Sonare Trombones?

Franco · by **Franco** » 2022-03-05 12:03 p.m.

Seen a couple of these pop up on ebay recently. (Or maybe the same one multiple times)

<LINK_TEXT text="https://www.ebay.com/itm/professional-t ... 632-2357-0">https://www.ebay.com/itm/professional-trombone-Sonare-851-w-orig-hard-case-Elkhart-In-Blessing-/304378950617?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49286&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0</LINK_TEXT>

Anyone know anything about them? I recall Sonare making decent trumpets a few years ago about can't seem to find any info about them making trombones.

Burgerbob · by **Burgerbob** » 2022-03-05 12:28 p.m.

Looks like Blessing and Eastman parts all in one. Strange horn.

Franco · by **Franco** » 2022-03-05 12:38 p.m.

Yeah and the included info card seems to be specifically about trumpets. Very odd.

Dennis · by **Dennis** » 2022-03-05 2:37 p.m.

E.K. Blessing was sold to Powell almost 15 years ago. Powell owns the Sonaré brand, and makes Sonaré flutes in China of US made parts, much like the Shires Q series used to be.

It would make sense for Powell to use their Sonaré branding with Blessing. The Shires/Eastman bracing and connectors don't fit into this explanation. Maybe they were able to source the parts from China?

walldaja · by **walldaja** » 2022-03-05 8:02 p.m.

Agree about the Eastman looking pieces. I have a German made Sonare trumpet, when they shifted production to Blessing it was a descent into oblivion. I stopped by the shop shortly after the sale I found an apparently empty building and no sign of anyone. Checked address again and confirmed the location. When I got home I emailed the a "what's up". Website said answers would be in 24 hours. Still no answer and shortly after St Louis Music bought the name.

The German instruments were grossly underrated (thanks to B&S).

Never saw / heard of a bone.

LowBrassJunkie · by **LowBrassJunkie** » 2022-03-07 10:06 a.m.

Current Powell Sonaré flutes or branding have nothing to do with blessing. B&S did stencil work for a number of brands, fantastic products overall.

Theeuphguy · 2022-12-20 10:30 p.m.

I bought that Sonare 851 off eBay. There’s nothing Chinese about it. Thayer is literally same as Shires custom series with ball-bearings. It’s same tuning slide as Shires. Shires slide with a Conn 88H bottom. The Shires custom series bells hook up to it. Plays like a Edwards T350, perhaps even better. I suspect blessing made the dog leg. Steve Shires told me that they are indeed a design collaboration with Blessing USA. It was supposed to be a collaborative effort to save Blessing and SE Shires. Horn was cryogenically treated. Two piece rose bell. Instrument innovations made the micro-ball linkage and it looks like Shires inserts but could easily be Blackburn built..I was told that Powell assembled them. They weren’t supposed to leave the factory. There is no serial number on it anywhere, even ground off.

Edit:

Q series parts do fit. The slides weight a touch less though. Maybe Blessing made the tuning slides and bell?

walldaja · by **walldaja** » 2022-12-21 2:11 p.m.

Interesting that the Q pieces don't interchange. Shires indicates that custom pieces will fit the Q--I presume the reverse was true.

Theeuphguy · 2022-12-21 8:03 p.m.

The valve on mine isn’t the same as the recycled Eastman valve on the Q series

Blabberbucket · by **Blabberbucket** » 2022-12-21 10:42 p.m.

[quote="Theeuphguy"]Thayer is literally same as Shires custom series with ball-bearings.[/quote]

Shìres axial valves do not have ball bearings. You're thinking of the Instrument Innovations valves, used by Bach currently.

Theeuphguy · by **Theeuphguy** » 2022-12-22 7:15 a.m.

I can tell the linkage is instrument innovations. Wouldn’t surprise me if the valve was made by instrument innovations. Don Sawday told me the valve was not made by them and was a Shires Valve..

Theeuphguy · by **Theeuphguy** » 2022-12-22 7:21 a.m.

More importantly than all, plays great.. I ended up getting it for $750. My orchestra director noticed the sound difference from an 88HO and said “that trombone sounds big”. Seems well made and the thumb lever is real wood. Wish I could catch a deal on a 1 piece shires red brass bell.

Franco · by **Franco** » 2022-12-27 11:35 a.m.

[quote="Theeuphguy"]More importantly than all, plays great.. I ended up getting it for $750. My orchestra director noticed the sound difference from an 88HO and said “that trombone sounds big”. Seems well made and the thumb lever is real wood. Wish I could catch a deal on a 1 piece shires red brass bell.[/quote]

Sounds like a steal if you got a good player for $750!

walldaja · by **walldaja** » 2023-01-06 6:51 p.m.

How about a picture? Thanks.

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Sonare Trombones?