TromboneChat

For any of you playing an XO bass trombone, which lead pipe are you playing? The Horn comes with 3: a silver pipe, a long Brass pipe, and a shorter Brass pipe (same length as the silver pipe).

BILLO has told me he uses the longer brass pipe, but is thinking about using the silver pipe. I am using the silver pipe, but want to know what the rest of you are using!

Thanks in advance for the feedback!

I tried the silver pipe today for a couple of hours and did some switching back and forth. I like it. It gives me a purer tone and is a bit more tolerant to sloppy articulations. It behaves well over the entire dynamic range and seems a bit more controlled in the FF+ range.

I will note though, that my silver pipe is the same length as the long brass pipe and seems to have the same throat and taper too.

I'll give it a long-term test for the spring season before committing to it, but I feel it will easily pass muster.

No real surprise I guess, as I like the silver pipe on my 1236RL-T.

I tried the leadpipes in the beginning. But did'nt bother much with them.
I use the short one, because it helps me to produce the fullest and most "open" sound. The long one gives a bit more control and focus compared to the short one, which makes a round and dark sound.
I did not like the silver one. The overtones somehow sounded not like I want my bass trombone to sound, kind of"clipped off"-sound - in lack of better words.

Forgot to mention: My mouthpiece is a Bach 1 1/4 G, for there problably is an interdependence between the leadpipe and the mouthpoece you use it with.


btw: I also play french horn and I don't like the silver plated horns either. For their sound, of course, although they look rather cool...

Update: Back on full-time bass trombone. Switched to Schilke Symphony D 6.0. Short brass leadpipe.

Result: Huge, very defined tone - and better high range than with the Bach 1 1/4G!!. Seems like a perfect combination.

Have to try my old Yeo with the other leadpipes, because with the short brass-pipe it's no match for the Schilke, makes a somehow "rough" tone and is less secure in the upper range. But for now there's no time for extended experimenting.

How do you adapt the other leadpipes to the rather unique XO system?

I have only the ones that came with the trombone. I don't think any other could be simply inserted. Maybe my tech could solder on a threaded nut like the XOs use. But I have no deeper interest in these things. The short brass-pipe works for me. If one of the other two works with the Yeo, it's fine, if not, it doesn't really matter.