Old Friends and First Trombones

[heinamj]

Do you still have your first student trombone? Or, do you wish you did? Maybe you already found and bought one like it?

For me, I don't remember what I did with my King 605 Cleveland when we bought my 4B with F in Highschool. I should have kept it for marching band rather than using the 4B... doh!

Later in college I had the chance to buy a pristine used 7B Duo Gravis Silver Sonic and sold my 4B to my roommate. I loved playing bass in our Jazz band on the DGSS and lead parts on an old Getzen marching horn the college had.

But, after decades of rare use I sold the DGSS at the right time in our lives in 2015 and used 10% of the proceeds to buy a beat up 5B that plays and sounds ok.

Now, coming back to trombone on the cusp of my 60's, I thought it'd be fun to find an old student horn for playing lead parts again to go with playing "bass" on the 5B like back in college.

Last week, I sent a Thanksgiving greeting to my oldest trombone friend from 5th grade and she responded that she still had her Cleveland 605F that hadn't been used since Highschool and did I know anyone who might want it... I told her I'd love to check it out.

What a blast from the past it was to open that old familiar case with the same broken buckle on the mouthpiece compartment lid that mine had! Naturally, the slide and rotor were frozen from disuse but overall it was in good shape and cleaning and restoring it to playing condition was fun.

From the first note it was surreal playing that old horn that I had been so close to in my youth (I remember coveting the trigger she had). When I sent a video of me playing Danny Boy on it to my friend she was moved and said it was meant to be that I should have it now.

I've seen the 605's referred to as a poor man's 2B... maybe so ... I'm just glad I've had the chance to reunite with this old friend from my old friend.

[Conn100HGuy]

When I started playing again after a 35-year layoff, I bought a horn on ebay, not knowing that my first trombone was hidden on a shelf in the basement. I found it by chance one day, opened the case, and saw this black hunk of metal with a broken inner slide staring back at me. I took it to a local music store to get it "refurbished". It cost about $125 to completely overhaul my 1955 Olds Ambassador. Except for the acid bleed on the rim of the bell, it looks (and plays) beautifully.

[JohnL]

The first trombone I owned? Garage sale Bundy. Not missed.

The first "nice" trombone I owned? Conn 4H; still have it, but I don't play it. I've loaned it out a couple times over they years.

[Mr412]

I bought an identical one back and conquered it to give me closure. Then I sold it and moved on.

[Burgerbob]

The first real horn I used for a longer period was a King 6B. It was great at the time (minus the ergonomics...) and I really don't miss it at all. I haven't played another one except 2 minutes on a real beater a few years ago. I'm ok with that.

I prefer to keep mouthpieces as nostalgia items... they take up way less space and money. I do have the first mouthpiece I ever owned, as well as a bunch of other important-to-me pieces.

[officermayo]

My first horn was my 1940 King Liberty I got from my father. Still have it.

[sacfxdx]

My first one was a 1960’s King 3B SilverSonic. My dad bought from a buddy whose kid used it in college. I still have it. I started back after a 40 year layoff. Now I play a XO bass trombone. Sill have the SS.

[Mamaposaune]

My first trombone was a very old Olds, probably from the '30's, that my dad rented from a local store that dealt in used instruments. I can remember spending a lot of time polishing it. My first teacher, in a summer music program, told my parents to trade it in. So, my 2nd horn was a shiny Bundy. I didn't realize how bad that horn was until a few years later, when I got a slightly used Conn Connstellation, which showed up in the classifieds of our local paper.
THAT'S the one I wish I still had. My freshman year as a music major, I was told I need an 88H, so I sold the Connstellation to help pay for it. (1976 - the 88H was a dog and I don't miss it)

[BGuttman]

I learned on a Getzen Super Deluxe (the one with hexagonal ferrules on the braces. Not a bad horn, but it belonged to the New York City Public School system. My own first trombone was a Getzen Deluxe (it wasn't). A cheap POC that I don't miss for 1 minute. I wanted to play bass trombone so we got an Olds A-20 (I know it's not a bass, but in High School you really didn't need one). The school loaned me a King with an F-attachment; probably a Symphony. Wish I could have afforded that one.

The A-20 went away when I started taking lessons as a returnee when my teacher couldn't find a D above the staff on it. Replaced it with a Yamaha 682G.

Every so often I think about getting a Getzen Super Deluxe, but I can't justify it.

[robcat2075]

I still have my Conn 14H. Got it the summer before 6th grade.

I remember how heavy it seemed, how hard it was to hold it up to play, and how lugging the case made me dread every next step.

In 11th grade I had a successful outing with my 14H at the district solo contest.

When I try to play it today I can't make much sense of it, it feels so unfamiliar.

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[hyperbolica]

My first trombone was a 605 in 1974? I think. It was a rental, and I remember how that plush blue velvet smelled. It smelled like music to me. I remember being fascinated with how the trombone went together and how the slide worked. It was important to me to do all of the things I was supposed to do with it. I was dedicated to this new endeavor, and I could tell that people with trombones were really important people.

I'm still kind of fascinated and dedicated to the club of trombone players. Definitely better than any of the other brass instruments...

[Mamaposaune]

My first trombone was a 605 in 1974? I think. It was a rental, and I remember how that plush blue velvet smelled. It smelled like music to me. I remember being fascinated with how the trombone went together and how the slide worked. It was important to me to do all of the things I was supposed to do with it. I was dedicated to this new endeavor, and I could tell that people with trombones were really important people.

I'm still kind of fascinated and dedicated to the club of trombone players. Definitely better than any of the other brass instruments...

Love this! Even as a young kid, you got it!

