Regretting selling a horn

[meine]

Just out of curiosity: what horn do you regret having sold?

After buying, playing and sell a lot of horns on I actually regret selling just one: a Conn 62H Elkhart from the L-series. I found it in the USA about 2 years ago and it had such a cool warm sound I‘ve never experienced before or after. Too bad I sold it.

What horns did you sell you shouldn‘t have?

[tbonesullivan]

For me it's more "horns I shouldn't have bought" instead of horns I shouldn't have sold. I'm currently trying to streamline "the herd" to have horns that I really like playing. Also I honestly should never buy "fixer upper" horns because I never get around to bringing them in to get fixed up.

[Arvopart17]

I had a Bach 50A3L that I had the bell cut with an instrument innovations ring. Osmun worked over the valves and I had a Edwards hand slide, it was such a sweet bass…

[hyperbolica]

Hmmm. The only thing I regret about your 62h is that you didn't sell it to me!

I've sold a lot of horns I wish I'd kept.
Olds P24g
King Duo Gravis
10h with a wide glide crook on it
Shires Michael Davis +
Conn 79h (but then I bought it back)
King 3B - I've had several, just want one back
Conn 48h (the one I have currently doesn't seem as nice as one I used to own)
Conn 8ht (UMI) it was every bit as nice a player as an elkhart, but I have a nice elkie now, so it's all good
Wessex double valve large tenor prototype - sigh...
Wessex Eb tuba Bombino - sometimes I wish I had this back, very small tuba.
Conn 38h Connstellation - I was very lucky to find a bell and then magically find a slide. This is a rare model, and it played great. It played like you want a Conn 500 bore to play. And then I sold it.
Olds S20. Customized with a duo gravis valve set. Ripping pop bass. and then I sold it.

The thing is that I sell horns to buy more. If I had kept all of these, I wouldn't have any of the nice ones I have today.

The ones I regret not having bought:
Conn elkhart 62h
Rath R3
Minick 100h

[TromboneSam]

I’ve bought and sold a lot of horns. The one I only slightly regret selling was a late 70’s Bach 16M, but I couldn’t really afford to keep it at the time and I liked my 3B more.

My bigger regret was trying out a Bach 16 Sterling Plus and not buying it. Had it in my hands and a friend who was with me tried it and didn’t like it so I got cold feet. I could be romanticizing but the thing felt magical to me. Sold for a steal the next day. Live and learn I guess.

[dukesboneman]

I had 2 Conn 78H`s that I wish I had never sold.
One was a 1928 satin Silver finish with the Gold wash in the Bell. A little slide heavy but the sound was glorious
2 was a composite horn. I bought a silver light weight 78H slide with an open removable leadpipe coupled with a custom Red Brass bell that I bought at Giardinelli`s

[Burgerbob]

Honestly, not really. Most of the things I think I miss, I had good reasons to move on from and wouldn't really be happy with now.

My Brasslab stainless Thayer valve section was amazing... but the maintenance was starting to take up more time than playing them.

My '65 6H was amazing... but I have SO many great small bore horns now that are more useful to me.

My latest Corp 50B was amazing (the best I've ever played), but it's still useless as a single and would have been chopped up by now.

I've loved both of my 3B Silversonics, but there's a reason I went back to brass. I wouldn't be using the silver ones and I am not a collector.

[Kingfan]

Holton TR-180

[sterb225]

From a nostalgia standpoint, I'd love to have my Brasslab Bach 42 from undergrad back or the epic Brasslab 50B3 I played for a few years... but I know in my heart that neither would ever measure up to current gear. Whenever a horn with Chuck's handiwork pops up for sale, I drool but move on, knowing I'm better off with the equipment that fits me now vs. what I left behind decades ago.

[gbedinger]

Yes, I have regrets, but then I wouldn’t have been able to obtain and play others. In my “remote” past (it’s an Italian verb tense that is apropos) I sold a 62h but at the time I acquired a TR-185 which was better for me.

