Re: Re: Bass trb: Edwards? How good are they?


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Posted by From a.. on April 21, 2003 at 09:16:36:

In Reply to: Re: Bass trb: Edwards? How good are they? posted by Lee Stofer on April 21, 2003 at 06:47:03:

...former Edwards owner. I agree with Lee that Getzen horns were never "crap" (at least no worse in their student line than any other manufacturer). The name might have some negative connotations associated with DEG (much like the Meinls...a completely different company) and their line of marching band instruments. As far as Edwards trombones go, however, their finish and assembly can sometimes be less than desirable. When I bought my first bass trombone in 1992, it arrived stuffed into an Edwards tenor case. I played it for about five minutes before the Gb trigger saddle snapped off of the horn. This was a design flaw, and they repaired it immediately, fitting a wedge of brass into the space (creating more surface for solder)that they use to this day. Their Thayer valves have had problems with compression loss over the years, and many people have complained about their slides, both that they have a slightly rolled edge at the stocking end, and that they are too short, having no real 7th position. Other problems include red rot around the bell rim, and the interchangable parts not always lining up perfectly. In their defense, I will say that Edwards ALWAYS repairs any manufacturing issues with their instruments under their lifetime warranty

All that being said, many people love the horns, despite their reputation of having a slightly uninteresting, dull sound. I have pretty large hands, and I found the horn very heavy to hold, and the valve throws (especially the Gb) to be long and often mushy. After 6-7 years, I eventually switched to a Yamaha 613H, a lighter, infinitely more flexible horn (especially in free-lance situations...in my experience, Edwards horns seem to work best in an established section where everyone plays Edwards) that just plain fit my style of playing better. Yamaha rotary valves are very open in the low register, and except for a few drops of oil ocasionally, are maintenance-free. While some people might make the same argument about the "vanilla" sound of Yamaha instruments, I've NEVER heard any complaints of any kind about the manufacture of a Yamaha 613H. I'd love to get my hands on the 813UG.

Yamaha piston valves, however, are another story...


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