Insatiable Curiosity

[hyperbolica]

Sometimes I just get uncontrollable bouts of curiosity when it comes to different instruments. Recently it's 500 bores, but last year it was 508s and before that it was 525. It was basses before that, and that was a costly binge. Another bout of curiosity sometimes leads to a spike in the number of horns in my house. In the last couple of weeks I've added a 24h and a 6h, and of course looking at a couple more.

And the honeymoon period only lasts so long. I'm still really grooving on the Getzen 3508 from last year, but this 48h and the 24h and new 6h are really barking to be played. 6h is like an old shoe. It's comfortable, and even if it doesn't fit exactly right, I just want to put it on.

I just sold a number of horns from my list, and now I'm buying again. I only really need a bass, a 547/525 and a 500/508. Plus a euphonium and a flugabone. So 5 horns total is really all I need. But I've got ~13? I'd like to think I'm constantly moving up, but there have been a number of horns I wish I had back.

I know some of you go through the same sort of struggle. How do you deal with a crazy curiosity about instruments that sometimes leads to buying extra trombones?

[Fruitysloth]

I've asked the same thing recently, as I've picked up trumpet for some local bands. I have a separate account in my banking app for all my payments for gigs, lessons, and sold instruments/accessories. Whatever that account holds is what I can spend on whatever I fancy at the time. I just sold a bass, but I'm still in the market for one, so we'll see what's out there. I'm also looking for a tuba and flugelhorn, so we'll figure those out in the meantime. Occasionally I'll have a fun lowkey gig where I can bring whatever horn I'm dying to play on at that time too, so making space for those instruments in low-stakes settings can be really rewarding as well. Hope some of this helps!

[walldaja]

It's normal. Find someone else with more horns.

[Chazzer69]

My curiosity turned into an addiction and I don't have a stable: it's a barn. Personally, I need to just work on self-control and walk away from the interwebs.

[Burgerbob]

I have the horns that I play on the regular, and then the others that are the curiosity horns. I think it's fine. I'm not a collector, they don't stick with me for too long.

[JohnL]

I have a LOT of trombones, but I don't play very many of them on a regular basis. I've got a rotation of a few "extra large tenor/small bass" trombones that I rotate through for Bones West and I use one setup (Olds P-24G/Schilke 60) for pretty much everything else.

[Chazzer69]

I have a LOT of trombones, but I don't play very many of them on a regular basis. I've got a rotation of a few "extra large tenor/small bass" trombones that I rotate through for Bones West and I use one setup (Olds P-24G/Schilke 60) for pretty much everything else.

Tempted to ask what number "a LOT" translates to...

[JohnL]

I have a LOT of trombones, but I don't play very many of them on a regular basis. I've got a rotation of a few "extra large tenor/small bass" trombones that I rotate through for Bones West and I use one setup (Olds P-24G/Schilke 60) for pretty much everything else.

Tempted to ask what number "a LOT" translates to...

www.itsabear.com
Not all of them are on the site.

[MStarke]

I for sure have too many trombones. While there are >10 that do actually get played on a regular basis and somehow have separate use cases, at least to a certain degree, I also do have some that are on my sales list right now.

And if I look at it from a reasonable perspective, I really don't need anything else.

Still I do frequently look at horns for sale, and do from time to time come across something I find interesting.
Generally I want to avoid buying something new if I cannot sell a horn that I already have.

[dcslideman]

Look at it this way: If you spent that money on golf, the money is gone forever! This way you can always resell them and get some, all, or even extra money back!

[stewbones43]

I know some of you go through the same sort of struggle. How do you deal with a crazy curiosity about instruments that sometimes leads to buying extra trombones?

I have a simple system to control my curiosity and desire to increase the number of trombones I have. I refer it to the finance department and then the Chancellor replies. You can probably guess the response.
We (the Chancellor) and I have been married for 38 happy years and I know better than to spoil that.

Cheers

Stewbones43

[Finetales]

I have a shortlist of horns I'd be interested in trying and the maximum price I'd be willing to pay for each, and I wait patiently and check diligently until an example shows up below that max price. All the max prices are low enough that I can make everything back plus a little extra when selling, so it's basically an indefinite trial period. If I don't like or have a need for the horn it gets turned around almost immediately, if I do like it I keep it around and see if I can find a use for it. Sometimes this trial period lasts for months or years, depending on how fun/interesting the horn is. But everything that I never use eventually gets sold.

The result of this system is that my stable is constantly in flux, but the horns I use every day tend to stick around for a while. I've had my 72H for 8 years, my 3B and flugelhorn for 9, and my Conn mellophonium for 13. Most everything else hasn't been around this long - looking at my spreadsheet, over 1/3 of my stable was purchased this year, and over half was purchased in 2023 or 2024. It is mostly a revolving door!

[MahlerMusic]

I'm no were near the level of a lot of people here but I do my best to find excuses to play all of my horns. Even pulled out my unlacquered King 606 (bought for travel, to play for family) for some older Mozart orchestra stuff. I play my Minick Great G (I know this is on someone's short list )in situations that I should not but I'm just getting some G practice time in.

I still have not found an excuse to play my BBb Contra. Might have to rearrange something for it.