There is one bass trombone that I’ve never thought of since I sold it but all others (a Yamaha and multiple Holtons)…? Of course! But then there’s the Corp 50b I now have that is pretty f-ing marvelous. Life’s a trade-off; enjoy them now, you can’t take ‘em with you.

[MrHCinDE]

I sometimes wonder whether I should have held on to a Schagerl Aurora straight tenor I sold. It doesn’t go as far as regret but I do think about how I would like it nowadays. I feel that I’ve made some significant improvements in my playing fundamentals since I sold it and would be curious to see what sound I’d get out of it now.

[Aznguyy]

I’ve bought and sold a lot of horns. The one I only slightly regret selling was a late 70’s Bach 16M, but I couldn’t really afford to keep it at the time and I liked my 3B more.

My bigger regret was trying out a Bach 16 Sterling Plus and not buying it. Had it in my hands and a friend who was with me tried it and didn’t like it so I got cold feet. I could be romanticizing but the thing felt magical to me. Sold for a steal the next day. Live and learn I guess.

I had a 70's Bach 16M that I also regretted selling... At that time I also had a King 2B and a 3B so one had to go...

Other horns I wish I kept:

Conn 88H (1960's)
Conn 72H
Bach 42B Corp(sold it to a student who decided to sell it after he quit playing)
King 3BF(didn't know I needed it until it was gone...)
King 6B

[JLivi]

The only horn I ever regret selling was my Conn 74h. I believe I traded the 74h for a Benge 175. I ended up selling the Benge (only slightly regret that), and eventually used the money from that sale to buy back the 74h I traded.

Now I have the 74h is up on the classifieds, as I've found a 79h that suits my needs better with the valve. But as I've mentioned on that post, I'm not upset it hasn't sold yet.

[officermayo]

I regret selling the 48H my father bought me in '73. I replaced in about 10 years ago, but fell on hard times and sold that one too. Can't seem to find one now that's within my meager budget.

[Thrawn22]

Only regret is trading my 72Hw/ TR180 valves that minick split the triggers. I'd love to have that horn back.

[Finetales]

I don't regret selling anything really.

Things I regret not buying is a longer list. The Holton 156 at DJ's. A Yamaha YMP-204 mellophone for $300. That Bb/E rotary double euphonium that I unluckily didn't have a heavy amount of play money to blow on. Not to mention countless eBay listings that ended up going for super cheap that I forgot to bid on.

[mbtrombone]

I do regret selling two horns: my Getzen 1047FR that I picked out in high school. It was a really good playing horn, but I just got a Shires, so I felt like I didn’t need a third large bore. The second was bought on the same day and it was a well used Conn 112H. I was using it as a doubler but focused mainly on Tenor, I sold it to help pay for a Shires Custom bass. I wish I still had the two horns, but at the end of the day they both helped pay for two horns that I currently play and have played for over a decade, so I guess it wasn’t that bad.

As for regretting not buying a horn: A Bach 42A that I passed on, a Courtois Sterling Silver belled large bore with Hagmann valve, and a Kanstul Bass Trumpet. They were all really nice examples of the horns, but in the end I really don’t need any of them still, so again, not that bad.

[Matt K]

I had a King 3BF that I had the upper swapped for a .500 bore and Shires leadpipe ring. I acquired a Shires T08LW/1YM around the same time that I had a slight preference for and wanted to put the F attachment from the King on so I ended up parting it out... in hindsight, I should have stuck with the King. Especially tried more than the one leadpipe. Adding the F attachment on the Shires never ended up materializing, and I went on a rather circumlocutious journey through some different horns like the YSL356. I have a King 607F now that I'm having crazytbone86 add a MK500 upper and MK .515 nickel crook to to that I'm cautiously optimistic is going to finally be my goldilocks... give me the extra few % that the 500/525 nickel slide with yellow crook and the YSL356 didn't get me.

