TromboneChat

Hey,
My King 3b (1976) desperately needs a new slide crook due to some accelerated red rot.
Apparently there is a 10 month wait to get a new part from UMI
Anyone have any ideas on replacing it? Could even be a non-King crook if it were feasible.
TIA

Have your tech order one from Allied Supply. It is the same crook as a King 606, they will likely have some in stock.

Thank you

I had an MK drawing replica from an Olds installed on a similar project and it turned out great. I don't know what their current turnaround time is but IIRC it was in stock at the time and it shipped immediately.

Allied will likely be cheaper, but if you want to order it yourself now:

https://mouthpieceexpress.com/catalog/p ... s_id=29089

https://mouthpieceexpress.com/catalog/p ... s_id=28566

Yamaha 891Z crooks is another good option. Its also nickel if you want to change alloy.

pfrancis wrote: Sat Jul 26, 2025 11:05 am Yamaha 891Z crooks is another good option. Its also nickel if you want to change alloy.

It's a good option if you want to change the sound of the instrument. Many do not. Also is it the correct size?

WGWTR180 wrote: Sun Jul 27, 2025 7:28 am

pfrancis wrote: Sat Jul 26, 2025 11:05 am Yamaha 891Z crooks is another good option. Its also nickel if you want to change alloy.

It's a good option if you want to change the sound of the instrument. Many do not. Also is it the correct size?

It’s .508” if that is what you are asking. It is a single radius and width is very close but not identical to the King part, if I remember right Yamaha is slightly wider. The Yamaha is also built “normally” with ferrules rather than cups for the outer tubes to go into.

Fidbone wrote: Fri Jul 25, 2025 12:44 am …
Anyone have any ideas on replacing it? Could even be a non-King crook if it were feasible.
…

While not identical it is spec wise an optional sub/replacement that doesn’t require any other additional modification (aside from aligning the slide the same as one would have to do with any other crook).

I have managed to source a replica and knowing the German ethic is probably better than the original…….. https://www.hoelle-posaunen.de/zubeh%C3%B6r-umbau/

I’ll report back when it’s done

As a side note, I was in contact with Matthias about a crook, not for a 3b but instead a 3b+ for a horn which *may* have had some red rot on the crook (or maybe something else, really wasn‘t sure). In the end I sold the horn as-is to fund something else, so far there were no complaints of a hole appearing btw.

Anyway, Matthias indicated he would have been quite happy to make it, especially if the original part was still available for reference. The price he quoted seemed very reasonable for what would have effectively been a custom job made by an expert German craftsman.

Happy to report that the King 3b slide crook has worked out beautifully

Matthias Hölle in Germany made the crook and Adrian Jarvis in the UK fitted it. I chose to have a Saturn water key installed.
The horn plays better than ever…… Happy bunny