Opinions on XO trombones?

tbdana · by **tbdana** » 2025-05-17 10:55 a.m.

These are the John Fedchock designed and endorsed horns. Anyone ever played one or know anything about them?

baBposaune · by **baBposaune** » 2025-05-17 11:56 a.m.

I have a local friend who purchased on about 6 months ago. Really enjoys playing it. He had been using an Olds from the 60s and found the XO to be noticeably lighter in weight and more responsive. I think he got if from Quinn Brass and Woodwinds at a reduced price. (Demo, maybe?) The "deal" helped him decide but in your case I would ask if you could return it if you didn't like it.

EriKon · by **EriKon** » 2025-05-17 12:04 p.m.

I tried two of those. Super easy to play, but they are quite stiff. You can't really modulate the sound and it's hard to make a full sound with it. I felt like the horn is limiting my sound. But everything slots nicely and high range is really easy on those. Personally I wouldn't buy one for myself.

pfrancis · 2025-05-17 1:45 p.m.

Low - though this is in general for all XO. They just don’t really compare to other options on the market. Of course this is my opinion but this also includes quality of manufacturing based on practical experience.

dcslideman · by **dcslideman** » 2025-05-17 7:08 p.m.

I have a 1634RLT(.508,rose brass, light slide). I think they all have the light slide, though. It is a joy to play and easy to hold. No intonation quirks. I haven't seen anything that looks like a quality problem. It was/and is immaculate. The slide is a 10 or at least the best one I have ever played and that includes my Yamahas. There are several pros on here who use them ( I don't fit that category). One I was chatting with raised the only knock that I can see to be true of all the knocks I have heard over the years. They probably don't produce as much raw volume as some other models. Playing with a loud band and no mic, it may be hard to cut through. But if you have a mic or are in a small ensemble it's fine. This player shared that he hates when it he has to put it down for volume because everything else is so much harder to play and color the way he wants. You should definitely try to play one and see.

Bleek · by **Bleek** » 2025-05-17 7:14 p.m.

I think the 1632 is a great trombone and yes does lend itself to mic'd situations but the yellow brass version especially can work in pop horn sections, theatre situation etc. It's incredibly light and the slides are great but plays really warm and easily. Barry Green in Nashville has used one for years for his studio work. So it's definitely more versatile than people give it credit for. But its downside would probably be louder, acoustic situations.

Posaunus · by **Posaunus** » 2025-05-17 10:34 p.m.

Check in with Philip Jones ("ssking2b" on TromboneChat) who is an "XO endorsed artist."

He will give you his reasons why, as a 50-year lower-brass professional, he likes his XO trombones.

Another opinion, but at least an informed one.

Tooloud · by **Tooloud** » 2025-05-18 3:30 a.m.

I can not comment on this model. But I have an XO bass. The manufacturing is flawless, definitively no quality issues. Everything is working smoothly after more of ten years of use. Even the laquer does hold up very well. The build qualitiy is on par with Yamaha.

boneagain · by **boneagain** » 2025-05-18 7:41 a.m.

I second the recommendation to PM Philip Jones.

I had the pleasure of standing right in front of his bell for a few years while waving hands at the Bonefire trombone choir in Richmond, VA. I did prefer some things on his Silver Sonic (whence cometh the SSKing2B tag.) Overall, I thought the XO gave a better range of color and clarity to the top end of the choir. I was quite pleased with the results when several other choir members got the same model. Seemed like we could hear the upper voices more clearly with them busting fewer guts to penetrate the glorious sonority of the mid and lower voices. That resulted in a de-escalation of the normal volume war and less stress for the basses on long lines.

TLDR; I like 'em :)

dukesboneman · by **dukesboneman** » 2025-05-18 4:28 p.m.

I`ve only played (or seen one) once at the FMEA conference in Tampa.

Very light and quick response . Good upper range.

Felt solid

HornboneandVocals · by **HornboneandVocals** » 2025-05-18 6:49 p.m.

Played on an XO1240 bass for 6 years. Not a professional just a performance major going into my 3rd year. It's versatile, orchestral, big band, pops bands, chamber music, even the occasional "slide tuba" work in brass quintets. It was cheap and every problem thus far that I blamed on the horn was actually my fault. Whole horn has gotten a tune up, and the slide has serviced, about $500 of work. On a horn I got B-stock from horn guys for $2200, and has since gotten me lots of work and a pretty gnarly scholarship to a smaller conservatory in LA, I've got no reason to complain. I will probably upgrade at some point but trying dozens of other basses, I haven't found one I like better.

Did a gig with a guy playing lead on that particular fedchock horn. We immediately started talking afterwards cause no-one plays XO horns. After talking for awhile about music and careers (he's retired music teacher, so many great stories and advice) He said similar things to me - the slide needed work - it was cheap - very few complaints since getting a tune-up.

Hope this helped! XO is hit or miss, and nearly always need some love and attention.

WGWTR180 · 2025-05-18 7:38 p.m.

So you asked for opinions on XO trombones but pictured is a Fedchock model. This particular model is very light-obviously built to John's tastes. Maybe more of a "on the mic" instrument if you will. The basses, which I tried, are heavy, very heavy, and dense. I know for a fact that XO has been "told" that lighter bass bells are needed. Whether they'll spend the money in research is one person's best guess. Someone here mentioned that the basses are colorful in sound. In my opinion the only color I got out of it was a stark, bland, one dimensional sound. I owned one for 2 months and sold it-it was killing my wrist.

Burgerbob · by **Burgerbob** » 2025-05-18 8:21 p.m.

