I’m on a trombone hunt and I’m looking for some specific advice. First let me set the stage – this is not your typical “what’s the best trombone out there” silly question. I’ve been playing a Bach 42B professionally for 21 years. For the last several years though my daily horn is a Yamaha YSL-648 which lends itself a bit better to the type of playing I do these days… which is mostly commercial work. In fact the bulk of my playing is with a three piece horn section in a 70’s band. I still haul out the 42B for the odd symphony gig (I’m an alternate).

So you get the picture… I’m looking for a smaller, more nimble instrument. I am about as far from being a gear-head as one might imagine so beyond my 42B which I’ve always liked, I don’t really know what’s out there. But after chatting with colleagues and doing a bit of research I believe I’ve narrowed down my choices. I’m thinking King 3B, however I’m intrigued by what I’m hearing about Kanstul 750 and 760. Other than the F attachment, do the 750 and 760 play virtually the same? I’ve heard rave reviews for the 760 whereas the 750 is only ever described as “a very good student model/step-up horn”. I’d prefer a straight horn so I’d rather go with the 750, but getting another F attachment horn is not out of the question. So how would the 750/760 compare to 3B/3B with F? Wait a sec… to ensure this is a fair comparison, what I really mean is King 2103/2103F. I’m too chicken to buy a used vintage 3B sight unseen so I need to go new. Any words of wisdom? Thanks.

Some old vintage horns out there are wonderful. I'd try to find a used King 2B or 3B (preferably 50's or 60's) depending what bore size you want. I also like the old Conns. A friend of mine got his hands on a 1956 10H with Coprion bell (100% copper). It's an amazing horn. You can play as loud as you want without ever breaking or cracking, and while always keeping a rich tone.