TromboneChat

This looks like a two-valve alto trombone to me (ignore the LeFreque pates). And get a load of that angled handslide brace. I think I want one.

https://www.lefreque.com/artists/daniel-casimir


I think the same horn is on the bookshelf in this video:


I think he calls it a Josef Gopp alto trombone in the video. The Gopp website doesn't have anything like this (and its Eb/Bb alto page has a picture of a straight horn).

It is a Josef Gopp instrument, presumably custom ordered. It's been around for awhile. The second valve is very short. Here's another picture that shows the full instrument:

Gopp is an excellent repair tech and has a wonderful shop in Germany, I visited once. Many prominent trombonists from all over Germany use him for repairs and modifications, especially for older Bach's and Conn's. The instruments he builds are also good, he seems to do a lot of custom/special orders.

I wonder what the purpose is? More possibilities with trills?

If that's a whole tone second valve (not sure?), it makes it an Eb/Bb/Ab alto, which is fully chromatic down low (if the slide has a good seventh position). That could be very practical, if you want to use the alto e.g. for big band and general jazz stuff.

I have been wondering before, why Michael Lake is not using an alto with at least one valve.

The only thing missing from this is a cut bell. Then everyone would want one.

WGWTR180 wrote: Sun Apr 19, 2026 7:03 am The only thing missing from this is a cut bell. Then everyone would want one.

Astute.

The cut bell ring, of course, being the key to the core and stability of tone necessary for the critical extreme low register of this alto. I think that is why we are seeing the LeFreques here, in multiple applications.



I gotta admit, Daniel Casimir looks like he is having a lot of fun playing this instrument. It looks fun to play.

Does anybody know which mouthpiece is show on the picture?

WGWTR180 wrote: Sun Apr 19, 2026 7:03 am The only thing missing from this is a cut bell. Then everyone would want one.

Yes, in jest… but I built a two valve Eb/Bb/Cb(G) horn that I intend to put a cut flare on.

I travel a lot for work and I wanted to make a horn that fits into a 15x24x4 shape… basically a briefcase. I haven’t cut the flare yet, mainly because I don’t have a plan to learn to do that myself yet. I have the ring, but not the practice or learning yet.

And no, mine is not an instrument that I think belongs in public, generally. Pit orchestras, maybe, but not anywhere the light can touch…
Andy