Posted by Joe S. on June 20, 1999 at 15:08:00:
In Reply to: Re: Conn 112H vs. Bach 50B03 Bass Trombone posted by Max on June 20, 1999 at 14:12:46:
Max, I respect your opinion from your experience (really), and also respect that you ID'ed yourself with your server email address.
I do not have a Bach to sell, but I still think that it is the best choice. I have never seen any Bach put together all mal-aligned tuning slide-wise, with an overly-leaky Thayer valve, flat spots in the bell flair, an extremely leaky main tuning slide, nor rounded-down ends at the bottoms of the inner slide tubes from cutting them off too hurriedly. I have seen all of these, and more, in the Edwards stuff that folks bring in to me for repair work. I used to sell the Getzen "Custom" series (middle-choice-everything Edwards), but it got too embarrassing and I quit ordering.
Most all of the Edwards owners that I know ALSO have a Bach, and still use their Bach for certain applications. I would compare this to people who normally play very fine Blackburn trumpets, but who also have a Bach trumpet, and actually use the Bach on auditions; or Laubin oboe players who also own a Loree, and might actually use the Loree on auditions.
If "Edwards" trombones said "Getzen" on them instead of "Edwards" (a double entendre referring to Ed Getzen and Ed Thayer) and had no Thayer valves, I don't believe that as many people would seriously consider them.
I know, from your Edwards happiness, that you indeed got one of the "good" ones, but there is beaucoup de inconsistancie in their products. Bach is widely accepted, widely used professionally, and probably won't arrive with any problems. Bach is not today's new vogue, but is indeed the longtime top maker, worldwide, and again, I am NOT a Selmer/Bach dealer, and COULD still be a Getzen dealer.
I have an old Conn single rotor bass, but it is not quite the one that you are looking for. It is an Elkhart 72H with the tuning slide in the normal position. $750 (new finish, new case) I think that the one you are looking for might be called a 60H or something, or the VERY VERY old version (in silver-plated gold brass) that was (this model # IS correct, for sure) 70H. Happy hunting on the old Conn.