TromboneChat

I am a big fan of older Elkhart Conn trombones, having played a 72H bass trombone in the U.S. Army years ago and still playing my Conn 88H and 6H today, I am contemplating the purchase of a 78H. Please tell me your experiences and opinions of the 78H for those who play or have played one in the past. Thanks in advance!

It's great for small brass group, chamber group and 3rd chair bigband. Mine has a great core in all registers. They're a real nice alternative to an 8H/88H when you don't need a big beefy sound. I love mine.

I played 78H`s for years. That was my only horn for Lead, Jazz (of all kinds) R&B , everything.
They played free, great in all registers. Great horns

I play an 88h and a 79h, and go back and forth on the 78h. One of the guys in my quartet plays one, and sometimes he just gets this laser-bright and thin sound. Sometimes playing one myself it just seems like the perfect instrument and other times it's just too light or too thin. I love my 79h, but every time I go and buy a 78h, I wind up selling it. This is at least the 3rd one now that I've sent on down the line. I'd like to try some very old ones (1920s-30s). Noah Gladstone of Brass Ark seems enamored of this vintage. So I guess the message is unless you like to buy horns on speculation and sell ones you don't like, you should probably try a specific horn before you buy it, just to be sure you're going to like it.

Something else you might try is to get a sl2525 slide and put it on your 88h. To me, this creates a nicer, more controllable sound than the 78h or even the 79h. My 88h with the 525 slide can play softer, and its slightly lighter sound than the 79h. My 88h is a really beautiful instrument, and the 525 slide makes it just that much better.

The 78/9h has a wider slide than the 88h, which is a nice touch, and the bell is smaller (8 vs 8.5), but my 88h is only 30 grams heavier than my 79h. Maybe a couple of wraps of duct tape around the throat of the 78h bell would tame it a little bit.

This might be more info than you needed. They are great horns, but if you also play an 88, it might leave you wanting something different.

I`ve had a 78H from 1928, 1958 and a custom model.
I never felt like the sound was thin and bright.
It`s not an 88H so the sound is different.
My 1928 horn was heavy, Heavy bell heavy slide.
I switched out the heavy slide with a Light weight 78H Slide from another horn. Beautiful !!!
I switched to Bachs and now have a 36 and 36B but I have a soft spot in my
Heart for the 78H`s I played those for a little over 20 some odd years
Maybe I should get another....................

I have owned a '65 78H and now own a '67 78H along my '69 79H. (I can't speak much to the early horns other than I own a 1939 32H.) The bells on the 78H bells are of a similar weight but not as light as the 79H bell. I have tried pairing the various bells and slides and there is something about the 79H slide that just makes it my favorite - likely the lead pipe.

I use mine for concert band, quintet work, and solo stuff at church - people constantly complement the full sound. Part of that is the horn, part is the mouthpiece, and part is my sound.

When Matthew Gee did his "Bolero Challenge", playing the solo on six occasions in six different styles and on different trombones, one of the horns he chose was a 78H. May be interesting for you to listen to and compare.

Oslide wrote: ↑Fri Oct 09, 2020 6:51 pm When Matthew Gee did his "Bolero Challenge", playing the solo on six occasions in six different styles and on different trombones, one of the horns he chose was a 78H. May be interesting for you to listen to and compare.

It’s funny that you say that. I recently heard him play “Bolero” on that horn, hence my above inquiry regarding a potential future purchase!

Nice horn. Had an Elkhart 1970 78h. Used it on this record.
https://40twenty.bandcamp.com
Sold it.

Now I have an Elkhart 1928 special with an 8 1/2 bell.

I still use a bach 36 for most things but the 78h is nice when you want chocolate instead of vanilla.

Looking for an inner slide - anyone know one for sale?
Thanks for your interest and help.

Bach 36 has been my comfort horn since buying one in 1975 from a pawn shop when I first turned pro (long ago, and that ship has long since sank), but I've been intrigued by the 78H. That said, the bottom slide barrel is super short, and my fleshy palms simply can't hang unless I want to sacrifice the occasional divot of skin. I had short exposure to a 79H that was damaged, but noted the bottom barrel was longer - If I get serious again, I well might seek one out.

jacobgarchik wrote: ↑Sun Oct 11, 2020 7:17 am Nice horn. Had an Elkhart 1970 78h. Used it on this record.
https://40twenty.bandcamp.com
Sold it.

Now I have an Elkhart 1928 special with an 8 1/2 bell.

I still use a bach 36 for most things but the 78h is nice when you want chocolate instead of vanilla.

You sound great on that 78h, it really does have a unique vibe to it. I have been planning on making a trip soon, specifically to retrieve my 78h from the closet where has been safely stored the last few years.

Joebone wrote: ↑Mon Mar 31, 2025 8:43 pm That said, the bottom slide barrel is super short, and my fleshy palms simply can't hang unless I want to sacrifice the occasional divot of skin.

I'm surprised there isn't a market for "barrel extenders" - shields that clip onto the barrel, and extend further down on one side to protect our fleshy palms. They could be custom-printed for each model horn and set up in an Etsy shop just like Flic-grip.

Hmmm.

AtomicClock wrote: ↑Tue Apr 01, 2025 9:15 am

Joebone wrote: ↑Mon Mar 31, 2025 8:43 pm That said, the bottom slide barrel is super short, and my fleshy palms simply can't hang unless I want to sacrifice the occasional divot of skin.

I'm surprised there isn't a market for "barrel extenders" - shields that clip onto the barrel, and extend further down on one side to protect our fleshy palms. They could be custom-printed for each model horn and set up in an Etsy shop just like Flic-grip.

Hmmm.

I have had that problem with my Conn 36H Alto and have solved it by using a length of clear plastic tubing (from the Conn slide protectors), extending about 0.5 in beyond the end of the cork barrel.
Problem solved, no complicated modifications required, D I Y using scissors or tin snips.

Cheers

Stewbones43

stewbones43 wrote: ↑Tue Apr 01, 2025 4:26 pm

AtomicClock wrote: ↑Tue Apr 01, 2025 9:15 am

I'm surprised there isn't a market for "barrel extenders" - shields that clip onto the barrel, and extend further down on one side to protect our fleshy palms. They could be custom-printed for each model horn and set up in an Etsy shop just like Flic-grip.

Hmmm.

I have had that problem with my Conn 36H Alto and have solved it by using a length of clear plastic tubing (from the Conn slide protectors), extending about 0.5 in beyond the end of the cork barrel.
Problem solved, no complicated modifications required, D I Y using scissors or tin snips.

Cheers

Stewbones43

Ingenious!

jacobgarchik wrote: ↑Sun Oct 11, 2020 7:17 am Nice horn. Had an Elkhart 1970 78h. Used it on this record.
https://40twenty.bandcamp.com
Sold it.

Now I have an Elkhart 1928 special with an 8 1/2 bell.

I still use a bach 36 for most things but the 78h is nice when you want chocolate instead of vanilla.

Sounds Great, BTW.

jacobgarchik wrote: ↑Sun Oct 11, 2020 7:17 am Nice horn. Had an Elkhart 1970 78h. Used it on this record.
https://40twenty.bandcamp.com
Sold it.

Now I have an Elkhart 1928 special with an 8 1/2 bell.

I still use a bach 36 for most things but the 78h is nice when you want chocolate instead of vanilla.

Sounds great! You make me want to hold on to my 78H now...