At long last I have taken a big step towards achieving the sound in my head. My previous bass trombone (the Besson 943GS Sovereign) was just too big and woofy, even with a moderate mouthpiece.

I was always thinking about how I could land a horn that helps me produce a clear sound that still sounds like a trombone, not a "slide baritone." I was willing to wait a good while for that to happen.

However...

A couple weeks ago, I was visiting my favorite local store to see if they had a particular style of euphonium for a reasonable price. They didn't (they did have a Yamaha YEP842 that was just...wow, but nearly $10k so way out of budget), but they had a bass trombone that I originally wasn't thinking about buying.

Until I test played it.

"My goodness, this thing is so very close to helping me produce my ideal sound!" Roughly what I said after playing it.

And just two days ago, I traded the Besson in for the new trombone.

That new instrument (my first brand new trombone) is a Getzen 1052FD Eterna. And while I'm not 100% enamored with its rather short slide, everything else it does will help make my job as a jazz band bass trombone player much easier. And I dig that.

Not to mention the fact that it feels so much better to hold.

As was said on the old forum, it's "the right tool for the job," for me. For the time being.

Now it's going to be time to test out those leadpipes in rehearsals.

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That shilke looks like it's too long for the receiver

[quote="harrisonreed"]That schilke looks like it's too long for the receiver[/quote]

Indeed. Either the mouthpiece shank is unusually large (doubtful), or the receiver (must be part of the leadpipe) is undersize. Unusual! Does the mouthpiece wobble?

It's probably the mouthpiece taper they designed the yamaha xeno bass receiver off of. It looks like sticks out as far as a normal mouthpiece goes in too deep on the Yamaha xeno bass. If that makes sense. Looks like 3/8".

FWIW I've now met someone with a shaved down bass mouthpiece who wanted the horn to play as conical and open as possible. It goes in all the way to the mouthpiece cup. Having one stick out that far in the opposite direction would create quite a lot of resistance up front. That might be what's creating the huge difference in feel for you. You can even see the insertion mark where that mouthpiece was going in the correct amount on a different horn. Maybe it was the Besson?

If that was the case, and it went a lot further into the leadpipe on the Besson, it would have been interesting for you to try building the shank up with tape to see if you could have tightened up the woofiness that way. I'm sure the new horn is loads better, but who knows, there might be a goldilocks depth on the Getzen for the shank that is a bit further in than that shilke can go.

It's awesome that your new trombone is a big improvement. I'm working on my own issues with my bass, all stemming from the damn leadpipe, and I wish I had a different option to use.

I used to own a 1052FD, and I eventually got a BrassArk seamed copper BH62 pipe for it. If you ever feel like going down the aftermarket leadpipe rabbit hole, that's the one I'd recommend!

For those commenting on the mouthpiece... It's an old long shank Schilke 58, and it does insert 1" into the leadpipes and not wobble. That's why it looks goofy (a current (short shank) Schilke would look more normal but I feel may not play as well). It did go further in to the Besson receiver, hence the defined mark, as did other mouthpieces like a short shank Schilke 58 (almost up to the knurling...!) and the stock Wick 1AL. I never did think about using tape...

It must be noted that the long Schilke pieces can be used in both modern instruments and vintage Conn trombones with the slower shank taper.

That Besson had more European proportions to it: long ish slide, somewhat short bell section, and a big throat, rather fast taper 10" rose/red brass bell. It seemed and felt more suited to an orchestra environment or similar, not jazz (which I used it for when I was in peak shape back in college...).

I'll stick with the stock leadpipes for now.

Congrats to a New Horn! May it be all you want it to be, and last for much joyful playing.

I have also, just the other day, acquired a new (used) bass trombone, so I guess I better present it here asap.

Play long and prosper.