JP Rath 231 Bb Tenor Trombone

Item Details

This is a medium bore trombone with 8" bell and .525" hand slide whose design and leadpipe is by Michael Rath.  This JP231 Rath is a nice trombone for the adult player and it's not expensive.  This design takes traits from several other makers, but it's unique.

Salient features...

• .525" all nickel hand slide with weighted outer tube extrusions, brass ferrules and trim, oval end crook.
  
• fixed leadpipe, small shank
• 8" bell in gold brass, reverse tuning slide, balance weight

Several makers offer a trombone like this, including Bach 36G, King 3BPLG, Yamaha 445G, Rath R3, Conn and Blessing in the past.  But this JP Rath is not any single one of those, and also is all of them.  It uses the best ideas from those makers and also from Michael Rath's UK shop, and the result is good.  The JP fabrication is top notch, and its hand slide action is acceptable.  We'll send it out for a slide tuneup anyway.  It could be better, but so could most other brands, so we'll get it there with an expert technician's help.

This trombone plays very nicely; it's as captivating as many others.  The response is what you expect from a medium bore gold brass tenor trombone:  it's efficient but full, it's snappy but doesn't bark, it can play Brahms but not as loud.  It can bebop and still be sweet and not brittle.  You can kick it in a dance band or soar in a concert ensemble.  Yes, take this to a gig, it'll fit right in and it'll be satisfying for the listeners and the player at a very nice price.

Gold lacquer finish, includes case and mouthpiece.  The case also fits trombones with F-attachment, so it's useful for other trombones as well.