To my ears as a tuba player I prefer the B&S with the Shires as a close second. I am sad to hear the Monster isn’t holding up as well because that horn also sounds great. My opinion, play that B&S, it sounds astonishingly good and it seems to play great for you!
I have a MW custom made with a cut corporation bell.. I have same issues as you!! But love the sound!.. very annoying. I have my Bach infinity at my repair shop to see if he can fix the valves because it's so bad setup and impossible to play..but I have a hope that it might come well together after it's fixed!
You gotta appreciate the honesty, about the fact that he kept the instruments like how they are made to be played, and not how he wants them to. Great video, that helped me a lot. :)
I am a Tenor Trombonist. In the early 1990s, I play tested a King 7B and a King 8B. The King 7B was was a good player. The King 8B was a Big Bore Bazooka. I had trouble filling it. I think one of my lungs collapsed. It is a Great Horn for a Bass Trombonist. But you need an extra set of lungs to play it .
Wow, I had no idea how much I didn't know about trombones...didn't even know there WAS a bass trombone! But here's the thing...I didn't see here, what I saw on a Danish Symphony Orchestra video. They did the Mandalorian theme, and at 3:02, there's this crazy thing like a trombone, but like most of the piping sits in front of the person instead of over the shoulder. But it also had a very trombone over-the-shoulder pipe. WHAT IS THAT??
I’ll be taking a trip up to Shires in a couple of weeks with a friend who’s being fitted for a horn. Hopefully they will have a George Curran model available to try. I’m not sure how much I would like the dual bore. On my Shires bass I have a lightweight .562. I love the axials and new bell I just got last October, but I do want to see how a regular weight slide sounds and feels.
@@AidanRitchie years ago I tried a regular weight slide, it sounded dull compared to the lightweight, and the money trigger notes were not centered. That’s why I went with the lightweight, but it was a different setup. One of my colleagues has a Shires TW47LW, something like a 5G bell and rotor. The lightweight worked better for him too. Best to just save my money and practice with what I have!
0:04 stuff like that is the sole reason why I play bass bone. Also, what etude/piece were you using as examples? i want to know so i can play it myself.
I have a theory about horn preferences. I think we tend to gravitate to horn setups that have similar tendencies to the ones we first learned on, taking bits and pieces of preferences from each period of learning we had. What do you think? Are your horn preferences reflective of your favorite features of horns you learned on?
Oh not at all. I started bass on a King 6B, and played a Holton 180 all through undergrad- neither of those I feel any affinity for whatsoever. But I grew up in a very isolated, bubbled place where I didn't hear great sounds.
Well, it looks like you covered all of the bases on the Basses. I play tested a King 7B when new. I was a powerful horn and is exactly as you described. I am a tenor trombonist and do not own any Bass trombones. But this video has peaked my interest. I will probably revisit play testing Bass Trombones.
I am a tenor trombone player. I like the sound of the Shires Curran the best. I think the 50K3LG looks the best. I think the B&S sounds a little breathy on the higher notes, but it is gorgeous.
This is quite interesting as for me I've played Edwards, Rath, Bach, Yamaha, Kanstul and King. To my ears I preferred the Yamaha 613 and the B&S. The others sounded woolly to me. It's like listening to high quality hifi when the bass is quick and responsive on the Yamaha and the B&S but the others sounded defused! Not sure if it's because you are pointing away from the mic and you may hear it completely differently. Over all it's a great sound and you like what you like. I currently have a Then BvD model, Throjan and a Yamaha Xeno Yeo dependant.
Which model # is the B&S? I looked on their website and they have more than one Meistersinger bass listed. Thank you for sharing the comparison. I can hear the differences between them, even without studio mics.
I like the monster bass the best. I think I prefer a bass that gets a little hot on the low notes, but I understand why that's not ideal for most professional playing. I like when a bass can make low notes sound bright without sounding thin. Horns like this have a more vocal quality to me because the tone is less consistent just like a singer. I feel like modern bass trombones are mostly designed to keep the buttery fat sound no matter how loud you play it rather than the tone vary greatly with different dynamics.
Ideally, you have a horn that can do a bit of both- it's even and consistent, but also lets you change the tone color when you like. That's what I've found with my current stable, and the Monster is not part of it.
