"Bring the roots of axial flow to Shires."
A custom bass trombone built with Original Thayer built in and meticulous attention to detail.
[Overview]
S.E. Shires bass trombone
Custom Series / tuning-slide specification
Bell: 2RT7 / 9.5-inch, red brass, T7 treatment, screw-detachable specification
Finish: unlacquered
*No engraving on the special-order bell
Valve: O.E. Thayer Original Axial-Flow
Configuration: in-line twin valve
Main tuning slide: gold brass
Slide: B62 / .562" single bore
Outer slide: gold brass / lightweight
End crook: nickel silver
Mouthpipe: B3L (wide-bore / long type)
Included accessories: used fiber case*No strap / some wear
[Condition]
This tuning slide model incorporates an attachment of the original S.E. Shires valve. Because the bell is a special-order item, it has no engraving. The screw-detachable bell was modified later in its life. (The lacquer was removed at the time of the modification.) There are traces of lacquer remaining on each tube, and some scratches. Bell flare dents and repair marks (shallow dents and waviness) remain, and the inside of the tubing has been cleaned. Soft monel has been replaced, and the instrument has been serviced.
[Features]
This bass trombone from the S.E. Shires Custom Series has been assembled from parts with a clear intention in every detail, as a tuning-slide model. Even so, what is especially interesting is that it is not fitted with Shires' Axial-Flow, but with the original valve made by the O.E. Thayer Company, which was the source of the design.
The bell is a 9.5-inch 2RT7 red brass bell. Red brass combines the warm, complex overtones of red brass with the quick response of the T7 specification. This instrument is intentionally left unengraved, and was further modified later to a screw-detachable bell specification. It has a distinctive presence that sets it apart at a glance from standard catalog models.
The slide is a .562" single bore with a gold brass .562" outer slide, made into a lightweight specification by eliminating the sleeves normally found on slides. It adds quick response and an open feel to a warm, rounded tone. It also combines a gold-brass main tuning slide, a B3L mouthpipe with the wide-bore B3 used as the long-type specification, and a B3L mouthpiece, ensuring a rich airflow while maintaining a center that is easy to keep in the sound.
More than just a completed pre-owned model, this is exactly the kind of instrument we want to place in the hands of players who want to enjoy the instrument all the way down to its very choice of parts and the intent behind them—a truly deserving "Custom" instrument.
