Tommy Dorsey Trombone

PaulT · by **PaulT** » 2020-12-02 12:19 a.m.

What horn did Tommy Dorsey play? (bore/mouthpiece)

If he played several, which did he for "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You"?

Thanks,

PaulT · by **PaulT** » 2020-12-02 1:21 a.m.

Was it the King 2b?

harrisonreed · by **harrisonreed** » 2020-12-02 1:26 a.m.

King 2b

BGuttman · by **BGuttman** » 2020-12-02 2:00 a.m.

King 2B with a special mouthpiece (Almont). Schilke copied the Almont as their model 40 (it's really small -- probably why TD played everything so high).

Posaunus · by **Posaunus** » 2020-12-02 2:43 a.m.

The Schilke 42B is known as the "Dorsey model." (Don't know whether Tommy actually played one.) :idk:

But it is very small and light:

Contoured profile; Shallow cup; Cup I.D. 22.99mm / 0.905" ; throat 5.95mm / 0.234"

Vegasbound · by **Vegasbound** » 2020-12-02 4:09 a.m.

The sheriff has one of TD's Almont mouthpieces they where made out of silver

His trombone was 2b sized but custom made friction fit, no slide lock and water key like the Jiggs model all gold plated

baileyman · by **baileyman** » 2020-12-02 8:35 a.m.

I seem to recall there were a number of these horns and King would prep and ship them from gig to gig so that all he had to do was reach for it and play. I think this was in a biography from years ago. But the older I get the more I mis-remember-make-things-up!

Wishbone · by **Wishbone** » 2021-02-09 1:05 p.m.

I remember reading somewhere long time ago that Dorsey also used a Conn 4H leadpipe on his King. Can anyone verify this?

Massimo69 · by **Massimo69** » 2021-04-16 6:34 p.m.

I played a bell originally from Tommy Dorsey at Alan Kaplan's home.. It was a really tiny bell it was king but not 2b... Troath was really bigger... You can see the copy of this bell in the Kanstul Kaplan model...

Glog · by **Glog** » 2022-02-16 11:01 p.m.

He had a single tube 2B Liberty

adrielo19 · by **adrielo19** » 2022-02-18 9:09 a.m.

Tommy Dorsey played a King Liberty 2-B.

7 1/4" bell.

Bore (upper) .481"; (lower) .491".

I don't know which mouthpiece he used but that trombone was shipped with a King M21.

Oslide · by **Oslide** » 2022-02-20 10:55 a.m.

[quote="Glog"]He had a single tube 2B Liberty[/quote]

Single, not dual? That's interesting. Do you have a reference for this?

Koz · by **Koz** » 2022-02-21 10:52 a.m.

Dorsey's horn had a dual bore 481/491 not a straight bore. The water key was a standard 2B water key. The horn was highly engraved from the bell, up over the tuning slide. the horn was all gold with the bell being gold burnished.

Dorsey had a number of these made and gifted them to players he friended/admired. King, at that time, offered a finish option with the engraving in gold plate for purchase.

Hope this offers some clarity.

Koz

vwmvwm · by **vwmvwm** » 2024-05-09 8:23 p.m.

Did Tommy Dorsey play with his main tuning slide all the way in? In researching old movies, I cannot find any video with his tuning slide pulled out at all.

sporto · by **sporto** » 2024-05-11 11:38 a.m.

Bob Hester told me years ago Dorsey's 2B had no slide lock, no bell lock, no lacquer and no counterweight. And it had a Conn 4H leadpipe.

harrisonreed · by **harrisonreed** » 2024-05-11 11:57 a.m.

[quote="vwmvwm"]Did Tommy Dorsey play with his main tuning slide all the way in? In researching old movies, I cannot find any video with his tuning slide pulled out at all.[/quote]

He has it pulled slightly in a few photos -- doesn't make a lot of sense to pull it very far on a King trombone.

officermayo · by **officermayo** » 2024-05-11 12:55 p.m.

Herein of TD's Kings.

harrisonreed · by **harrisonreed** » 2024-05-11 2:32 p.m.

What about his silver one with gold accents?

officermayo · by **officermayo** » 2024-05-11 6:29 p.m.

I've read that TD had such a supply of horns from H.N. White that he'd only use one for a gig or two, then select a different horn from his stash.

DaveAshley · by **DaveAshley** » 2024-05-12 8:54 a.m.

He also had numerous Almont mouthpieces, with slight differences in each. They all looked the same from the outside, so nobody would know he was switching.

I owned one of them for several years. It had a rather flat rim - smaller than 12C (or maybe just flatter?) V shaped cup, pretty open throat for the size. I sold it for.....a lot.....$$$$

OneTon · by **OneTon** » 2024-05-12 9:16 a.m.

Are they first and second pictures the same bell? The first looks like a more modern flair and second appears to be a

6-inch diameter bell.

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Tommy Dorsey Trombone