K&H Slokar Solo

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Samdance
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K&H Slokar Solo

Post by Samdance »

I was reading through another thread and saw Doug Elliott mention how the Slokar Solo was a comfortable horn to hold. This is very important when playing/practicing on long gigs.

Does anyone have some feedback on how they play? The build quality looks great and the specs seem pretty standard. I am in the market for a large bore tenor as I am doing more work requiring one.

Any feedback would be welcome!

Best,

MB
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Doug Elliott
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Re: K&H Slokar Solo

Post by Doug Elliott »

I absolutely love mine. Very open, all the way down into the trigger range. Proof that the valve tubing doesn't have to be .562, it's .551 on this horn. Extremely well balanced and easy to hold. I play a .500 bore 99% of the time, but I can switch to the Slokar and be totally comfortable. That's partly the mouthpiece with the same rim, but it's also a feature of the horn being so efficient.

There are lots of great choices available these days... This is definitely one of them.
"I know a thing or two because I've seen a thing or two."
tkelley216
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Re: K&H Slokar Solo

Post by tkelley216 »

I had one for a while. It was probably the easiest playing instrument I ever had. Easy to hold, a super light and quick slide, and very quick response. I would describe it as between a Conn and a more traditional German trombone. I think the build quality was superior to what came out of the Bach and Conn factories around the same time. Fantastic solo/chamber horn at a favorable price.

The reason I didn't keep playing it was the sound. It doesn't center the same way that more modern, American horns do. I think the combination of 9 inch bell and lightweight slide gave it a uniquely warm, colorful, and beautiful sound, but it was fairly one-dimensional and wide. Conn's could also be described as warm and colorful, but they also have a lot of core that I just never felt/heard out of this horn.

I still think it's a very nice horn, but just a bit unique. Might be great for you but I'd definitely try before you buy. If you are just looking for a large bore tenor, I would start with a good used Conn or Bach with a 5g and practice until it pays itself off. If you want to buy new maybe go Yamaha or Getzen, but in general try before buying if you can.
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Doug Elliott
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Re: K&H Slokar Solo

Post by Doug Elliott »

My original one has a 9" gold brass (of some sort) bell, but I ordered another bell and it was 8-1/2" yellow brass. I've used both and have no real preference or opinion because I just don't play it very much.
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MStarke
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Re: K&H Slokar Solo

Post by MStarke »

I played one for around 10 years, but was primarily a bass player back then and my tenor playing wasn't the best back then.

I also don't totally remember the exact configuration, but it probably was a lightweight nickel silver slide, open wrap and 9 inch gold brass bell.

What I do remember is the great build quality (almost as new when I sold it after that time) and that it certainly wasn't what held me back technically. Response etc were certainly good. However I did miss something about the sound and a few years ago now got back to Conn. that's obviously very personal.
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RustBeltBass
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Re: K&H Slokar Solo

Post by RustBeltBass »

The poor KH Slokar never really got the love it deserved in Germany and nobody knows why. By all accounts it is a very well made horn, made by a company that often has been praised for its quality control throughout their entire line of horns, from beginner, intermediate to professional.

The design is unique and innovative and helps the players posture a lot.

Slokar had a fantastic reputation in Germany, especially at the time. Not easy to find a bigger orchestra without at least one of the trombonists being a former student of his.

My best guess is that it hit the market at the wrong time. The 90s and early 2000s in Germany were very strongly dominated by Edwards which hit the market a few later than it did in the USA. Shires started to be a player and Yamaha was taken more and more seriously and Conn was coming back with the Gen2.

The Slokar was always commented on for its great response and evenness through the range. Nobody I know who played this horn commented on any weakness….and if something doesn’t have a weakness, chances are it probably doesn’t have a lot of obvious outstanding positive qualities. That is why many switched back to their Bachs and Conns or went with the new things coming from overseas.
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Doug Elliott
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Re: K&H Slokar Solo

Post by Doug Elliott »

No weakness IS an outstanding positive quality
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harrisonreed
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Re: K&H Slokar Solo

Post by harrisonreed »

Doug Elliott wrote: Tue Feb 28, 2023 12:07 am No weakness IS an outstanding positive quality
This is how I feel about my horn. I don't want to sound like (insert brand here). I want to sound like me. A horn with no weird things to overcome, that doesn't force you into a sound, man, that's the horn you want.
RustBeltBass
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Re: K&H Slokar Solo

Post by RustBeltBass »

harrisonreed wrote: Tue Feb 28, 2023 12:42 am
Doug Elliott wrote: Tue Feb 28, 2023 12:07 am No weakness IS an outstanding positive quality
This is how I feel about my horn. I don't want to sound like (insert brand here). I want to sound like me. A horn with no weird things to overcome, that doesn't force you into a sound, man, that's the horn you want.
I can see a lot of situations where a horn like this comes in very handy, especially for the working trombonist. I think different people have different preferences. These old and amazing Bachs some people really love are not all perfectly even horns but some of their characteristics and qualities are worth it to them.
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Matt K
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Re: K&H Slokar Solo

Post by Matt K »

That's the opposite of my experience; the Bachs I've had, especially the Mt. Vernon Bachs I've had, were very even horns throughout all dynamic palettes and ranges, which made them incredibly appealing with my playing style at the time, and I wouldn't call it a weakness.

