TromboneChat

There have been previous posts about the King 607 and 607F horns having different leadpipes. I believe the consensus was the 607 had a much better pipe (maybe same as a 3B) while the 607F had a beginners pipe. I first realized how tight my original pipe was when I was unable to pass the weight for a swab down the bore--something I didn't have a problem with on my 0.500 bore horns.

Decided to check my local tech and told him what I wanted to do. Dropped the horn off early in February and just got it back yesterday (26 Jul). The long pole in the tent was getting an M2 leadpipe out of Shires.

Boy, did that open that horn up. Looking forward to playing more in the coming days.

Yup, mine played way better afterwards. But the added length from the leadpipe adapter meant I had to cut the tuning slide as well.

Educate me, when you say cut the tuning slide, where / what do you cut?

Where / what do you cut?

Inners and outers on the tuning slide and bell section. I liked it but the mouthpiece distance change and the weight balance change were too much for me in the end.

walldaja, what did your tech need to do to prepare the 607F slide for the new leadpipe? I recall Aidan's post about the work that his tech (Sandhagen?) did to adapt it, and yours looks much simpler. As I recall, the dilemma was that part of the original leadpipe was built into the cork barrel.

I've got a 607F with a lot of potential, but it's constrained by that bad leadpipe.

My tech removed the original pipe and replaced it with a threaded adapter with Shires threads. I think he got the adapter from Allied. Once he got the Shires pipe he just dropped it in. I think it only added about .5" to the overall length of the slide. So far seems in tune when playing, I just have to pull the tuning slide out about 0.25" out (both legs out add up to 0.5). Will be watching the tuning though.

Played it today and it was amazing, big sound and easy to make speak. I compared it against my Shires Q and was impressed how similar they played. Looking forward to rehearsal this week!

Could you have done it as a press-fit instead? I contemplated adding a threaded lead pipe and collar to a 3B a couple of years ago and decided to do it as a press-fit, avoiding the extra length.

Yes he could have. I had heard good things about the Shires pipe.