I recently thought it would be entertaining to look for bass trombones. Imagine my surprise when most of the listings in my search were trombones that were -not- bass trombones. So I thought I'd write a guide to explain the different type of trombones and give people some idea of how to choose a trombone.
First, I'll describe the three main types of trombones (alto, tenor, bass). Then, I'll talk about the different types of rotors and wraps and how they affect the sound. But first, some terms:
bore - the diameter of a tube. Trombones may have several bores. All bore numbers listed in this guide are approximate.
shank - the part of the mouthpiece that fits inside the horn. Mouthpieces either have a small or large shank.
Types of Trombones
Alto Trombones
There's a good review on these already, so I don't say much about them except to say that these are the only trombones that are not pitched based on concert Bb. Most brass instruments play a Bb (and harmonics thereof) when you play them without pressing any valves or with the slide all the way in. Alto trombones sound an Eb or an F. If you're a trombone player, this will really mess with your head. Unless you have a reason to buy one, just don't....
Tenor Trombones
The vast majority of trombones are tenor trombones. A tenor trombone has either no valves or a single rotary valve controlled by a thumb trigger. This trigger drops the horn down to an F. If you pull the valve's tuning slide almost all the way out, you can turn it into an E rotor, which is occasionally convenient if a piece calls for a lot of low Bs.
There are two basic groups of tenor trombones: small more and large bore. Small bore tenor trombones use small shank mouthpieces (more later) and typically have a bore from .48" to about .508", give or take. Large bore tenor trombones use a large shank mouthpiece and range from about .510" to .55", give or take.
Bass Trombones
Bass trombones are distinguished from a tenor trombone by a larger bore (.55" and up). Generally speaking, most bass trombones have two thumb triggers, though there are a few exceptions. A bass trombone requires more air because of the larger bore, and thus is ideally suited if you are playing a lot of low notes below the bass clef staff.
In my opinion, buying a bass trombone without a second trigger doesn't make a lot of sense. The extra air needed makes a bass trombone a poor choice for a beginner, and once you get into material above that level, you will run into low Bs far more often than you'd like to deal with when playing on a single trigger. Honestly, I'd be wary of calling a single trigger horn a bass trombone at all; most horns with a single trigger are really tenor trombones.
Types of Rotors and Wraps
When buying a horn with an F rotor (or with two rotors), there are two things you should pay attention to: wrap and rotor type.
The wrap refers to how the tubing is shaped. All older trombones and many newer trombones have what is called a closed wrap. This means that the rotor tubing is curled up in a tight fashion so that it does not stick beyond the end of the instrument. The result is that it looks like a coil, forming a full circle when you look at it from the side. Many newer trombones use an open wrap. This means that the rotor tubing is basically a single, large loop instead of being coiled up. The tubing sticks out beyond the end of the instrument.
The wrap has the largest effect on the sound of a trigger. Every time air moves around a corner, it produces backpressure. The tighter the curve, the more backpressure. A little backpressure is necessary, but too much backpressure, and it sounds stuffy. Significant changes in backpressure also lead to undesirable changes in the tone of an instrument, and thus should be avoided where possible.
When you depress a trigger, the backpressure must, by definition, increase due to the increased tube length. However, ideally, it should only increase by about the same amount as pushing the slide out to sixth position. This theoretical ideal instrument would feel very natural because using the trigger would be indistinguishable from using the slide. In reality, of course, the backpressure will increase more than using the slide because of the additional curves, though the better instruments try to get as close to ideal as possible.
This brings us back to the two types of wrap. A closed wrap results in a stuffy sound because of the backpressure caused by the tighter curves. This makes the trigger feel significantly stuffier than kicking the slide out to sixth position. For this reason, unless cost is a dominant factor, an open wrap is preferable. The difference in feel should be very obvious to even the casual player (assuming the casual player plays low notes). That said, the closed wrap does have advantages for younger players in that it is somewhat protected by being nestled inside the bell, and thus less likely to get severely dented on the music stand of the percussionist sitting behind the student....
Also, there are open wraps and then there are open wraps. Differences in the way the air passes through the valve can make a significant difference in the feel of the instrument. For example, with a standard rotary valve, I found the Benge open wrap to feel more open than the Bach open wrap. This was almost 13 years ago, however, so the standard rotary valve designs may have changed since then.
The rotor type makes a much smaller difference so long as it is designed reasonably well, but it does make a difference. Inside the valve, you have a series of tubes that either connect the slide directly to the bell or connect the slide to one end of the rotor tube and the bell to the other end, depending on whether the trigger is depressed. These tubes are, by nature, curved. Those curves add additional backpressure just like the curves in the tubing itself. The tighter those curves, the more the valve itself affects the sound. Modern valves such as the Thayer valve (read the Wikipedia article on Thayer valves for a list of other similar valves) significantly reduce those curves, resulting in a less stuffy tone when the valve is depressed.
Trombone Opinions
I'm a bit reticent about giving opinions of a lot of different models, but I will say what I've played and owned and give a quick summary. I'm about 90% sure about these models, but don't quote me on that.
Yamaha YSL-354
This is a student line trombone with a small bore. If you want a trombone that you can really overpower for a harsh, edgy tone, this is a good choice. If you want a trombone for a new trombone player with small lungs, this is also a reasonable choice. It's good for what it is---a relatively basic trombone for the beginning player. Expect to outgrow it in 2-3 years---much sooner if you are switching from another instrument like baritone.
King 4B (4BF)
This thing is a tank. I marched with an old one with F rotor. Got a couple of really nasty dents in the slide, but after appropriate straightening, it still played well. The closed wrap is somewhat stuffy, but not as bad as some closed wraps I've seen. If you're looking for a good horn for an intermediate player, a used 4BF is a great buy. Beyond the closed wrap, the trigger itself is a little bit different on this one because it tilts instead of swinging at an angle. That doesn't significantly impact playability in my experience, but it does feel a little different.
Benge 190F
This is my current trombone. Benge doesn't make these anymore, apparently. That's too bad, as it outplayed the Conn trombones I've played. If you want to buy a truly excellent used horn, watch for one of these.
About the Author
I've been playing trombone since sixth grade (back in 1988). I am a gemunity member of the UCSC Wind Ensemble, and regularly play trumpet and trombone for various church events with the Diocesan Choir of Monterey, CA. Professionally, I'm an author and software engineer.
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