Perhaps tradeoffs is a better term to use rather than "weakness"; I'm not sure where the K&H fall in that spectrum. Yamaha horns are sometimes criticized for being "bland", which I'm guessing is probably what you're getting at. But even then, I don't know if I'd go as far to call that a weakness either inasmuch they take perhaps more control to operate.

The inverse you hear sometimes about Kings like the 3B, being to raucous or unrefined. Again, depending on if you're a "glass half full" or not type of person, you could call that a weakness or simply just an attribute of the horn that makes the sound more interesting and needs more control not to redline, against its natural inclination.
Trombonic
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Re: K&H Slokar Solo

Post by Trombonic »

I played the Slokar Solo straight model for a year or so because it was so different to a medium Jazz horn a la KIng 3B...it was fun to play, everything worked fine and sounded fine but it lacked character. I never believed that a horn needs or even has character until I learned that lesson.
Maybe like cars: I always loved Citroen and Peugeot but good sense made me buy a Hyundai at last. I save a lot of money since then every month and year :-) No character but solid like a rock..
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Sesquitone
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Re: K&H Slokar Solo

Post by Sesquitone »

Doug Elliott wrote: Sun Feb 26, 2023 10:18 am I absolutely love mine. Very open, all the way down into the trigger range. Proof that the valve tubing doesn't have to be .562, it's .551 on this horn. Extremely well balanced and easy to hold. I play a .500 bore 99% of the time, but I can switch to the Slokar and be totally comfortable. That's partly the mouthpiece with the same rim, but it's also a feature of the horn being so efficient.

There are lots of great choices available these days... This is definitely one of them.
About 25 years ago, I contacted K&H to see if they would evaluate my ULTRA valve as a possible option for their Slokar Solo model. I sent them two 14.0 mm ULTRA valves and they sent me back two Slokars—one with a 215 mm bell and another with a 230 mm bell. They both had 14.0 mm single-bore slides, matched to the 14.0 mm ULTRA valves and (F) attachment tubing. [Apparently, there was something amiss with the smaller bell—there were a lot of wolf tones. Perhaps a tiny solder-joint leak.] By contrast, the larger-bell setup was one of the most responsive trombones I've ever played (before or since). As Doug mentioned, attachment tones are a 'natural' sounding extension of the slide-alone low range. And attachment alternates are the full equivalents of their slide-alone counterparts in terms of intonation, tone-quality and attack response—no doubt, due to the matched bore (14.0 mm throughout hand-slide, valve and attachment tubing). The high-register intonation (above Bb4) is perfectly in tune. The D5 in first position just floats out; no hint of being slightly flat like so many other top brands. Same with F5 and on up. [My wife thought I'd finally 'lost it' when she found me wandering around the house belting out the theme from Mendelssohn's 'Reformation' Symphony and all the (in)famous high-register licks from Beethoven's 5th.] When I subsequently visited the K&H factory, I asked about this exceptional high-register. They told me in no uncertain terms that it was, indeed, entirely due to the shape of the bell bow, designed by Klaus Wogram, a well-known acoustics engineer (and jazz trombone player). As mentioned, the ergonomic grip is a joy to hold. Plus, the trombone a work of art to look at (see below). A case of 'form follows function'.

When I had the Slokar/ULTRA combination evaluated by several professional players (Akron Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra, Cleveland Institute of Music, Baldwin Wallace, . . .), the general consensus was that it was indeed an excellent instrument for solo performance. But the sound was, perhaps, a little too 'sweet' for orchestral work that requires more 'projection'. Ultimately, Mr Slokar decided against having K&H produce the ULTRA valve; he felt that their standard rotary was adequate.



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ithinknot
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Re: K&H Slokar Solo

Post by ithinknot »

Sesquitone wrote: Fri Feb 09, 2024 12:08 pm Klaus Wogram, a well-known acoustics engineer (and jazz trombone player)
and father of Nils, whose new signature model with K&H has recently appeared
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Doug Elliott
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Re: K&H Slokar Solo

Post by Doug Elliott »

I didn't know that. Nils is a fantastic player. I'll be interested to check out that horn.
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EriKon
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Re: K&H Slokar Solo

Post by EriKon »

Nils new signature model "Edith" is a 525 medium bore with 8 1/2 inch bell. He designed it together with his father, who unfortunately passed away last year. Took many years until they finished that model. When I studied with Nils in 2019/2020 they were already working on it for quite some time. Really need to try that. And also very interested in that Slokar Solo... Hopefully I get the chance to try one.
wayne88ny
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Re: K&H Slokar Solo

Post by wayne88ny »

How does the Slokar Solo compare with the Slokar Performance?
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Doug Elliott
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Re: K&H Slokar Solo

Post by Doug Elliott »

The "Performance" has a longer name.

I know that's exactly what you thought I would say.

I like the look of the regular wrap, but I have an open wrap. If I played that horn more I would consider getting a reguar wrap.
"I know a thing or two because I've seen a thing or two."
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