[quote="WGWTR180"]The basses, which a tried, are heavy, very heavy, and dense. I know for a fact that XO has been "told" that lighter bass bells are needed.[/quote]

Yup, I actually don't mind their basses- much better players than the modern Conn 62H/62HI they largely look like- but they are all crazy heavy. The axial horn is a very good player but just too heavy to really contemplate, IMO.

Tooloud · by **Tooloud** » 2025-05-20 1:25 p.m.

1634 in concert~~[url]~~https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ht1lm3ug8Dc

If it's good enough for HR-Bigband, it's good enough for everbody... My opinion... I think, that was a great performance.

RJMason · by **RJMason** » 2025-05-20 1:32 p.m.

I tried the .508 one in yellow and thought it was really good! I know a couple pros that moved from Kings and Bachs to these horns and really enjoy how consistent and no frills they are.

EriKon · by **EriKon** » 2025-05-20 6:31 p.m.

[quote="Tooloud"]1634 in concert~~[url]~~https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ht1lm3ug8Dc

If it's good enough for HR-Bigband, it's good enough for everbody... My opinion... I think, that was a great performance.[/quote]

Günter has moved away from that horn again and is back on his Bach. Don't know the reasons, but I've seen it in current streams/concerts. Will ask him if I meet him again at some point, but it's been a while since we last met.

bassclef · by **bassclef** » 2025-05-22 9:04 a.m.

I heard Jennifer Wharton live last year. She plays the 1240LT and sounded AWESOME.

ghmerrill · by **ghmerrill** » 2025-05-22 10:08 a.m.

[quote="bassclef"]I heard Jennifer Wharton live last year. She plays the 1240LT and sounded AWESOME.[/quote]
I wonder if she works out regularly with weights to build upper body strength -- I mean ... just based on frequent references to the XO basses as "HEAVY". I shied away from trying an XO bass entirely because of the many historical references to weight issues concerning them and the Jupiters. :roll:

HornboneandVocals · by **HornboneandVocals** » 2025-05-22 1:08 p.m.

[quote="ghmerrill"]<QUOTE author="bassclef" post_id="276552" time="1747919060" user_id="114">
I heard Jennifer Wharton live last year. She plays the 1240LT and sounded AWESOME.[/quote]
I wonder if she works out regularly with weights to build upper body strength -- I mean ... just based on frequent references to the XO basses as "HEAVY". I shied away from trying an XO bass entirely because of the many historical references to weight issues concerning them and the Jupiters. :roll:
</QUOTE>

Insanely heavy, it took me about 4-5 years to get used to it. I cannot play it for more than a few minutes w/o my get-a-grip.

peat · by **peat** » 2025-05-31 1:18 p.m.

I bought a 1634 from Quinn a couple months ago. Got it used (demo model, I assume—new condition). I've been loving it, with the caveat that I'm a very out of shape trombonist knocking 20 years of rust off my chops. My reference / comparison is a mid 1960s King 3b that has some quirks as well as some sentimental value that my XO doesn't.

Very similar to my 3b in ways that some other .508s I played didn't seem to be. Slide and general fit and finish are all great. Maybe my tastes will change/ mature as I get back in shape. But for the time being, I think I got a great value on a horn that is much better than me <EMOJI seq="1f642" tseq="1f642">🙂</EMOJI>

Grotewobbo · by **Grotewobbo** » 2025-06-23 5:33 p.m.

I owned a Fedchock XO and it was very light and it just asked to do fast solo's for some reason. I think this trombone is more for the mellow jazz trombonists which I am not. I like to vibrate my horn and make it sound like a primal horn that signaled the creation of the earth haha. So I sold it and bought a King 3B 125th Anniversary edition.

tbdana · by **tbdana** » 2025-06-23 6:05 p.m.

[quote="Grotewobbo"]I owned a Fedchock XO and it was very light and it just asked to do fast solo's for some reason. I think this trombone is more for the mellow jazz trombonists which I am not. I like to vibrate my horn and make it sound like a primal horn that signaled the creation of the earth haha. So I sold it and bought a King 3B 125th Anniversary edition.[/quote]

Well! Primal and creation of the earth I am not. Mellow jazz sounds more my speed. LOL! :D

Grotewobbo · by **Grotewobbo** » 2025-06-23 6:16 p.m.

[quote="tbdana"]<QUOTE author="Grotewobbo" post_id="279418" time="1750714398" user_id="19467">
I owned a Fedchock XO and it was very light and it just asked to do fast solo's for some reason. I think this trombone is more for the mellow jazz trombonists which I am not. I like to vibrate my horn and make it sound like a primal horn that signaled the creation of the earth haha. So I sold it and bought a King 3B 125th Anniversary edition.[/quote]

Well! Primal and creation of the earth I am not. Mellow jazz sounds more my speed. LOL! :D
</QUOTE>

My heroes are trombonists Rico Rodriguez and Don Drummond. Founders of the global Ska and Reggae scene. They don't play mellow. Not super loud either but more... primal. Like they always play the core of trombone sound. Not sure how to explain it really. But I didn't find the XO Fedchock suitable for it.

ssking2b · by **ssking2b** » 2025-06-25 12:26 p.m.

You should PM me and I will explain in little more depth my choice of XO horns to you. I also play the XO 1240RL bass trombone. It is heavy, but I've solved that issue with a Butler counterweight (made by instrument innovations) and a NeoTech trombone grip. With proper balance, I don't get tired at all. I have and do still own classic horns from a number of manufacturers and eras, and I play the XO horns because meet expectation for a horn...they just play fantastically for me!

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Opinions on XO trombones?