The other big regret is selling a T0825GLW slide for my Shires. I sold it at the time because of the aforementioned Shires small bore. I had a T47LW as well so at the time I was tending to go for one or the other for much of my playing which was in groups. Small horn for big band, big hon for classical, etc. So I ended up not using it very much with other people, but wow was it a fun slide to play. Very nimble, but felt very comfortable paired with the large chassis. I wish I had it now to pair with my 7YLW + dual bore rotor. I'd probably use it every day now since I'm mostly focusing on doing solo stuff at the moment since Covid happened. But my franken-Yamaha 525/547 with Shires tenon is filling my mediumish-bore spot at the moment and it's pretty fantastic so... guess I can't complain too much

[LIBrassCo]

Theres 1 horn in particular I wish I had kept, single valve meinlschmidt radial flow. Ones of these days I'll get around to making a replacement.

[harrisonreed]

Theres 1 horn in particular I wish I had kept, single valve meinlschmidt radial flow. Ones of these days I'll get around to making a replacement.

What are the specs on this thing? It's a beaut!

88H width slide or what? What is that thing on the lower slide grip?

[LIBrassCo]

Theres 1 horn in particular I wish I had kept, single valve meinlschmidt radial flow. Ones of these days I'll get around to making a replacement.

What are the specs on this thing? It's a beaut!

88H width slide or what? What is that thing on the lower slide grip?

Thanks! Slide is nothing special, bach 50, meinlschmidt radial flow valve, and thats a shires B1 tapered bell with it. I still have the slide, and the bell was nice but not particularly special. The valve section in particular was outstanding, but I only got to keep it for a couple of weeks before a customer came in and bought it (the full bell section). Sooner or later I will build another.

On the slide thats a handrest with a flic button. You can see it better in this photo of my daily driver. Sooner or later I'll get my act together and do a production run of them.

[Macbone1]

I'm as susceptible to seller's remorse as anyone. I never sold because of a need for cash, just found myself not playing the horns, or wanting to trade them for something more attractive.

Kind of miss my paint peeling silver plated 1939 Holton 65 in great condition. It was light as a feather and had its uses. I sold it for about $40 profit. When I got a nice King 2B I saw why the 65s didn't sell more. Then I sold that King and miss that. Paid $500 for it in almost new condition with an essentially new coffin case, to make a lousy $225 profit. Only horn I ever had with a solid high E, plus a ridiculously easy high D, Eb and F....should have kept it.

Traded in a nice Holton TR501 with alligator-look case in great condition, got a good price. My old college roommate had played a session on it, his tone sounded like crap and that got me disillusioned about blending in sections. Should have kept it, so unique and fun to play.

I have traded or sold many more that I DIDN'T regret selling...won't go into that.

[WGWTR180]

"Regrets. I've had a few.".......

[ParLawGod]

A couple for me.

More of a regret not buying...I played a STELLAR King 2B+ at a music conference about 15-20 years ago. Played others since then, and none have compared. Could have bought/reserved that demo model on the spot, and I'm still kicking myself for not doing it. This is probably the reason I now impulse buy (HA!).

I once got a Yamaha 641 euphonium (predecessor of the 642, but has a smaller 11" bell) from a scrap metal pile. Needed a couple valves replaced, some new tuning slides, bell reshaped, a complete restoration! Excellent playing horn, and it was much better for concert band rep. than the 642 I replaced it with. Should have kept it.

Some others in there, too.

[JMR]

I had two great bass trombones I traded for other horns that I wish I still had.

My first Bach that I added a gold bell to in college for orchestral stuff and later on a Kanstul 1662i that was fantastic for big band and pop music!

I also wish I still had my very first King 2B (Edit: UMI 2102 actually...) but I'm pretty sure the one I have now is better!!

[LeTromboniste]

My jazz horn was a silver-plated 6H from 1952. Sold it to help pay for my tenor sackbut when I switched my focus to early music. I only realized the day I delivered it to the buyer, when I played it at my symphony rehearsal to avoid carrying two horns, how amazing it could sound on 1st trombone in orchestra for certain rep. Jean-Mathieu just above might remember that Rachmaninoff rehearsal!

