TromboneChat

Do you use traditional German style tenor trombone to play jazz music? For example, using a medium caliber German style tenor trombone

I wouldn't; it's not the right sound profile. There's a reason why jazz tenors have around a .500" (perhaps smaller for lead, larger for 3rd) bore and 8" (often smaller) bell diameter combination (think Conn 6H). This allows the player to be heard with the high trumpets.

Then again, I don't own a German style trombone — my Holton 168 with its 9" bell and .547" slide could be seen as a hybrid of American and German styles of sorts — but if I did, I'd keep it only for the legit settings where its sound will work.

I played a German small bore for a couple of years in jazz projects, and was plenty happy about it.

Windmill wrote: Thu Jan 22, 2026 3:11 am I played a German small bore for a couple of years in jazz projects, and was plenty happy about it.

Hi，Windmill
Which model are you using

There are German jazz trombones, and they've been around since the start big band era - they're not like the traditional German trombones, they're small-belled, narrow-bored and very cylindrical.

Mine is called "max Enders" from Mainz... I think made late 40s... Small bell, 2B diameter but tighter throat.