Recommended Medium-Bore Tenor

TrombaLeese · by **TrombaLeese** » 2024-01-27 11:06 p.m.

I'm looking for best trombones that are comparable to the YSL 620. Thanks.

BGuttman · by **BGuttman** » 2024-01-27 11:46 p.m.

The medium bore most like the 620 (large bore) is the 640. Next would be the older models, 684 and 646.

Just looking for a Medium Bore with F?

Bach 36B

Benge 175F

Conn 79H

King 607

Rath R3F

There are others.

AtomicClock · by **AtomicClock** » 2024-01-27 11:56 p.m.

I don't know what "medium bore" is. Bach calls the 36 "medium-large". I guess medium is between the 36 and the 3B. ???

Burgerbob · by **Burgerbob** » 2024-01-27 11:57 p.m.

medium bore is the modern colloquial for .525

OneTon · by **OneTon** » 2024-01-28 1:17 a.m.

Do we include King 3B+F, though out of production?

Pezza · by **Pezza** » 2024-01-28 1:47 a.m.

I like the Bach 36. Can be mistaken for a large bore sound.

It holds its own against large bores & can lighter up to play lead in a big band. I've done 2nd against a large bore 1st & lead in big bands with King 2B/3B on 2nd / 3rd.

The only medium bore ive found that works in a "large" section. It can be used on bass, tho doesn't have the big bass sound.

Yamaha 456A is nice, tho it has a lighter tone that isn't suited to play 2nd if 1st had a large bore! Ideal for pits that have only 1 trom!

I also like Olds Recordings, tho they too are not suited to 2nd against a large bore!

Finetales · by **Finetales** » 2024-01-28 2:05 a.m.

[quote="OneTon"]Do we include King 3B+F, though out of production?[/quote]

If you can find one!

OneTon · by **OneTon** » 2024-01-28 2:28 a.m.

[quote="Finetales"]<QUOTE author="OneTon" post_id="232407" time="1706422649" user_id="13549">
Do we include King 3B+F, though out of production?[/quote]

If you can find one!
</QUOTE>

Reverb.com shows one at Metro Gnome. They’re rarer but they turn up at Brass Exchange and Dillon Music from time to time. They don’t go out of production because they’re selling like hot cakes. I put a Shires together out of new and old parts. Kuhnl & Hoyer makes a 0.527 bore available through Steve Ferguson.

Matt_K · by **Matt_K** » 2024-01-28 6:45 a.m.

If you like the Yamaha there’s a lot of medium bore Yamaha 525 on the used market especially from Japan and the conversion rate seems to be really favorable now. I have a 645 headed my way that I don’t intend to keep. Should get it in the next few days if you’re interested send me a dm

Kdanielsen · by **Kdanielsen** » 2024-01-28 8:21 a.m.

The 640 is a tremendous horn. Very nice medium bore.

Briande · by **Briande** » 2024-01-28 8:29 a.m.

There’s a King 607 wF on eBay right now…..

OneTon · by **OneTon** » 2024-01-28 9:15 a.m.

In terms of the “best,” Bach 36B were very common in orchestras before the Conn 88H came out. They still have a following. The updated Bach 36BO looks more like the 620. The King 607F seems to have a following. The King 3B+F may have been competing unsuccessfully with the 607F. The 640 Yamahas are good horns. Try before you buy if you can. It probably comes down to personal preference for everything that is being suggested here.

tbonesullivan · by **tbonesullivan** » 2024-01-28 11:55 a.m.

[quote="Kdanielsen"]The 640 is a tremendous horn. Very nice medium bore.[/quote]I had one for years, but it always played a bit too "big" for me, probably due to the big bell and a tuning slide that is wider in diameter than a Bach 42. I ended up with a Bach LT36B, and haven't looked back. It just did the "medium bore" thing better, in comparison to having a bunch of large bore tenors.

That said, if you wan only have ONE horn, and want it to do everything, the 640 is a great choice.

greenbean · by **greenbean** » 2024-01-28 12:10 p.m.

I am selling a Benge 175F...

<LINK_TEXT text="viewtopic.php?p=223027">https://trombonechat.com/viewtopic.php?p=223027</LINK_TEXT>

boneberg · by **boneberg** » 2024-01-28 2:41 p.m.

[quote="Kdanielsen"]The 640 is a tremendous horn. Very nice medium bore.[/quote]

YES!

bassclef · by **bassclef** » 2024-01-28 5:47 p.m.

[quote="boneberg"]<QUOTE author="Kdanielsen" post_id="232426" time="1706448072" user_id="7231">
The 640 is a tremendous horn. Very nice medium bore.[/quote]
YES!
</QUOTE>
YES! (love mine)

And, if the OP is indeed looking for a .525 version of the 620, the 640 is the obvious choice. I also had a 620 for a brief time and there are a lot of similarities with the 640 other than visual.

Kdanielsen · by **Kdanielsen** » 2024-01-28 6:23 p.m.

Id also like add that the yamaha 446 (also medium bore) is very different from the 640. Feels totally different in your hand and they play very different. I did not like the 446.

AtomicClock · by **AtomicClock** » 2024-01-28 7:20 p.m.

I had a Yamaha 684G I really liked, except for the ergonomics. I can't deal with under-the-thumb triggers.

Posaunus · by **Posaunus** » 2024-01-28 7:45 p.m.

[quote="greenbean"]I am selling a Benge 175F.[/quote]

Benge 175F - not under-rated, just under-appreciated.

They are nice 0.525" bore trombones!

hyperbolica · by **hyperbolica** » 2024-01-28 11:04 p.m.

The Yamahas are probably the least interesting 525s. Many of them have the 8.5" bell, which differentiates it less from typical 547 horns.

The best 52x horns I've played have been Rath R3, M&W, 79h, 175f and of course the 36b. The Kings are completely different (very bright and lively) , but are polar opposite from Yamaha (a bit dead and sterile) .

JKBone85 · by **JKBone85** » 2024-01-29 8:58 a.m.

I played on multiple Conn 50H's over the years. They were originally marketed as a "student bass trombone", but by today's size standards, with a .522, and single F valve, it's a medium bore tenor. There are definitely some good 50H's around if you can run into one.

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Recommended Medium-Bore Tenor