TromboneChat

Just out of curiosity.
Has anyone tried swapping the handslide crook on a Bach 16M for a crook from a King 3B or another model? What was your experience like?

I did an MK Drawing crook. The entire horn was simply better afterwards.

Burgerbob wrote: Mon May 11, 2026 8:35 am I did an MK Drawing crook. The entire horn was simply better afterwards.

Cool! Happy to hear it! Did you get the regular nickel? Or other kinda material?

wesleyrubim wrote: Mon May 11, 2026 3:59 pm

Burgerbob wrote: Mon May 11, 2026 8:35 am I did an MK Drawing crook. The entire horn was simply better afterwards.

Cool! Happy to hear it! Did you get the regular nickel? Or other kinda material?

I used this one, NOT the Bach replacement. The larger size really opened up the horn and made it better.

https://www.mkdrawing.com/product/tromb ... mall-bore/

Yes, I have. On a 16M that I no longer have.
It as a fantastically more open horn.
It became kind of a 'Project" horn that I used as my daily horn for a number of years.
1) Changed the awful 16M leadpipe for a Kanstul H8.
2) Changed the Hand slide crook to a 3B crook. The horn opened up considerably.
3) Changed the tuning Slide crook to one off of a 3B. Played even more open and free.
With all 3 off these replacements the horn was such a free blow and the upper range just flew out of the horn.
It was a very good 6M to begin with but it was killer!!

I replaced the slide crook with a 3B slide crook. There a very noticeable open feel with better slotting but not yet where I thought it should be. I replaced the leadpipe with a Brass Ark 32H 0.509". I noticed further improvement. The 32H however, is based on a Conn design and was a bit too open for me. Got an O'Malley Brass LA 0.508" press fit LP. My 16M with the non-open neck pipe is now totally dialed in.

I play with a chap that preferred the 3B crook over the Bach one.