[andym]

I regret a mystery horn. When I switched from baritone to trombone in 7th grade a family friend lent me an old silver trombone. It was too nice a horn for a kid but I took good care of it. Now I wonder what was that horn? A Silversonic, a Silvertone, a plated small bore Conn? I gave it back when my parents gave me a Conn 50H for my bar mitzvah at the end of the year. The family friend passed away long ago. But maybe his kids have the horn but I don’t know where they are now. I think it will just remain a mystery from 50 years ago.

[Trav1s]

Surprisingly I miss the Kanstul 750 I purchased on ebay and eventually sold to a kid from my church that I gave private lessons.

The horn I regret NOT purchasing was a Latzsch SL-240 trombone at ITF 2018. That horn was a modern 88H with a Rotax valve. It sat on the shelf at Dillon's for over a year before selling right before I was going to grab it. They have not had one in stock since then.

[CalgaryTbone]

I regret not buying 2 horns:

1. A 78H that I tried at a store in Montreal when my orchestra was there on tour. It was from the same vintage as my 8H (late 40's/early 50's) with the art deco engraving and the handgrip area was like the 8H's/88H's rather than what you usually see on a 78/79H. Thicker, heavier brace on the slide grip and no slide lock either. That horn was so resonant, and had the best high register of ANY trombone I've played. I foolishly thought I wouldn't find a use for it, and when I reconsidered my decision and contacted them, it had just sold.

2. A Conn Bass Trumpet that was in one of the smaller NYC stores on 48th St. near Times Square. It had such a nice "trumpet" sound to it, and much more of a "trombone" response than most Bass Trumpets. I was enjoying playing it so much (after discovering that the paperwork on the horn was stuck in the bell, and removing it - DUH!). Again, I thought I'd never use it, and passed on it, and they were only asking $600 for it! Same as the 78 - I went back next time I was in NYC a few months later and it was gone.

Oh well - I've spent enough on horns and mouthpieces over the years to help keep several new and used sellers in business!

Jim Scott

[boneberg]

I had a 613H in mint condition that I bought for next to nothing... I was more into dependent back then and didn't need two bass bones (at the time)...

Oh well...

[bigbandbone]

King 3B with light weight bell, no rim wire or lead. Great horn I wish I had back!

[OneTon]

I had a later 1960’s Conn 88H that was in a car trunk when the car got stolen. That may have altered my career choices. I seem to have solved the seller’s remorse problem by not getting rid of anything in the past twenty years. I now have a King 2B that blows as well as the 88H within their respective uses. The 88H and 2B were/are really good fits for me. Neither one had/has great slides.

The rest of the herd I have become used to and know what their strengths and weaknesses are. Someone else might play my favorites and say, “Meh.” Ruth Westheimer would say it’s all in our minds. It is and it isn’t.

I encountered Ruth Westheimer at a Washington DC reception many years ago. Everyone else was trying to get their pictures with her. The woman is a serious flirt and I spent my time there flirting with her. She is 25 years older than me and great fun to be around.

[Matt K]

2. A Conn Bass Trumpet that was in one of the smaller NYC stores on 48th St. near Times Square. It had such a nice "trumpet" sound to it, and much more of a "trombone" response than most Bass Trumpets. I was enjoying playing it so much (after discovering that the paperwork on the horn was stuck in the bell, and removing it - DUH!). Again, I thought I'd never use it, and passed on it, and they were only asking $600 for it! Same as the 78 - I went back next time I was in NYC a few months later and it was gone.

On one hand, yeah that's a major drag. I bet it would go for top dollar today almost immediately. But on the other hand I bet you ended up playing it about the same amount of times over those years

[KWL]

My Olds P-22 “George Roberts” bass that I sold so I could buy my 73H. When one popped up here a few months ago I was chomping at the bit to buy it. Reason prevailed.

