JP Rath 236 Eb Alto Trombone

Item Details

The JP Rath 236 alto trombone is an excellent first instrument for the orchestral trombonist to explore alto trombone. Designed in collaboration with Michael Rath, one of the UK's finest trombone designers and manufacturers, the JP236 Rath is lightweight, free blowing and consistent, all to extend your musicality, confidence, and style.

• Key: Eb
• Bell: 7" gold brass, 2-piece, plasma welded, soldered rim
  
• Hand slide: 12.21mm (.481") bore, all nickel with brass trim, chrome inside tubes
  
• Body: Nickel and gold brass
  
• Finish: Clear lacquer or silver plate
  
• Mouthpiece: 12C
  
• Leadpipe: Fixed, Michael Rath
  
• Case: Fiberglass & nylon, music pouch, backpack straps
  
• Instrument Weight: 1.1 kg (2.4 lb)
  
• Case weight: 3.0 kg (6.6 lb)

This is a nicely designed instrument of better mechanical quality.  The hand slide is fairly good but needs a bit of handwork to be stellar, then it will be something.  The buffing is smooth and very shiny, bell spinning is also very good.  The lacquer has a gold tint to it that shows a pattern in certain light.  You can see it in some of the close-up photos.  It's like a bit of glitter, which would up your style factor by several percent at least.  The mouthpiece receiver has some small burrs, and uneveness in the receiver, also requiring attention.  The bell section is well aligned. The angle of one of the braces make it look off, Glassls are like this, but it's actually correct.  Except for a few trim pieces, the entire trombone is nickel or gold brass.  The balance weight may not be necessary, and it'll play differently with the weight on or off; be sure to try it both ways.  The included 12C mouthpiece is about the right size range for alto trombone.  7C, 11C, 12C, 15E, etc. are popular sizes.

The long slide and shorter bell section with little neckpipe expansion makes this look like a classic Latsch design, which is well respected. 

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The latest: One each silver and lacquer models are in stock, freshly returned from Brass Mavens who resurfaced the inside of the outer slides, and reset the mouthpiece receiver tapers for proper mouthpiece insertion.  I don't know if we're doing more of these.  Get 'em while they last.

The silver 236 is a little more centered and louder, the lacquer 236 is warmer and mellow.  Both are captivating in their own way.  Hand slides are smooth and fairly silent when lubed with Trombotine, some noise in 6th-7th, normal for this sort of thing.  Clean the slide lots and it should break in perfectly.  Alignment is very good.

Tips for learning alto trombone

• Be fairly good at tenor trombone first.
• Tune the alto Eb so first position is 1cm out from the bumper, then you'll get used to tuning all the harmonics in or out as needed - float the slide.
• Use a tuner all the time in the beginning.
• Begin with your normal tenor trombone warm-up exercises, but now they sound Eb a fourth higher than Bb.  Keep the slide patterns the same.
• To get the hang of shorter slide positions, try touching your right elbow to your rib cage and using mostly forearm for slide movement at first.
• Reading music: Maybe leave the alto clef for later.  Start in bass clef, exercises you already know, songs in the key of Eb.  Choose from Rochut Melodious Etudes Book 1.  This way you still use your "Bb scale slide patterns" for the early music reading.  You'll get fast at learning to read by interval too. 
• David Hickman's Music Speed Reading is helpful.
• Play your scales starting on the top note, then down into the mid-range, then back up.  You'll get much stronger faster and will be better at hitting the high notes cold.