[heinamj]

My first trombone was a 605 in 1974? I think. It was a rental, and I remember how that plush blue velvet smelled. It smelled like music to me.

What's with those old 605 cases? I got mine in 4th grade which would have been '72 or '73.

[Kbiggs]

I still have my Conn 14H. Got it the summer before 6th grade.

I remember how heavy it seemed, how hard it was to hold it up to play, and how lugging the case made me dread every next step.

In 11th grade I had a successful outing with my 14H at the district solo contest.

When I try to play it today I can't make much sense of it, it feels so unfamiliar.

The 14H was my first trombone, too. It was purchased used from a local music shop. I sounded awful on it. It was easy to get a sound on it, but hard to get a good sound. I remember in middle school playing a school-owned Olds (slightly larger bore, flat wrap: model?), and like magic, my sound improved. From that moment on I hated that 14H. I pleaded and begged for a new horn, and eventually my parents bought a .508 bore horn (Bach?). I wish I still had that horn…

I eventually turned the 14H into a sacbut by cutting the bell and using a smaller, more cup-shaped mouthpiece. It was the best use for that horn, and the best I ever sounded on it. I eventually sold it for parts.

[Pezza]

My 1st trombone was my grandfathers old Buescher True Tone.
Peashooter! I can't play it anymore (too small) but I'll never get rid of it.

[afugate]

My first horn was a student-rental Bundy. Built like a tank... and played like one. After a year of playing on it my parents bought me a brand new King 3BF. My little brother played it, as did my daughter - until she replaced it with a 3BF SS. Now it's back in my stable.

--Andy in OKC

[Tromboned]

I had a King Tempo 606 that was my only horn through 8th grade and then was my marching horn through college tryouts. I played it a few times after that but it was stuffy compared to the rest of my horns so I never really used it. (I got a large bore straight horn to do marching stuff now) I have leant it to a friend who's son was taking up trombone. Their schools gave them loaners when he started but during COVID they didn't have access to them at home. I don't really miss it. I may want it back if one of my kids decides to take it up. The slide is still OK after all these years.

[calcbone]

I started in 1992 on a Yamaha 354…about 18 of us did; all of the trombone players in my grade except one (he played his dad’s old Conn Director). Our band director strongly encouraged our parents to rent an instrument from our “official” music store, which were all Yamahas. The day we started on our instruments, the high school’s band trailer pulled up, full of Yamaha beginner instruments.

We traded that Yamaha in 5 years later, when I upgraded to a Blessing B-88. I’m not a Yamaha guy, but if my son has chosen trombone this year, we probably would have gotten him a YSL-354 of his own.

[Pudding]

My first trombone was some sort of Jupiter student model. I had it from new, but being a 1980s model, it probably wasn't great. Not that it bothered me, as I was just pleased to have a trombone after three years playing Eb tenor horn. When I was playing it someone offered me a great condition vintage King 2b for £70. I had no idea what it was but really wanted to buy it. Unfortunately, I was overruled by my parents who, in consultation with my trombone teacher, decided that I really didn't want to waste my money on that old thing!

Anyway, I sold the Jupiter a couple of years later for more than it was new, which was a bonus. By that point I had a Besson 600 which I was also very pleased with, resplendent as it was in its shining silver plate. That one is still being used regularly by my eldest son, as is the King 4bf I got after the Besson.

[heinamj]

When I was playing it someone offered me a great condition vintage King 2b for £70. I had no idea what it was but really wanted to buy it. Unfortunately, I was overruled by my parents who, in consultation with my trombone teacher, decided that I really didn't want to waste my money on that old thing!

Ahhhhh!! Oh to have that opportunity wander by again!

[JohnL]

I still have the first bass trombone I ever owned - an Olds P-24G. Bought it out of the display case at Castle Music in San Luis Obispo, CA in early 1981 for $700 plus tax. It lives in its case most of the time (I have another P-24G with an open wrap that's my daily driver), but I still use it when I play with the the alumni band for homecoming.

[kingsk1117]

My first horn was a Conn 6H in 1964, and I still play it routinely. Just subbed in as lead in our big band tonight with it and I love it.

[HawaiiTromboneGuy]

My first horn that my parents bought me was a silver plated Bach TB300 as I was going into my freshman year of high school. I used that as my marching horn and marched with it in the Tournament of Roses Parade, Macy’s Parade, and in a Disneyland parade. I still have it and pull it out every now and then to play/admire/maintenance.

[W1XO]

The first trombone I played wasn't mine. I was a euphonium player in high school (with some excursions into tuba). The director decided he wanted me on third trombone to add some oomph down there, and handed me the school's King 4B (the "bass trombone") and said "figure it out". I did, and still am mostly a bass bone (and euph) player.

[heinamj]

The director decided he wanted me on third trombone to add some oomph down there, and handed me the school's King 4B (the "bass trombone") and said "figure it out".

Well... at least if you messed up and the director yells "Trombones! What are you doing!?" you could answer "Exactly what you told me to do"... and then start in on the bass line of Chameleon!

[Cotboneman]

The first trombone that I owned outright was a nickel-plated horn that I want to say was a Buescher, but in fact may have been European. I was playing baritone horn in high school and my dad picked it up at a pawn shop. Apart from being heavy and a little dead sounding, it was okay to learn off of. My first real trombone was a Selmer Bolero, which I purchased new from my college trombone teacher, who was a Selmer clinician, in 1975. I remember working all summer to save up $680 to buy that horn! I played it all four years of my undergraduate years.

[ParLawGod]

My first trombone was a Yamaha 354. I sold it in college so I could afford other horns...still regret that and wish I had it.