[CalgaryTbone]

2. A Conn Bass Trumpet that was in one of the smaller NYC stores on 48th St. near Times Square. It had such a nice "trumpet" sound to it, and much more of a "trombone" response than most Bass Trumpets. I was enjoying playing it so much (after discovering that the paperwork on the horn was stuck in the bell, and removing it - DUH!). Again, I thought I'd never use it, and passed on it, and they were only asking $600 for it! Same as the 78 - I went back next time I was in NYC a few months later and it was gone.

On one hand, yeah that's a major drag. I bet it would go for top dollar today almost immediately. But on the other hand I bet you ended up playing it about the same amount of times over those years

Quite true!

JS

[EOlson9]

Wishing I'd kept either my 88HYCL or my Getzen Custom 3047AF. Some days it would be nice to have either of those back. Nothing overly special about them other than that they were just nice horns and I don't have a .547 in my stable.

[AndrewMeronek]

I've gotten rid of a couple of horns, but in each case I know it went to a good home . . . so no, I don't regret that.

One equipment I do regret is selling a Wick Heritage 7C, not realizing it was my last copy of that size. Very solid backup mouthpiece; I probably should go grab another one at some point.

[Trombone56]

Regret selling:

Olds Opera
Conn 48H (vintage but near mint)
Conn 100H with the curved brace & extra leadpipes
King Duo Gravis 6B
King 4B
Bach LT16M (late '80s, purchased new)
Couple of French horns

Don't regret selling:

Miraphone contrabass
Yamaha 682G
King 3B Silver Sonic - but only because I made the guy very happy, and I knew he would play it more than I was going to.

[JohnD]

Thought, I no longer would need a NOS Benge 170 in mint condition after purchasing my 3BF.
I was wrong.

[Model34]

1962 Bach Strad .522 model 34. Mt. Vernon. I was stationed at Ft. Sam Houston, 5th Army Band, San Antonio. We had played TMEA that day. I tried a Holton TR156. Got GAS and bought it. Sold the .522 to a guy in the hospital band on Ft. SH. for $200. Regretted it ever since. Closest I’ve been able to get since is my mdl 34 bell w/36 slide w/a push-pull lead pipe. It plays nicely, but nothing like the original. BooHoo. What a stupid move on my part

[MBurner]

Used a ‘68 corp 42 through undergrad… sold it to fund my grad school Courtois. I know it ended up in the Detroit Symphony for a spell, but I wish I still had it to match my ‘72 Corp 42.
But luck goes every way! My Euph for $100, a NY Bach from a family friend, a York Eb tuba… I’ve done well.

[Johnstad]

I regret not buying a mint Mount Vernon Bach 45B.

It played so well. Was in college and could not come up with the $.

[imsevimse]

I've met many tromboneplayers that regret horns they sold and have read many posts in threads where people say they never should have sold that particular horn.

I have sold three horns before I become a collector. They were a King 3B/F, one straight 3B and one Conn 8h. I miss the 3B/F because it was a gift from my grandfather who was a musician but I have another 3B/F now instead.

When I start thinking of an old interesting horn that I miss to play I just go and get it because I still got it. That's one of the good things of being a collector. I play all my horns. I have to, because they need the care or else tuningslides and valves will be stuck. I think old horns can rest about half a year before a clean but newer horns with Thayers or Hagmans needs to be played regularly or else it's better to sell them. Had to let my tech repair a Hagman that just got stuck because I hadn't played it for half a year.

/Tom

[harrisonreed]

DSC_0983.JPG

This isn't mine, but whoever sold this probably regretted it. Dual plug indie 36B.

Might be fun in the Broadway pit

[Matt K]

Wow, that's a sweet setup.

