Choose a Custom Series bell to refine your Shires bass trombone's tonal breadth, articulation, and response. The model designation identifies its taper, construction, material, and additional treatments.
Bell taper:
- BI: A more compact throat taper associated with a darker, denser sound.
- BII: A broader throat taper associated with a wider sound and greater room for tonal expression.
Construction and bead:
- 1: Traditional two-piece construction with a soldered bead. Emphasizes a stable tonal core, centered sound, and defined articulation.
- 2: Traditional two-piece construction with an unsoldered bead. Favors a broader sound and softer articulation.
- 5: One-piece construction with a continuous brazed seam and soldered bead. Combines tonal flexibility with centered articulation.
- 7: Modified two-piece construction combining characteristics of one- and two-piece bells, with a soldered bead for definition and stability.
- 8: Modified two-piece construction with an unsoldered bead for a broader sound and softer articulation.
Material:
- Y, yellow brass: 70% copper and 30% zinc. Clear sound with a strong fundamental and consistent tonal character across dynamics.
- R, red brass: 90% copper and 10% zinc. Warm, rich sound with complex overtones and a wide range of colors.
- G, gold brass: 85% copper and 15% zinc. Combines characteristics of yellow and red brass for a balanced, flexible sound.
- SS, sterling silver: Clear, dense sound with a prominent fundamental and fewer upper overtones.
Weight and treatments:
- LW: Lightweight; quick response with a resonant, brilliant, open sound.
- M: Medium weight; slightly lighter than standard, with characteristics between standard and lightweight.
- HW: Heavyweight; a more centered sound that holds together at louder dynamics, with less brilliance and potentially greater playing effort.
- T7: Thinner flare treatment for easier response and a lighter, less centered sound.
- T8: Standard beadwire treatment balancing flexibility and firm slotting.
- T9: Wider beadwire for firmer slotting and more deliberate articulation.
Diameter:
- Standard bass diameter: 9.5 inches.
- Other bass diameters include 10 and 10.5 inches.
- Standard diameter is generally omitted from the model stamp; a nonstandard diameter appears at the end.
Model example:
- BII 1Y 10: BII taper, traditional two-piece construction, soldered bead, standard-weight yellow brass, and 10-inch diameter.
Artist bell examples:
- George Curran: 9.5-inch, two-piece, hand-hammered, custom-annealed BII taper in standard-weight yellow brass, with a soldered bead.
- Bollinger: 9.5-inch, two-piece, hand-hammered Bollinger taper in medium-weight yellow brass, with a soldered bead.
Special order. Contact us at sales@houghtonhorns.com for a current delivery estimate, or for help selecting a configuration and confirming compatibility with your instrument.
Choose a Custom Series bell to refine your Shires bass trombone's tonal breadth, articulation, and response. The model designation identifies its taper, construction, material, and additional treatments.
Bell taper:
- BI: A more compact throat taper associated with a darker, denser sound.
- BII: A broader throat taper associated with a wider sound and greater room for tonal expression.
Construction and bead:
- 1: Traditional two-piece construction with a soldered bead. Emphasizes a stable tonal core, centered sound, and defined articulation.
- 2: Traditional two-piece construction with an unsoldered bead. Favors a broader sound and softer articulation.
- 5: One-piece construction with a continuous brazed seam and soldered bead. Combines tonal flexibility with centered articulation.
- 7: Modified two-piece construction combining characteristics of one- and two-piece bells, with a soldered bead for definition and stability.
- 8: Modified two-piece construction with an unsoldered bead for a broader sound and softer articulation.
Material:
- Y, yellow brass: 70% copper and 30% zinc. Clear sound with a strong fundamental and consistent tonal character across dynamics.
- R, red brass: 90% copper and 10% zinc. Warm, rich sound with complex overtones and a wide range of colors.
- G, gold brass: 85% copper and 15% zinc. Combines characteristics of yellow and red brass for a balanced, flexible sound.
- SS, sterling silver: Clear, dense sound with a prominent fundamental and fewer upper overtones.
Weight and treatments:
- LW: Lightweight; quick response with a resonant, brilliant, open sound.
- M: Medium weight; slightly lighter than standard, with characteristics between standard and lightweight.
- HW: Heavyweight; a more centered sound that holds together at louder dynamics, with less brilliance and potentially greater playing effort.
- T7: Thinner flare treatment for easier response and a lighter, less centered sound.
- T8: Standard beadwire treatment balancing flexibility and firm slotting.
- T9: Wider beadwire for firmer slotting and more deliberate articulation.
Diameter:
- Standard bass diameter: 9.5 inches.
- Other bass diameters include 10 and 10.5 inches.
- Standard diameter is generally omitted from the model stamp; a nonstandard diameter appears at the end.
Model example:
- BII 1Y 10: BII taper, traditional two-piece construction, soldered bead, standard-weight yellow brass, and 10-inch diameter.
Artist bell examples:
- George Curran: 9.5-inch, two-piece, hand-hammered, custom-annealed BII taper in standard-weight yellow brass, with a soldered bead.
- Bollinger: 9.5-inch, two-piece, hand-hammered Bollinger taper in medium-weight yellow brass, with a soldered bead.
Special order. Contact us at sales@houghtonhorns.com for a current delivery estimate, or for help selecting a configuration and confirming compatibility with your instrument.