[hornbuilder]

So I honestly cannot tell you how many trombones I have owned over the last 45 years. What I do know is that "my" insatiable curiosity lead me to where I am today. So, if I can offer some words of advice, keep your "insatiable curiosity" in check!!

[DCIsky]

Like some other folks above, I lurk on the online marketplaces (FB, local marketplaces, Craigslist, TromboneChat, etc.) and wait for the deals. Because they really DO happen! My goal is to always come out even on whatever I buy and then resell, so sometimes that involves waiting until the seller is willing to come down, or negotiating a lower price with them.

That said, I try to have no more than 2 of each category of horns (i.e. large tenor, bass) in my stable at any time. I don't like keeping around horns that won't get played, and I don't live in large enough places to have extra horn storage space.

I try to tamper my curiosity by refraining from buying a particular model again, unless I'm convinced that I bought a bad example the first time. For example, I bought a Corp 42 that was a miserable dud, sold it, but then took a risk on another one that ended up being my mainstay for the next year or so. At this point, I'm starting to run out of "cheap" horns/categories to take risks on, so I'll need to wait until I get out of grad school and get my livable salary back...

[hyperbolica]

...
I try to tamper my curiosity by refraining from buying a particular model again, unless I'm convinced that I bought a bad example the first time. For example, I bought a Corp 42 that was a miserable dud, sold it, but then took a risk on another one that ended up being my mainstay for the next year or so. At this point, I'm starting to run out of "cheap" horns/categories to take risks on, so I'll need to wait until I get out of grad school and get my livable salary back...

I have a few problems with this approach (which I do try to follow, but usually fail miserably): First, shipping is so expensive, I just look at any loss after resale as a rental fee for the horn. Second, sometimes the cheap horns need some work to be really playable, and you can almost never get back any repair fee unless you get a big bargain. Third, sometimes I sell something based on a whim. Like the thread on horns you wish you had back. I had a Conn 38h that I really wish I had back. Also a Wessex double trigger tenor prototype. And an Olds P24g. One time I went as far as to actually buy the exact horn back from someone, and then sold it again a few years later.

[Chazzer69]

I have a few problems with this approach (which I do try to follow, but usually fail miserably): First, shipping is so expensive, I just look at any loss after resale as a rental fee for the horn. Second, sometimes the cheap horns need some work to be really playable, and you can almost never get back any repair fee unless you get a big bargain. Third, sometimes I sell something based on a whim. Like the thread on horns you wish you had back. I had a Conn 38h that I really wish I had back. Also a Wessex double trigger tenor prototype. And an Olds P24g. One time I went as far as to actually buy the exact horn back from someone, and then sold it again a few years later.

Totally feel your pain on all of that. Theoretically, the math on some of the horns I could sell because I got crazy deals on them might more than make up for the shipping and repairs on other horns. It probably wouldn't happen but I hope in the end it would at least be a wash.

[Finetales]

I play my Minick Great G (I know this is on someone's short list )

How did you know??

[mgladdish]

I'm fascinated by this. I couldn't be more different - I feel like I can't even play the one trombone I do have yet, never mind complicating things by trying out another. The idea of jumping between different horns and the adjustments that would need just feels like extra work that could have gone towards playing the one I already have better!

[sirisobhakya]

I was in that phase, especially during Covid. First a German tenorhorn, then a bass trumpet, then a rotary flugelhorn, then an alto trombone, then two plastic trombones, then a Kaiserbariton, then another bass trumpet. If I had money and the manufacturer (chinese) still made it, I would also have owned a fiscorn as well.

That phase is over for me now, largely because I have much less time and also I want a new main horn. The tenorhorn and Kaiserbariton are already sold. The bass trumpet to follow soon.

[hyperbolica]

I'm fascinated by this. I couldn't be more different - I feel like I can't even play the one trombone I do have yet, never mind complicating things by trying out another. The idea of jumping between different horns and the adjustments that would need just feels like extra work that could have gone towards playing the one I already have better!

I only played one instrument for probably the first 30 years of playing. And then a combination of more time and more money along with curiosity about how different horns sound led me down this path.

Last night I had the 6h, 24h, 32h, 48h, 3508 and Olds Recording all set up with different mouthpieces and played the same tune on them right in a row. Then I tried to decide which one I liked best. I think the 3508 was best all around, but each was good at something different, so I really had to decide which style I liked best.

After the 3508, the 24h is a really remarkable and overlooked horn. Next 32h with a small mouthpiece., then 48h, Recording and 6h. 6h is last only because the extreme high range is kind of borked on this one. The Recording is so low only because the rest of them are so great.

3508 is very open and light. Its good at everything. 24h projects like crazy and the tone is very noticeably clearer than everything else. Big band lead and Dixieland. 32h with a small (DE D3 size) is very smooth with great upper and lower range. Classical. 48h is heavy, slots well and clear tone. Marching band, pep band. The Recording has light articulation and dark tone. Solo standards. 6h can get this crazy dark smoky flavor or a very light bouncy tone. Playing combo in a smoky bar.

Do it again tomorrow, and the order might be reversed. There's no real definitive answer. The curiosity is never satisfied.

[timothy42b]

In the old -l days and maybe the early OTJ there was a basketball coach famous for a large collection.