TromboneChat

Any ideas if at $1200 an instrument advertised as a “vintage” 1950’s or 60’s Finke Bass trombone, would be worth a two hour drive to look at? I am actually looking for a horn that I might play, not collect.

The pictures show it to be in good shape and to be a two valve bass but with a very interesting wrap system.

They don't really have a relevant footprint in modern trombones in Germany (probably more in other instruments). So I guess this may not be the most interesting option. Maybe if it really were much cheaper...

I'd assume "very quirky" at best

Modern Finke French horns are highly regarded, but everything else is a big question mark.

Is it dependent or indy?

Finetales wrote: Sun Mar 15, 2026 11:15 pm Modern Finke French horns are highly regarded, but everything else is a big question mark.

Is it dependent or indy?

It looks to be dependent.

This is the valve set up.

I've never heard of this brand, even after living and playing in Germany for 5 years, it seems like a real crapshoot, and assuming it ends up not being something that you either love or are otherwise likely to use a lot, seems like An investment it might take awhile to recoup.

I found a lot of the German trombones to be very quirky, some of this might even be intentional, but I never cared for any of them, seemed like a big learning curve.

That linkage looks kinda quirky all by itself.

Finke is an established shop with a long history, just not so well known by trombonists.

That is a wild paddle setup!

Can't figure out how you'd work the triggers....

walldaja wrote: Wed Mar 18, 2026 8:02 am Can't figure out how you'd work the triggers....

I'm thinking Haynor grip. There's a picture in this article on Doug Yeo's website.

I think Finke was the company that manufactured some of the low-cost sackbuts in the 60's and 70's under various names, and they were underwhelming; beginner instruments at best.
At any rate, the one pictured is a dependent (maybe F/E?) and it looks like the trigger placement would be an ergonomic nightmare.
I'd run, not walk, away from that one!

Mamaposaune wrote: Wed Mar 18, 2026 9:25 am I think Finke was the company that manufactured some of the low-cost sackbuts in the 60's and 70's under various names, and they were underwhelming; beginner instruments at best.

I am pretty sure they were not intended to be low-cost back then, but they were simply (some of) the very first reproductions and today from my knowledge regarded as not very accurate.
No idea if their current offering on sackbuts has been updated and improved.

Their current trombone models look "normal" according to modern standards, but as mentioned before they don't really have a footprint which seems to be more in french horns.

MStarke wrote: Wed Mar 18, 2026 10:17 am

Mamaposaune wrote: Wed Mar 18, 2026 9:25 am I think Finke was the company that manufactured some of the low-cost sackbuts in the 60's and 70's under various names, and they were underwhelming; beginner instruments at best.

I am pretty sure they were not intended to be low-cost back then, but they were simply (some of) the very first reproductions and today from my knowledge regarded as not very accurate.
No idea if their current offering on sackbuts has been updated and improved.

Their current trombone models look "normal" according to modern standards, but as mentioned before they don't really have a footprint which seems to be more in french horns.

True, not really fair and I could have worded that better. I borrowed one, 20 or 25 years ago, that a friend had bought when the Finke replicas first started coming out. Playing in a group where the other sackbuts were noticeably better, both in playability and authenticity, I ordered one made by John Webb in England. It was middle-of-the-road in terms of price and quality, but heads and tails better than the borrowed Finke. (Which I think was labeled Giardinelli, not sure now, but the owner thought it was made by Finke.)

Mamaposaune wrote: Wed Mar 18, 2026 1:05 pm I borrowed one, 20 or 25 years ago, that a friend had bought when the Finke replicas first started coming out. Playing in a group where the other sackbuts were noticeably better, both in playability and authenticity, I ordered one made by John Webb in England. It was middle-of-the-road in terms of price and quality, but heads and tails better than the borrowed Finke. (Which I think was labeled Giardinelli, not sure now, but the owner thought it was made by Finke.)

In the 1970s, I had the privilege of playing a borrowed "authentic" sackbut. (It was a wonderful revelation.) I was tempted to purchase a Giardinelli sackbut so I could have my own - but it was not in the same league. Glad that I passed!