Vintage Late 80s Bach 50B2 Suggested Mods and Upgrades

bbux007 · 2025-08-10 4:04 p.m.

I recently gave my horn a much-needed refresh — I cleaned and polished the tuning slides from a dull red-brown to a gleaming brass, instantly making it look brand new. After cleaning the valves for the first time in years (school horns rarely get this kind of care), the action is now smoother, quieter, and more responsive. I’ve been looking into adding split triggers, but I’m also curious about other modifications or upgrades that could help the horn both look and perform like it just came out of the factory.

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Top pictures are the slides before and after

Posaunus · 2025-08-10 4:06 p.m.

Photos now viewable

Burgerbob · by **Burgerbob** » 2025-08-10 4:27 p.m.

IMO... modern valve set. But of course that would be much, much better than stock :)

TheBoneRanger · by **TheBoneRanger** » 2025-08-10 6:25 p.m.

Before doing a valve conversion, I was having a pretty good time on my 60's Bach with the following mods:

- Split triggers

- Open wrapped D slide

- Bach short/open leadpipe

Andrew

u_8thnote181 · by **u_8thnote181** » 2025-08-10 6:29 p.m.

I just recently had my Olds S-22 converted by Kevin at Heritage Music. Instrument Innovations makes a great setup. He wrapped up on a 50B before he got to mine.

peteedwards · by **peteedwards** » 2025-08-11 7:58 a.m.

[quote="Burgerbob"]IMO... modern valve set. But of course that would be much, much better than stock :)[/quote]

You might consider replacement rotors as a budget friendly alternative to full conversion,

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JTeagarden · 2025-08-11 9:01 a.m.

I don't know that shining up the tuning slide tubes is going to move the needle on the horn's performance, but it is an easy win, for sure.

I am in the middle of having my early Corporation 50 converted from the very sub-optimal stock dependent arrangement to independent Instrument Innovations rotary valves, the consensus among members of this site being that this would be a reasonably priced, significant improvement: we'll see when it's done!

You might want to get other bass trombonists to give your horn a spin to see if, aside from lousy stock rotors, the horn is otherwise problematic, it is no secret that Bach horns of every era are kind of all over the place in terms of their quality.

JTeagarden · by **JTeagarden** » 2025-08-11 9:05 a.m.

Also, you can often do better than "just out of the factory" these days, I might suggest testing out Noah Gladstone's Hoelle copper tuning slide for Bach 50s, I find you lose a bit of complexity in the overtones with one, but articulations are so much cleaner, the trade-off was worth it to me.

Not cheap, but cheap relative to other enhancements, for sure.

BrianJohnston · by **BrianJohnston** » 2025-08-15 11:28 a.m.

- modern valve set (definitely do this)

- remove sleeves from slide (more responsive, lighter sound)

- Pull lead pipe and put a NY/MV style lead pipe.

BrianJohnston · by **BrianJohnston** » 2025-08-15 11:30 a.m.

[quote="JTeagarden"]Also, you can often do better than "just out of the factory" these days, I might suggest testing out Noah Gladstone's Hoelle copper tuning slide for Bach 50s, I find you lose a bit of complexity in the overtones with one, but articulations are so much cleaner, the trade-off was worth it to me.

Not cheap, but cheap relative to other enhancements, for sure.[/quote]

You can get the gold brass version of the Holle for an in between copper and stock.

WGWTR180 · by **WGWTR180** » 2025-08-15 4:57 p.m.

[quote="Burgerbob"]IMO... modern valve set. But of course that would be much, much better than stock :)[/quote]
This is a high school owned instrument but maybe the school has the money for a modern valve set?

WGWTR180 · by **WGWTR180** » 2025-08-15 4:59 p.m.

[quote="bbux007"]I recently gave my horn a much-needed refresh — I cleaned and polished the tuning slides from a dull red-brown to a gleaming brass, instantly making it look brand new. After cleaning the valves for the first time in years (school horns rarely get this kind of care), the action is now smoother, quieter, and more responsive. I’ve been looking into adding split triggers, but I’m also curious about other modifications or upgrades that could help the horn both look and perform like it just came out of the factory.

<GOOGLEDRIVE id="1rssFGDwZnrVF4td1MmsXBXy4NQ-erg7r"><LINK_TEXT text="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rssFGD ... sp=sharing">https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rssFGDwZnrVF4td1MmsXBXy4NQ-erg7r/view?usp=sharing</LINK_TEXT></GOOGLEDRIVE>

Top pictures are the slides before and after[/quote]
How much is your school willing to pay for these upgrades? Lots of good ideas.

hornbuilder · by **hornbuilder** » 2025-08-15 9:09 p.m.

For a school horn, the most I would do would be have it professionally cleaned. Unless there is a particularly promising student, then I would split the levers. That's it.

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Vintage Late 80s Bach 50B2 Suggested Mods and Upgrades