 |
||
New York Bach B-flat Bass Trumpet for Sale by Douglas Yeo
NOTE: This instrument was SOLD on January 18, 2017. I am keping this page active on my website for historical interest.
This instrument is serial number 7050 and was completed at Vincent Bach's factory in New York City on May 28, 1940. This is a vintage New York Bach instrument. I purchased this instrument from William Gibson (1916-2002), former principal trombonist of the Boston Symphony Orchestra (1955-1975). At the time I purchased the instrument, Gibson had removed the original Bach bell and replaced it with a Conn trombone bell and tuning slide. After I purchased the instrument, I had the original bell reinstalled by Steve Shires when he was working at Osmun Music (Massachusetts). At that time, the instrument was also cleaned and relacquered. This bass trumpet also has a pitch finder that Gibson had installed on the main tuning slide by Bill Tottle, a long time Boston-based brass technician. The pitch finder allows for pitch adjustment on any note.
History and why I am selling this instrument: William Gibson used this instrument when he played bass trumpet parts during his Boston Symphony career although he was not its first owner. As you can see from the Vincent Bach shop card for the instrument (below), it was originally sold to a John T. Snyder on February 14, 1941; I do not know when Gibson acquired it. I purchased it from William Gibson in the late 1980s and used it on dozens of Boston Symphony performances of repertoire that required bass trumpet including Igor Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring, Richard Strauss' Elektra (including the Boston Symphony recording of the opera with Seiji Ozawa conducting, Philips 422 574-2), Janacek's Sinfonietta, Wagner's Ring Cycle and many other works. Since I retired from the Boston Symphony in 2012, I have not had occasion to use this instrument so I feel it is time for it to be in the hands of someone who would enjoy playing it.
The instrument is in immaculate condition, works well in all mechanical respects and has a clear, full sound. Lacquer is fully intact and there are no dents or dings. Valves are tight and fast, all tuning slides work smoothly. The mouthpiece receiver accepts a standard small shank trombone mouthpiece and a standard tenor trombone straight mute fits comfortably inside the bell; I generally used a modified Bach 6 1/2 AL mouthpiece and a Denis Wick tenor trombone straight mute. The bass trumpet comes with the case it was in when I purchased it from William Gibson; I do not know if this is the original case for this instrument but the bass trumpet fits and is well protected in the case.
The photos below give a detailed look at the bass trumpet and its features.
