Henri Selmer

[Bach5G]

Today, one of our saxophonists got off on a long tangent about his old Buescher alto.

It got me thinking about whether there are any nice older models of H Selmer trombones that might be interesting. Or other old French trombones.

[JohnL]

Selmer Paris made some very nice small bore trombones. In addition to the Bolero, there was the original Model 23 and the Model 23 Special K-Modified. They've never been all that common in the USA, but they have their loyal followers.

[Wakawaka555]

I regularly play a Selmer Largo (.547 bore, straight version) and I really enjoy it. I had issues blending with a section initially, but I solved it through mouthpiece choice. Makes for a great large bore horn in a jazz combo setting, if you’re in to that.

Ian

[mrdeacon]

Those straight Largos are super stupid bright. Fantastic horns! But if you're not sitting first and you're playing in a heavy duty big guns blazing orchestra section it's impossible to blend.

Still wish I had mine. I got one for stupid cheap on the old forums about 5 or so years ago.

[Bach5G]

A Special 23 caught my attention. I might like a small French tenor.

[Wakawaka555]

Those straight Largos are super stupid bright. Fantastic horns! But if you're not sitting first and you're playing in a heavy duty big guns blazing orchestra section it's impossible to blend.

Still wish I had mine. I got one for stupid cheap on the old forums about 5 or so years ago.

That’s the main issue I had sound-wise. Just recently switched to a Hammond 11M, and I’m satisfied with the results so far. Occasionally I’ll switch to a Marcinkiewicz 3, but it almost becomes too dark. Interesting note that none of the large shank mouthpieces I’ve used in this horn sit properly in the leadpipe (too high up). Still, not something that deters me from playing it.

Ian

[mrdeacon]

I noticed that also.

Too deep of a mouthpiece and it's crazy dark. Too shallow of a mouthpiece and it's ridonkulously bright. A middle of the road mouthpiece makes it play very mellow, but almost too mellow... It wants to be played crazy bright. Almost like a large bore 2B in that sense.

I thought it would be a fantastic horn for brass quintet or lighter orchestra and pit music where you don't want to downsize all the way to a .525 or smaller. Just didn't gel with the brass ensemble music I was doing on tenor at the time.

Mine didn't have any issues with the mouthpiece sitting... or at least that I recall... Maybe my receiver was getting worn out?

[Finetales]

The Largo with a valve and 9" bell (I guess that was their "bass" version?) makes a great barky commercial bass with a bass piece, or a great symphonic tenor a little more tame than the straight 8.5" version with a tenor piece. Both of them have crazy good low registers for a tenor.

[mlshermancpa]

I have an older straight Largo and have struggled with intonation. I stripped the lacquer and it has a nice tone but unfortunately it just sits on my shelf.

[Ndwood]

I just bought Finetales’ straight Largo with a 2nd bell section with a valve and 9” bell and I gotta say they’re SCORCHERS. I’m wondering what intonation issues mlshermancpa had - these are pretty spot on with intonation that is very familiar to me coming from a Shires tenor with a sharp D above the bass clef and a good D in 1st an octave above that. The intonation has been pretty internally consistent with different mouthpieces from one with a 5G cup/backbore to a Griego Taylor 0, which is a nice. The bell is about an inch further out than any other horn I own and closer to 4th than 3rd, which is annoying but I’ve gotten used to it over the last couple days. I bought them because I have a Bolero that I really love and wanted to see if the larger horns in the series were as good and they definitely didn’t disappoint.

[Finetales]

I just bought Finetales’ straight Largo with a 2nd bell section with a valve and 9” bell and I gotta say they’re SCORCHERS. I’m wondering what intonation issues mlshermancpa had - these are pretty spot on with intonation that is very familiar to me coming from a Shires tenor with a sharp D above the bass clef and a good D in 1st an octave above that. The intonation has been pretty internally consistent with different mouthpieces from one with a 5G cup/backbore to a Griego Taylor 0, which is a nice. The bell is about an inch further out than any other horn I own and closer to 4th than 3rd, which is annoying but I’ve gotten used to it over the last couple days. I bought them because I have a Bolero that I really love and wanted to see if the larger horns in the series were as good and they definitely didn’t disappoint.

Glad you like them!!!

[Tarkus697]

I picked up a Bolero for a sweet price at a music store outside of Philly. Great condition and a hell of a player. I use it with me wedding/events band with a Faxx 12C mouthpiece and it's mellow when it needs to be and screams when pushed. Love it to death!

[Louilou]

I really like the Selmer Bolero. A very good and underrated trombone. A great value if found in good condition.

[imsevimse]

I have a straight Selmer Largo, a Selmer 23 K-modified and a silverplated Semer Bolero with f-valve. The horn I have played most is the Bolero which is like a more mellow version of a King 3b. It's a heavy horn. The 23 K-modified I took to a big band but thought it was very bright on 2nd. It has a big bell but if I remember correctly it is .485 bore so it is quite small. My Largo is awful looking so I got it very cheap. I think I need to spend some time with thsee three horns and give them a fair chance.

/Tom

[micka572]

Do Selmer horns need special shank mouthpiece to sit right?

[Cotboneman]

I had a Selmer Bolero in college, picked off the assembly line in Paris from my teacher, Mark McDunn. He was a Selmer clinician at the time. He had an exceptionally bright, commercial tone and both the Bolero and the Largo (which I had also play tested) could really bark. I played it on a standard Bach 61/2 AL and noticed no problems with the mouthpiece shank in the horn. I sold that Bolero in the 80's, and now regret it.

[micka572]

No intonation problems?

[mickael57280]

Hi, found that intonation problems is due to a too large mouthpiece.

Playing with a 6.5A and everything up to high F is flat.
Playing with the original mouthpiece and everything is ok, but it's pretty small.
For those of you that have one, with what size do you you play it?

[imsevimse]

Hi, found that intonation problems is due to a too large mouthpiece.

Playing with a 6.5A and everything up to high F is flat.
Playing with the original mouthpiece and everything is ok, but it's pretty small.
For those of you that have one, with what size do you you play it?

What size is the original mouthpiece?

./Tom

[mickael57280]

Don't know exactly but somethin' like a 12C or 15C

[imsevimse]

Don't know exactly but somethin' like a 12C or 15C

I've also noticed intonation is more flat on a deeper mouthpiece. I have compared different Karl Hammond 12 mouthpieces with my Bach 36BO. I have to move my tuningslide in about 5 mm if I switch from a M to ML and another 5 mm if I play a MXL.

/Tom