TromboneChat

I have a Larry Minick 88h from the 80's or 90's. I just had a tech go over it to repair some loose bracing and solder joints. I am curious what these are selling for these days? The horn plays as well as when I put it in storage many years ago. The inner slides need to be replaced as there is significant wear. I was given a quote of around $700 to replace them. I am trying to decide if I sell it "as is" or if I invest in the slide replacement will I get my money out of it. As of today, I have about $800 in the horn. I know this is a very rare horn and am hoping to get some info as I have seen other mentions of Minick horns in this forum. I have pics, but do not know how to attach them ATM.

Check out brassark.com
Noah’s got all of his previous sales up (go to instruments for sale then archive), that should give you a ballpark of instruments and prices) and he’s a great resource if you don’t want to deal with selling it yourself.

Thank you!

Tough to say. A mint Minick can go $3500-5K with the right timing. $2500-3K is a bit more reasonable. If it has stamps on the linkages and/or flanges that will help. If the bell was finished by him, or is an unmarked beryllium bell, that will also help. As is, you could probably 2-2.5x your money on it and have someone else do the slide repair work on their own dime.

Minick’s are rare and harder and harder to find in mint condition, but 88Hs are not as in vogue in the US as they once were. You may have better luck selling overseas.

I’m sure Noah can help. He also collaborates with a repair tech who trained under Minick. Perhaps they could restore the horn into a top contender Conn .547 and sell it on the high end. You’ll have to ask and find out!

Also depends on what flavor of Minick it is. Is it an already built 88h he upgraded, is it one he built with one of the unstamped bells from Conn he had, or is it one with his proprietary beryllium bell?

Really?? Beryllium is hazardous to work with and extremely toxic...

jonathanharker wrote: Fri Mar 07, 2025 7:40 pm Really?? Beryllium is hazardous to work with and extremely toxic...

Yup, Minick and Schilke had horns with beryllium bells (the P5-4 piccolo trumpet for example).

jonathanharker wrote: Fri Mar 07, 2025 7:40 pm Really?? Beryllium is hazardous to work with and extremely toxic...

Previous thread about Minick beryllium bells.
viewtopic.php?t=32995

They're actually made of beryllium bronze; mostly copper with around 2.5% beryllium. Not dangerous in general use, though proper PPE should be worn when grinding or machining.

I don't know if anyone makes beryllium bronze bells any more. From what I see online, modern Schilke "beryllium" bells are actually electorformed copper.

Beryllium is tough to find. Because of its low atomic weight (Atomic number is 4) it doesn't get picked up by the usual X-ray fluorescence machines.

Somebody gave me some beryllium oxide ceramic to analyze on my X-ray fluorescence machine and I couldn't find anything.

I love that you even have an X-ray fluorescence machine, I am jealous. Are you 1. some sort of chemist who appropriated an old one from the lab, 2. a wealthy mad scientist, or 3. an antique dealer?

jonathanharker wrote: Sat Mar 08, 2025 2:25 am I love that you even have an X-ray fluorescence machine, I am jealous. Are you 1. some sort of chemist who appropriated an old one from the lab, 2. a wealthy mad scientist, or 3. an antique dealer?

I don't have it any more. I worked at an analytical lab and my main work included the XRF. I did a couple of "evening projects" for some folks on the old Trombone Forum.

JohnL wrote: Fri Mar 07, 2025 8:20 pm

jonathanharker wrote: Fri Mar 07, 2025 7:40 pm Really?? Beryllium is hazardous to work with and extremely toxic...

Previous thread about Minick beryllium bells.
viewtopic.php?t=32995

They're actually made of beryllium bronze; mostly copper with around 2.5% beryllium. Not dangerous in general use, though proper PPE should be worn when grinding or machining.

I don't know if anyone makes beryllium bronze bells any more. From what I see online, modern Schilke "beryllium" bells are actually electorformed copper.

I owned a few of those bells from Minick at one point. DENSE to say the least.