[Trombone-l] Butler carbon fiber bells

Sun Feb 7 19:11:02 CST 2021

I have had 3 carbon fiber slides over the years (not counting the pBone 
-- which I think is fiberglass & resin).  One was an early "Jimmy Dell" 
slide.  The other two I still own are made by Spurling.  I've never 
damaged any of them.  The is zero probability of denting the tubes, but 
they all have brass end crooks, which can be dented as usual.  The 
Butler slides have carbon fiber end crooks.

They are bound to be a lot more durable than brass slides.  The only 
drawback is that if they aren't aligned perfectly, you can't adjust 
them.  But if they are built right, they will never change alignment.

On 2/7/2021 4:52 PM, Danner, Mearl via Trombone-l wrote:
> I'm a community band player also. Considered one for durabilities sake. Seems I have a slide dented about once a year. Sometimes my fault, sometimes not. Cramped venues, careless trumpets, etc. Would probably save the price of the slide over the years.
>
> Had one on order but had to cancel. Life gets in the way occasionally.
>
> Mearl
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: Trombone-l <trombone-l-bounces at trombonelist.org> on behalf of Michael Sanders via Trombone-l <trombone-l at trombonelist.org>
> Sent: Sunday, February 7, 2021 2:31 PM
> To: Raymond Horton
> Cc: trombone-l
> Subject: [EXTERNAL]Re: [Trombone-l] Butler carbon fiber bells
>
> I'm only a non professional player in a community band in Utah and I am getting to the age where I don't know how much longer I can keep it up. I have been following the comments about carbon fiber bells and slides.  A question has arisen in my mind.  These things are very expensive and I imagine that carbon fiber is rather brittle.  What happens if you bang the slide or the bell against a stand or other hard object?  Does it make a dent as in brass or does it crack and splinter?  Can it be repaired or does the unfortunate owner have to replace it at great expense?  Just wondering.
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----From: "trombone-l" <trombone-l at trombonelist.org>
> To: "Jeff Albert" <jeff at jeffalbert.com>
> Cc: "trombone-l" <trombone-l at trombonelist.org>
> Sent: Sunday, February 7, 2021 11:05:26 AM
> Subject: Re: [Trombone-l] Butler carbon fiber bells
>
> After trying that carbon fiber bass trombone in Muncie last year, I really wished it had been available back when I first developed shoulder problems after playing my heavy bell Bach 50B with Thayer valves for 10 years. I would have gladly paid the money for it!
>
> Raymond Horton
> Composer/Arranger
> Minister of Music,
> Edwardsville (IN) United Methodist Church
> Retired Bass Trombonist,
> Louisville Orchestra, 1970-2016
>
>> On Feb 7, 2021, at 10:18 AM, Jeff Albert via Trombone-l <trombone-l at trombonelist.org> wrote:
>>
>> I remember Gabe Langfur making the point (years ago) that much of the mouthpiece/instrument design/weight/materials stuff we like to dig into matters significantly more from the player perspective than the listener perspective. I have come to agree with that take.
>>
>> One of the younger (and excellent) trombone players here in New Orleans has a carbon fiber slide for his Yamaha bell and he sounds great on it. He let me play it, and it is so light that it threw me a bit at first. I am not used to feeling so little mass in my slide hand. I can definitely see how a carbon fiber slide is an advantage in a New Orleans parade gig…whenever those might happen again.
>>
>> -Jeff
>>
>> ----
>> Jeff Albert
>> +1 (504) 315-5167 (Signal/SMS/Voice)
>> http://secure-web.cisco.com/1IiATE7dH_Fr7bXBFWjFYoOX-mmWXQ66bJdeoM2rZQR9yGOwmIxtfEJUJUO5ArPJbOQ4zC4xabkFQgCIbq8JOCn2Ln6Bl70C-pTtjRSkiYNtyFU4WKQP2NGFw4bFqWo8L77tSyOmDKLKt63sUYLwlByfotRTLI1JsNbi8763r_dCMltvuW35mugJZxjuFZiCrTeuQky3qRTu2Y6JkGmM7DRR4KxlfoIEczYFHyQnGaFORirb3Zy4Gouvd3mfBqXkQv9Fb2Oxe28Ao4xLXPehNuG1Xaihv6eL8crfNpmFWORMAWKpfnle8pf8jxXDC7Rve/http%3A%2F%2Fwww.jeffalbert.com
>>
>>
>>> On Feb 7, 2021, at 08:34, Craig Parmerlee <craig at parmerlee.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> Out front, they do sound similar.  From the player's position, it does take a little time to adjust to how it sounds from there.  It isn't a big adjustment, like trying to make a pBone sound good.  You can mostly play as you always have.   Overall, I'd say these well-made carbon fiber instruments are very viable, especially if a person really values the light weight and/or looks.
>>>
>>>> On 2/5/2021 10:54 PM, Jeff Albert wrote:
>>>> Yes, it was the deCarbo. Steve does still list them on his website. To be fully honest I am less interested in the carbon fiber part, I just want a cool looking black trombone. I guess I could just get my Yamaha relaquered in black. Would probably be cheaper.
>>>>
>>>> In the video, the two bells sound pretty similar to me. Similar enough that I would pick one for some reason other than sound (comfort, looks cool, whatever), because I think in the heat of the music making you will make it sound like you either way.
>>>>
>>>> -j
>>>
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