Hi Aidan, I have a weird question. You seem to like the Yamaha 613, but don't like the 830Xeno if i understood well. I have a really good Yamaha 622 Yeo Model which i try to sell. lots of people say they love it but no one wants to buy it. Any thoughts on how it plays and perhaps some tips on how to shift in (I live in UK so maybe difficult to guess for you)
Hey, Lee! "corporation bell" refers to a Bach bell from the corporation era, the horns manufactured after Mt Vernon and before being bought in 1980. Basically any horn from the 70s is a "Corp." My monster bass is a horn I had for me all to my specs. It's been my main bass trombone for the last couple years
With your experience owning a ton of trombones, what would you say is the bread and butter of f attch. tenor trombones something that will always play well consistently
None! Haha. But there are many good horns out there, depending on what you're looking for. If you're looking for a large bore for high school, a Yamaha 448G is very solid and can be picked up for pretty cheap used.
To me, the Sarastro sounded the best, the Curran came in second, and the King third. The others just didn't sound as good to me. This was a very interesting video. I've never heard of anyone owning 6 bass trombones! 😂
It's been a long time since I've reviewed a Laetzsch bass- I haven't played one since 2018! I do own a Laetzsch contra that I love, but the bass trombones did not really strike me the same way as some of their other horns.
@Aidan Ritchie I gotta find a good deal on a bass soon. I haven't seen many great ones recently. Going into senior year of hs and planning on continuing in college. Ant recommendations on where to look, what to buy, ect? Thanks man!
Old Bach bells maybe are easy at high notes, my 50b bell which was made after the corporation era in the 90s, is just so great at high range, I can play that high F easily with my 1G mouthpiece
Bach bells are all different- some are great in the high range, some are not. The leadpipe and slide tend to make more of a difference there. The Corporation era ends in 1979, a bit before the '90s!
Nice, really covered all the basses in this one!
To my ears as a tuba player I prefer the B&S with the Shires as a close second. I am sad to hear the Monster isn’t holding up as well because that horn also sounds great. My opinion, play that B&S, it sounds astonishingly good and it seems to play great for you!
0:00 Intro
1:38 King 7B sound
2:23 King 7B review
5:07 Yamaha 613 sound
5:53 Yamaha 613 review
8:27 Shires Curran sound
9:12 Shires Curran review
11:45 Monster bass sound
12:31 Monster bass review
17:57 Bach 50K3LG sound
18:44 Bach 50K3LG review
22:55 B&S Sarastro sound
23:40 B&S Sarastro review
27:41 Outro
i think the line breaks are causing youtube to not include them as chapters
@@cookie0329 perhaps, I had no breaks for a bit and there were still no chapters... hmm
Monster bass
I have a MW custom made with a cut corporation bell.. I have same issues as you!! But love the sound!.. very annoying. I have my Bach infinity at my repair shop to see if he can fix the valves because it's so bad setup and impossible to play..but I have a hope that it might come well together after it's fixed!
Do you have to buy a bach 50 corporation bell or is that something M&W offers. (CR,Bass trombonist ,bergen county nj)
I really enjoyed this! I love your sound so much, especially on the B&S and monster bass, that B&S has it all though!
Monster Bass sounds the best to my ears. Nice video!
The video does it some favors, for sure!
You gotta appreciate the honesty, about the fact that he kept the instruments like how they are made to be played, and not how he wants them to. Great video, that helped me a lot. :)
Loved the 7B! I own a 6B and it's a wonderful horn
It's pretty good... definitely not what I would use for myself!
I am a Tenor Trombonist. In the early 1990s, I play tested a King 7B and a King 8B. The King 7B was was a good player. The King 8B was a Big Bore Bazooka. I had trouble filling it. I think one of my lungs collapsed. It is a Great Horn for a Bass Trombonist. But you need an extra set of lungs to play it .
Wow, I had no idea how much I didn't know about trombones...didn't even know there WAS a bass trombone! But here's the thing...I didn't see here, what I saw on a Danish Symphony Orchestra video. They did the Mandalorian theme, and at 3:02, there's this crazy thing like a trombone, but like most of the piping sits in front of the person instead of over the shoulder. But it also had a very trombone over-the-shoulder pipe. WHAT IS THAT??
That's a cimbasso, much like a contrabass trombone but with valves instead of a slide. They're typically played by tuba players.
I’ll be taking a trip up to Shires in a couple of weeks with a friend who’s being fitted for a horn. Hopefully they will have a George Curran model available to try. I’m not sure how much I would like the dual bore. On my Shires bass I have a lightweight .562. I love the axials and new bell I just got last October, but I do want to see how a regular weight slide sounds and feels.