[BrassSection]

On the opposite side, how many got a deal on a great horn? I have 2, my Holton Maynard Ferguson trumpet I bought from a coworker. He had it leftover from his high school days taking up space in a closet. After making inquiries for a year or more, he relented to letting me borrow it. 6 weeks later he asked if I wanted to buy it, told him “That’s what I’ve been asking for the last 2 years!” He asked what I’d give him, told him it’s your horn, you set the price. Couple days later he asked if I’d give him $200. Sold! Few weeks later I had it with me when I stopped at the music store for valve oil, I knew the owner and took the horn with me to see what he valued it at. Opened the case and he said you have $200 worth of mutes in there! (They came with the horn) Then he said the horn by itself in my shop would be listed at $600. Happy camper I was!

Second is my Cleveland King Superior 1940s bone. Again bought it from another coworker. He wouldn’t name a price, so told him I’d have a trusted band director friend look at it. He said minimum $50, even more you won’t get hurt. Offered the 50 to start, he said I was thinking more like 10 or 20! Took it home for 20, feeling like I stole it. Lacquer was coming off and had a few minor dents, used it a couple years then spent the $200 for reconditioning. (That was 20+ years ago) Looks and plays great, it’s a keeper.

[BrassedOn]

I regret buying more horns than selling. And it took a few tries to find the right 3B.

So my sell-regret was a ‘90s Martin Urbie Green Trombone, maybe it’s the TR4501.

I bought it on a whim, used, great price. I was doing lot of buying and selling at the time.

I just never had the time to give it a chance. I doubled on tuba to bass to classical to euph to jazz tenor, and the light weight and .500 bore was just too light at the time, and I did a lot of outdoor playing, Dixie, salsa, as my primary. And it was easy to ding.

So I had some trigger horns up for sale (in the newspaper!) and a young guy came over to try my Bach 36, but not a sale. Off hand he said “any straight horns you wanna sell?” No, but try this Martin.

I gave him the “ I don’t want to sell it” price, and he said, yes. Damn. But made the sale, probably bought another 3B with the $. Life goes on.

A couple year later, more jazz gigs, mic situations, recording, and mmmmm I wish I had that Martin.

[Cotboneman]

The list of horns that I regretted buying perhaps might be a little longer for sure, but the one that i let get away was a Selmer Bolero Paris Model, straight tenor .509 bore. My college professor, Mark McDunn was a Selmer clinician and brought one back from the factory for me when he visited in 1976. The horn was easy to blow and could do what I I needed it to do in those days as a college sophomore.

The problem that I had with it was that the lacquer was a little thin, and wore through before long on the outer slide, hand brace and cork barrel, and other places of frequent hand contact. But it didn't affect the play of it. What did cause changes was getting married in 1984 and needing money as a newlywed. I was playing my Bach 42B and 50B a lot more by then, making the Bolero more expendable, so I eventually sold it to a student.

In hindsight I should have just kept it and had it re-lacquered, then sold those two Bach trombones, which were not great horns for me. They were sold eventually too, without regret!

[Finetales]

Speaking of instruments you regret BUYING, rather than selling:

I somewhat regret buying a Selmer Largo straight large bore tenor. Don't get me wrong, it was an amazing instrument with the loveliest velvet sound that stole my heart the day I tried it at DJ's. But it turned out to be pretty much useless. The intonation tendencies were the opposite of what you'd expect, so it was very stressful to try to play in a group, and that lovely French sound it had made it very difficult to blend with other trombones. I played in a trombone quartet at the time and I ended up borrowing an old red bell Edwards one of the other trombonists had instead after all of us agreed the Largo was not it. Made my life a whole lot easier.

That Largo would be a nearly unbeatable classical solo horn, but a classical soloist is not something I want to be...especially not on tenor trombone. I did later get a rare 9" bell F-attachment bell section for it, and it was a more useful instrument with that. But I sold them on and don't miss them.

The biggest regret I have with the Largo isn't that I owned it, but that I was so smitten with it at DJ's that I chose it over a fabulous Holton TR156. I really should have bought that, but hey. I got to have a wacky French adventure until I got my 88H on a later trip to DJ's.

[Poquelin]

Trombones I regret selling:
1. Conn Elkhart 73H
2. Courtois 400R with a Hagmann valve.