NY 50 Bass Bell Mandrel

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Blabberbucket
Posts: 305
Joined: Oct 09, 2022

by Blabberbucket »

Around Christmastime last year, one Mr. Charlie Vernon was generous enough to lend us at O'Malley his prized NY 50 trombone (NY 50 bell and tuning slide, Shires axials, modern Bach 562/578 slide with fixed leadpipe). As you might imagine, the instrument plays beautifully - rich sound and extremely responsive.

We took a resin mold of the inside of the bell and many many many many measurements. From those measurements (and accounting for the idiosyncrasies of the spinning process), we have made a bell mandrel based on this bell.

We are now accepting orders for bells spun on this mandrel, typically one piece bells with a french bead, made with traditional techniques.

More information can be found at <LINK_TEXT text="https://www.omalleyhorns.com/products/b ... bone-bells">https://www.omalleyhorns.com/products/bass-trombone-bells</LINK_TEXT>, via email at <EMAIL email="Orders@OmalleyHorns.com">Orders@OmalleyHorns.com</EMAIL>, or I am happy to answer any questions here on the forum. Note that the photos on our webpage are of a tenor bell, we do not have a fully polished bass bell available for photos yet.

(Mods, feel free to move this post if this is not the appropriate board)
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tbonesullivan
Posts: 1959
Joined: Jul 02, 2019

by tbonesullivan »

Oh WOW. I wonder if anyone has a Conn Fuchs bell they could send you.
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Burgerbob
Posts: 6327
Joined: Apr 23, 2018

by Burgerbob »

:eek:
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Rrova
Posts: 117
Joined: Apr 10, 2018

by Rrova »

This is really cool! Is the new bell going to be a similar thinness to Charlie's? As I understand it, his bell is rather think while still being able to hold up.
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bassbone1993
Posts: 435
Joined: Feb 10, 2023

by bassbone1993 »

Interesting, I didn't know Bach made .562/.578 slides
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MahlerMusic
Posts: 158
Joined: May 07, 2019

by MahlerMusic »

Is the slide long like the Bach's from the 70's? Would love to try a dual Bore long slide with my Minick G ContraBass.
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tbonesullivan
Posts: 1959
Joined: Jul 02, 2019

by tbonesullivan »

[quote="Rrova"]This is really cool! Is the new bell going to be a similar thinness to Charlie's? As I understand it, his bell is rather think while still being able to hold up.[/quote] This reminds me that there's a Silver Plated Bach 50 customized bass from the George Thatcher collection at Horn Guys that he had silver plated to make the bell a bit thicker. If I recall, the Bach process for 1 piece bells results in quite a bit of stretching of the brass.
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Burgerbob
Posts: 6327
Joined: Apr 23, 2018

by Burgerbob »

[quote="bassbone1993"]Interesting, I didn't know Bach made .562/.578 slides[/quote]

They do not. As in, it's a one-off for him.
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bassbone1993
Posts: 435
Joined: Feb 10, 2023

by bassbone1993 »

[quote="Burgerbob"]<QUOTE author="bassbone1993" post_id="272101" time="1743790885" user_id="16272">
Interesting, I didn't know Bach made .562/.578 slides[/quote]

They do not. As in, it's a one-off for him.
</QUOTE>

That's what I suspected. Surprised they haven't done it since I believe Conn makes a dual bore slide.
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Burgerbob
Posts: 6327
Joined: Apr 23, 2018

by Burgerbob »

to no-one's surprise, I bought one already
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bassbone1993
Posts: 435
Joined: Feb 10, 2023

by bassbone1993 »

I'll be doing a bass build next year. I had planned an Edwards, but now I'm having second thoughts...especially if they could do a reversed tuning slide.
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elmsandr
Posts: 1373
Joined: Mar 23, 2018

by elmsandr »

[quote="tbonesullivan"]Oh WOW. I wonder if anyone has a Conn Fuchs bell they could send you.[/quote]
/waggles eyebrows suggestively

But seriously, I do have one downstairs…. We should talk!

Cheers,

Andy
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HawaiiTromboneGuy
Posts: 1025
Joined: Sep 03, 2018

by HawaiiTromboneGuy »

[quote="Burgerbob"]to no-one's surprise, I bought one already[/quote]

lol that was quick!
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Blabberbucket
Posts: 305
Joined: Oct 09, 2022

by Blabberbucket »

[quote="Rrova"]This is really cool! Is the new bell going to be a similar thinness to Charlie's? As I understand it, his bell is rather think while still being able to hold up.[/quote]

Yup, it should be about as close as you could get to Charlie's bell. The nature of spinning a one-piece bells that large generally results in a very thin flare.

The modern Bach bells are made using a different process.

[quote="MahlerMusic"]Is the slide long like the Bach's from the 70's? Would love to try a dual Bore long slide with my Minick G ContraBass.[/quote]

The outer tubes were approximately 27" long. Seems to be the same as a modern Bach.

Thanks, Aidan!
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Rrova
Posts: 117
Joined: Apr 10, 2018

by Rrova »

[quote="Blabberbucket"]<QUOTE author="Rrova" post_id="272100" time="1743790359" user_id="3034">
This is really cool! Is the new bell going to be a similar thinness to Charlie's? As I understand it, his bell is rather think while still being able to hold up.[/quote]

Yup, it should be about as close as you could get to Charlie's bell. The nature of spinning a one-piece bells that large generally results in a very thin flare.

The modern Bach bells are made using a different method.
</QUOTE>

Well, time to start saving up!