspe trombone

Now here is something you don’t see every day! This is a Kruspe trombone – probably model Penzel – from before 1918 in excellent condition! It is made of yellow brass and has a large bore – similar to a modern Bach 42. The bell features a wide Kranz and is approximately 9.5 inches wide. The engraving says “Ed. Kruspe, Hoflieferant”. The inner slide seems to be original, but chrome plated afterwards.

For an instrument of this age, it is in exceptional condition. No dings, no dents, not even scratches. I suspect it hasn’t been played in a long time as the slide is quite scratchy as of now. But it gets better day by day.

SOLD

Shires Blair Bollinger bass trombone

This baby eats trumpets for breakfast and french horns for dessert! Great symphonic sound!

A Shires Blair Bollinger custom bass trombone with independent Axial valves, a Bollinger bell, a B62-78 BOL dual bore slide and three leadpipes (B2, B3 and 1.5). Valves and slide work great, some small spots of lacquer wear on the back of the valve, but other than that she is in pristine condition.

Like the two other Shires trombones I have for sale, this one came to me from a shop in Paris, France which had to close due to the Corona-crisis. I don’t think this horn has been played at all as the thumb rest hasn’t even been fixed with the screw yet. So this is basically a new trombone.

Wanna sound like Blair Bollinger? This is it!

Price: 6000$
SALE PENDING

Shires Michael Davis trombone

The 3b killer is here! The Shires MD has been developed together with trombone virtuoso Michael Davis. An easy to play small bore trombone – even for me!

This one is absolutely new, so no dings no dents no nothing. Two leadpipes included (T85 1 & T85 2). If you are looking for a great small bore trombone that can do it all, this is it!

Price: 3595$

Shires Custom Tenor trombone

DEMO-CONDITION!

If you are on this site I probably don’t have to tell you with how much love and care Shires trombones are built, and this one is no exception. It comes with a 7YLW bell, a TB47NLW slide and 3 leadpipes (1, 2 & 3).

Until now this horn lived in the closet of a music shop in Paris, France. Unfortunately – due to the Corona crisis – the shop had to close and I am selling the remaining stock of trombones. It’s a sad story, but the good part of it is, that the trombone is basically new! Besides some small dings around the valve it is in pristine condition.

Get yourself a basically new Shires custom at a really nice price!

Price: 4950$

Shires Q30YR Tenor trombone

DEMO-CONDITION!

The Shires Q30 trombone is a more affordable version of the Shires Custom trombones. This one is in absolutely pristine condition, valve and slide action are very good. Looks like new, plays like new. All pieces of the Q series can also be used on a Shires custom.

Just like the two other Shires trombones I have for sale, this one was displayed in a now closed shop in Paris, France. From the looks I’d say it was maybe used as a demo one or two times and that’s it.

Price: 2600$

Corporation Bach 42B with Instrument Innovations valve

This is a nice Corporation Bach 42B with an Instrument Innovations valve.

Really good sounding horn. It does all you ask of a really good Bach. This one seems to have a beautiful sound built in… Don’t know how to tell it otherwise, it just sings nicely in all ranges and all dynamics. The pianissimo dynamics speak particularly easy to me.

It is in really good condition. The slide and valve action are excellent, no dings, only some small scars. It is all raw brass and is already developing that nice patina. I’ll say it one more time: A very well playing Bach!

Comes with the original french style Corporation era Bach case.

Price: 2340$

Thein Universal Bass trombone

This instrument was off the market for the last few months as I held it back for a friend. Unfortunately the sale fell through, so that means you have yet another chance at this great trombone!

Here is an incredibly well playing single valve bass trombone! This Thein Universal with Hagmann valve is silver plated and in really good condition. Screw bell. Some small lacquer wear, two tiny dings and thats it.

It plays – as you’d expect from a Thein – really well with a nice warm sound. I could absolutely imagine this baby being played in a large orchestra. The valve and slide action are great. The Hagmann valve has a very short throw and really keeps the valve register open. If you are looking for a nice single valve bass trombone that can do it all with a nice sound, this is it.

The original Thein case is included. Smallest case I’ve ever seen for a bass trombone…

Price: 4500$

Kühnl & Hoyer Slokar Solo Tenor

I have to say this is one of the most comfortable trombones I have ever played! The bell brace goes under your thumb so it basically acts like a bullet brace, add to that the Williams style slide brace and you have a very ergonomic design.

Gold brass bell, yellow brass valve section and nickel slide. It plays very easily with a big round sound. It makes me think of a good Conn 88H.

This one is in really good condition. There is some really slight lacquer wear, but besides that, it looks really good. The valve and slide action are excellent.

Price: 2350$

Lawler Big Boy

Roy Lawler is building trombones since 35 years and all his horns are made by him from start to finish. His shop is very much like a brass pro shop of the past. No computerized machines. All hands on manual machines as well as hand picked sheet brass make for a vintage sounding trombone but with modern intonation and feel for a quick response with great fluid slurs. The hand slide is all hand built to exacting standards for a smooth light action.

This particular horn is a Lawler Big Boy .525 medium bore trombone from the 1990’s, built in Longwood FL. It features 8.5″ yellow brass bell, a nickel handslide with interchangeable leadpipes, oversleeves and a yellow brass crook. I particularly like the look of the Williams style hand grip.

The lacquer shows some signs of wear, but otherwise it is in great condition. Slide action is great. A very versatile and fun horn to play!

Price: 1450$

Super rare Minick large bore

Larry Minick is a trombone builder legend and if you already played one of his horns, you know why. I have been lucky enough to play 4 Minick tenor trombones so far and all of them have been exceptional horns. And this one is no exception.