I just sold another Shires with a lightweight slide, it was a perfect match for that horn I think. You might not find it to be better!
@@AidanRitchie years ago I tried a regular weight slide, it sounded dull compared to the lightweight, and the money trigger notes were not centered. That’s why I went with the lightweight, but it was a different setup. One of my colleagues has a Shires TW47LW, something like a 5G bell and rotor. The lightweight worked better for him too.
Best to just save my money and practice with what I have!
Beautiful sound! Bravo 👍👍👍👏👏👏👏
Hey ! Love the Sarastro bass !
Have you ever played Edward's instruments?
Well, i got my answer to it later in the video 😅 but can you do a review on Edward's bass maybe?
I have owned a couple 454s, yes. But they are not really my favorite, I don't seek them out when buying horns.
I really, really must ask…
where did you get your shirt?
No clue, my sister got it for me for my birthday I think. Good luck haha!
0:04 stuff like that is the sole reason why I play bass bone.
Also, what etude/piece were you using as examples? i want to know so i can play it myself.
Rochut
Melodious Etude no.3 I believe. Down an octave
My vote is easily the B&S, the others all sound pretty good but the B&S just has that special sound to it.
i will be offering a half eaten bag of pats original potato chips for the monster bass
hmmm I don't know pats... your offer is being considered
I’ll trade you a whole bag of Funyuns for the monster bass. Funyuns are the bomb!
@@jg2977 not so fast I am prepared to offer three McRibs
I have a theory about horn preferences. I think we tend to gravitate to horn setups that have similar tendencies to the ones we first learned on, taking bits and pieces of preferences from each period of learning we had. What do you think? Are your horn preferences reflective of your favorite features of horns you learned on?
Oh not at all. I started bass on a King 6B, and played a Holton 180 all through undergrad- neither of those I feel any affinity for whatsoever. But I grew up in a very isolated, bubbled place where I didn't hear great sounds.
Well, it looks like you covered all of the bases on the Basses. I play tested a King 7B when new. I was a powerful horn and is exactly as you described. I am a tenor trombonist and do not own any Bass trombones. But this video has peaked my interest. I will probably revisit play testing Bass Trombones.
I am a tenor trombone player. I like the sound of the Shires Curran the best. I think the 50K3LG looks the best. I think the B&S sounds a little breathy on the higher notes, but it is gorgeous.
Glad to see that copper tuning slide i sold you a few years ago lasted a little while
It did! Gone now, but I actually have another one haha.
This is quite interesting as for me I've played Edwards, Rath, Bach, Yamaha, Kanstul and King. To my ears I preferred the Yamaha 613 and the B&S. The others sounded woolly to me. It's like listening to high quality hifi when the bass is quick and responsive on the Yamaha and the B&S but the others sounded defused! Not sure if it's because you are pointing away from the mic and you may hear it completely differently. Over all it's a great sound and you like what you like. I currently have a Then BvD model, Throjan and a Yamaha Xeno Yeo dependant.
You have some nice horns!!
Which model # is the B&S? I looked on their website and they have more than one Meistersinger bass listed. Thank you for sharing the comparison. I can hear the differences between them, even without studio mics.
MS-27 Sarastro
I like the monster bass the best. I think I prefer a bass that gets a little hot on the low notes, but I understand why that's not ideal for most professional playing. I like when a bass can make low notes sound bright without sounding thin. Horns like this have a more vocal quality to me because the tone is less consistent just like a singer. I feel like modern bass trombones are mostly designed to keep the buttery fat sound no matter how loud you play it rather than the tone vary greatly with different dynamics.
Ideally, you have a horn that can do a bit of both- it's even and consistent, but also lets you change the tone color when you like. That's what I've found with my current stable, and the Monster is not part of it.
This guy really covers the basses.
I like the Shire the best. Also, open wraps.
And the Shires is long gone! :)
Hi Aidan, I have a weird question. You seem to like the Yamaha 613, but don't like the 830Xeno if i understood well. I have a really good Yamaha 622 Yeo Model which i try to sell. lots of people say they love it but no one wants to buy it. Any thoughts on how it plays and perhaps some tips on how to shift in (I live in UK so maybe difficult to guess for you)
Those are good horns! They're just dependent and that's very out of vogue at the moment. I've sold a 622 for $2700 a while back.
