[Trombone-l] Selman Alto Trombone

[John Burton]

I've been very happy with mine.  Normally I'm a bottom-dweller, but I bought my brass-finished Selman on e-Bay for two reasons.  1) I wanted that alto voice in Slide-by-Slide .. four tenors w/F-attachment, two straight tenors and two basses gives the ensemble a 'heavy' sound from time to time.  So, on certain charts (Finlandia) the addition of an alto for the high voice, and a contra for the bottom seems to fill out the ensemble.
 
I'm sure that if I played full-time I'd step up, the slide used a bit of love and care (and trombontine) to get in a slick, playable condition.  The case is a bit strange, but you'll get the hang of it.  I fooled with the notion of replacing the mouthpiece that came with, but decided it really does sound pretty decent, certain 'trombone-ish' with the no-name/no-marking 12C-ish stock mouthpiece.
 
Others have mentioned mis-aligned tuning crooks -- not mine.   A touch of Vasoline and we're in GREAT shape.
 
I've made sure I always put the slide in the case with spit valve (water key?) up and to the right.  "They" say that this might ding the bell, but it seems to hold the slide best that way in my case.
 
Bottom line, I'd say go for it.  You're not gonna regret it.
 
O yea... Second reason?  Rounded out my collection from Soprano Trombone (Jupiter 314) to Contra-Bass (Miraphone 157) <chuckle>
 
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john burton
Bach 50B3 Bass Trombone
Kanawha Valley Community Band / Slide-by-Slide
South Charleston, West Virginia

________________________________

From: trombone-l-bounces at maillists.samford.edu on behalf of t.stone at att.net
Sent: Mon 10/15/2007 7:49 PM
To: trombone-l at server5.samford.edu
Subject: [Trombone-l] Selman Alto Trombone



Hi List,

Does anyone have any first-hand experience with the Selman Alto trombone? I keep seeing these advertised on E-Bay for the Buy-It-Now price of $169.99. They look fantastic and are a bargain at that price if they play well (that's a BIG if), and if they're made well (that's another BIG if). I've searched and searched, but can't much information about them or where they are made. What I have found is just a lot of skepticism about how they play and their quality, but no first-hand reports. They are offered by a company called Great Tunes Direct located in Twin Falls, Idaho, and shipped from their location. So, does anyone own one of these and can tell  me how it plays, where it's made and what the quality of workmanship is?

Tim
Northridge, CA
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