It has an original Minick red brass bell (actually it may also be a Conn bell with some Minick Voodoo on it…), open wrap valve section with a Conn valve (at least it looks like one). The slide has certainly been made out of Conn parts and has a fixed Minick custom leadpipe. Slide and valve action are great, no wear on inner slides.

This horn has been played a lot and it looks like it. The lacquer is almost 100% off and there are two small patches on the bell flare. My tech also had to redo one of the slide bracings and the slide bow guard.

This baby is not only a piece of trombone history, but also a spectacular playing horn. It is astounding how easy it speaks and how well it resonates, truly an easy playing trombone.

No case included.

Price: 3250$

Kühnl & Hoyer 175 Slokar Alto

Here is a top notch alto designed by Branimir Slokar and Kühnl & Hoyer. It is so good, it has unfortunately served as model for all the chinese alto trombones on the market now. But this is the original, and you can tell it! A great alto with a nice sound and really easy to play.

This one is in pristine condition: Looks like new and plays like new! New those altos go for 2700$. Get yourself a basically new alto at a drastically reduced price!

Price: 1950$

Bach 42b Corporation

If you follow my page, you may know that I like Bach’s. And I particularly like vintage Bach’s from the Corporation era.

Here is a nice Bach 42b corporation bell, mated with a recent slide from the early 2000’s. As you can see on the pictures, the lacquer on the bell has seen better days. But the valve action is still very good. The slide has not seen a lot of use so it is in very good condition besides some small spots where the lacquer suffered.

The bell sounds great. Nice heavy symphonic sound.

Price: 1350$

1948 Conn 70H

Here is another beautiful Conn 70H, this one has been made in 1948. It is the “long bell, short slide” version of a Conn 70H which is actually easier to play for someone used to a modern bass trombone.

The 70H may well be my favorite bass trombone of all times and this is a great sounding example. It features a 9.5″ yellow brass bell, .562″ slide with tuning in the slide and the opera wheel tuning mechanism. You can really feel how the room fills with a warm, dense sound when you play it. The 70H is also really versatile as it has been – and continues to be – played successfully in Big Bands, Orchestras etc. And of course… Mr. Bass trombone – George Roberts – made this model famous.

This one is in very good condition for its age, the slide is smooth and the inners have no slide wear. The valve has just been serviced and works great. The tuning mechanism needs one little solder joint to fix the long screw in place. Except that, it is ready to gig.

Sold without case.

Price: 1550$

Bach 42 Corporation

Bach fans know it: those old Corporation horns can be absolutely great! This is a nice example, very clear articulations but keeps a nice dark orchestral sound.

Unfortunately it isn’t a beauty queen any more. The bell has some severe lacquer wear and small dings throughout and there is some slide wear on the stockings, the slide works still really well though.

A great player for someone looking for a good Bach 42. And it comes with an original Corporation case in really good condition.

Sale pending

1937 Conn 70H

Every once in a while I get an instrument that I know in advance I will have to save it. This is one such example.

A silver plated Conn 70H from 1937. It came to me with very worn slide inners, but the sound was quite somehing! So I asked the people at Haag trombones to draw me new inners and they did a fabulous job! This is one of the 70H’s with the shorter bell and longer slide, so it was important to get those inners right and don’t simply take some inners from a stock horn. The original leadpipe has been saved, so this baby sounds just as well as it did before.

The new inners still have to be broken in, this will take some time, but I can already feel this will be a great slide!

The TIS tuning mechanism works really well as does the valve. As you can tell from the pics, there is some lacquer wear on the bell section, but there are no dings or dents.

Price: 2550$

Rath R4F

This is a used Rath R4F with Hagmann valve all in yellow brass.

It is in really good condition without any dings or dents. Some lacquer wear on the slide but the bell section looks nearly like new. The slide is smooth and the valve works really good. 750Y bell and a heavy weight valve cap.

Sold without case.

Price: 3150$

Thein Universal alto

Thein has been making fine brass instruments in Bremen since the 1970s. Many of their trombones are used all over the world and Thein is regarded as one of the best makers anywhere. Mostly known for their traditional German trombones.

I feel incredibly lucky to be able to present you two Thein trombones handpicked at the factory by a Thein artist. That way you know you will be getting some of the best parts Thein makes.

One of those two trombones is this really nice Thein Universal alto trombone in like new condition. It is literally like new as it sat in its case since purchase as a backup horn! The bell is in gold brass with a nickel silver slide. The Universal model was created to offer another option more familiar to players who use American made trombones. A top of the notch alto with this incredibly beautiful sound Thein’s are known for.

Sold without case.

Price 3500$

Yamaha YSL-871 Custom Alto trombone

Here is an alto trombone you won’t find that often. A Yamaha Custom YSL-871. The Yamaha Custom line was established well before the Xeno line, and this is not one of the Xeno models. This one must have been made in the 1970’s or 1980’s.

There is a scar on the bell from a removed dent, but other than that it is in pretty great condition. This is one of the easiest playing alto trombones I have ever played!

Price: 1800$

Edwards T396-A Joseph Alessi

In 2009 Edwards came out with the Edwards T396-A wich they developed with start trombonist Joseph Alessi. It features a yellow brass bell with a gold brass slide. The slide crook is yellow brass and the main tuning slide is gold brass. A nice mix of gold and yellow brass that gives this trombone a clear sound but always with some warmth.

The Rotax valve is absolutely stunning and the harmonic bridge allows you to alter the playing feel to your likings.

This one is in great shape. It has been bought in 2018, played for 5 months and then put away. There is some lacquer wear on slide, but besides that, the trombone is in immaculate condition. Of course, all the harmonic pillars are still there, so you can tinker with the harmonic bridge. This is the first T396-A I ever played, but I can say that it is a great horn. Really even sound through all registers and in all dynamics. Great orchestral trombone.

Sold without case.

Price: 5400$

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