Hola ! Cómo puedo comprar un trombón tenor de la misma marca?
You can buy the MS14 tenor trombone at many retailers! They are very good instruments
Great playing! I want to ask what is your favorite Shires Artist/Custom Series Tenor? Might be looking for one for college playing
I like the Rejano a lot, but I have a lot less playtime with Shires tenors than basses.
What is that black hand brace you are using on the Monster horn called?
Sheridan Brass Get a Grip
Only 6? You don't have one for every day of the week?
So close, yet so far. Petition to make weeks 6 days long anyone?
But the seventh day is the day of rest 😉
Hey Aidan, may I ask what etude you were playing for each bass?
Bordogni #9 8vb, and a D major arpeggio
What is a "corporation bell"? And what is implied by "monster bass"?
Hey, Lee!
"corporation bell" refers to a Bach bell from the corporation era, the horns manufactured after Mt Vernon and before being bought in 1980. Basically any horn from the 70s is a "Corp."
My monster bass is a horn I had for me all to my specs. It's been my main bass trombone for the last couple years
With your experience owning a ton of trombones, what would you say is the bread and butter of f attch. tenor trombones something that will always play well consistently
None! Haha. But there are many good horns out there, depending on what you're looking for. If you're looking for a large bore for high school, a Yamaha 448G is very solid and can be picked up for pretty cheap used.
What's maintenance like with newer axials like on shires horns? Are they still super finnicky or are they better than other designs?
The same as everyone else. Different in how they play, but not necessarily otherwise
I have hte last one u Showed and i love IT aß well 😂
Muito showww bravo.
Meu amigo qual o valor desse trombone baixo?
Agradeço pela atenção, DEUS lhe abençoe.
To me, the Sarastro sounded the best, the Curran came in second, and the King third. The others just didn't sound as good to me. This was a very interesting video. I've never heard of anyone owning 6 bass trombones! 😂
A couple of weeks ago you reviewed a Lätzsch. How would the Lätzsch compare against these 6 trombones?
It's been a long time since I've reviewed a Laetzsch bass- I haven't played one since 2018! I do own a Laetzsch contra that I love, but the bass trombones did not really strike me the same way as some of their other horns.
@@AidanRitchie what? the bass trombones are by the best ones ;) but the contras are nice too
@@ClemmeBassTrombone You just need to try the legendary Yamaha YBL-830 Xeno Bass Trombone!
The King 7B and the B&S Sarastro made you sound the best. Just my humble opinion.
7:19 I can play a high Bb on an 830 with a Yeo mouthpiece
Me too! But it's not as fun as it is on better horns
Monster bass top
How do you sell your horns? Just connections?
facebook marketplace, usually
@Aidan Ritchie I gotta find a good deal on a bass soon. I haven't seen many great ones recently. Going into senior year of hs and planning on continuing in college. Ant recommendations on where to look, what to buy, ect? Thanks man!
@@masterstephen287 Facebook, trombonechat classifieds, eBay, etc
What happened to the Bires?
Sold!
Old Bach bells maybe are easy at high notes, my 50b bell which was made after the corporation era in the 90s, is just so great at high range, I can play that high F easily with my 1G mouthpiece
Bach bells are all different- some are great in the high range, some are not. The leadpipe and slide tend to make more of a difference there.
The Corporation era ends in 1979, a bit before the '90s!
Whats this piece
Bordogni 10 I think
can i buy your oldest bass trombone?
well, I'm down to 3 now and one is getting hacked up haha. Don't have that many horns now!
Todos te suenan bien 😂
My favourite sound would be the King 7B and 2nd would be the B&S Meister Singer. Shires etc sound too much like Tuba ro me.
B&S THE BEST
I’ll trade my Blessing Tenor trigger (copper bell, f attachment) and a half eaten bag of Takis for whichever one you don’t use the most
Like, the bag itself is half eaten? Don't eat the bag, eat the takis!!
@@AidanRitchie oh I took the takis out I just ate the plastic ☺️
@@Euphonium_boi I'm reporting this to TH-cam as dangerous bag eating
@@AidanRitchie lol
@@AidanRitchiebut how do the triggers on the bass trombones work? Like how do you use the side trigger?
B&S
Second b&s
I'm glad you think so! I am using a different tuning slide on the monster now, might sound better