Bach 50B2 Stradivarius Mt. Vernon Bass Trombone, Used

Item Details

- This instrument is on hold for a local player -

This is a classic Bach 50B2 bass trombone, made at least partially in Mt. Vernon, New York by the Vincent Bach Corporation.  The exact year of manufacture is unclear.  The distinctive features of this trombone are the custom rotor setup in F and D and the silver plated bell.  Two 50B hand slides are included.

Via the Bach Loyalist, we believe the bell section was originally made as a single rotor model 50B around 1945-1953.  The serial number of one hand slide may be from the late 1930's, the first Bach 50B being finished around 1936.  But the numbers are rubbing off; it's hard to tell.

The first six photos show the trombone after being ultrasonically cleaned, tuned and adjusted, dents removed and made ready to play by Brass Mavens in Whittier, CA.  The balance of the photos were taken upon its first arrival here - less shiny.  It's really spectacular now.

This trombone is from the collection of George Thatcher, LA trombonist with John Williams and the Hollywood studios.  This Bach 50 is George's #1 classical bass trombone, used on a lot of symphony jobs and recordings.  The original(?) owner was old school LA freelancer Pete Lannarone, who sold it to Bob Sanders, who then sold it to George Thatcher around 1972. 

The second rotor was added by George Strucel.  You can tell of the modifications because the F-slide is off to the side versus centered as it would usually be on a 50B or 50B2.  Also the rotors don't match exactly - the caps are different.  Larry Minick made the first rotor linkage with his own nylon sockets.  George Thatcher later had the bell silver plated to make it a bit thicker.

Two hand slides are included, both with removable leadpipes.  They've been cleaned  and aligned.  Both have some minor plating loss at the stockings.  One slide has A- action, the other is B action.  The removable leadpipes are press-fit.  All tuning slides move freely and the valve action is silent enough.

Pictured case is a questionable-quality Tuxedo gig bag, simply because both hand slides fit in it for storage.  It should probably have a better case, which can be decided by you or by me.  Even a Protec Max would improve things.  That's it, I'll include one.  Protec MX309CT goes with it unless you'd like something different.  Includes George's mouthpiece.

Biography of George Thatcher

George Thatcher, 1953-2024, trombonist, performed as a Hollywood freelance recording and symphonic musician, whose career has transverses a wide variety of styles as well as a number of continents. Since returning to Los Angeles in 1988, Thatcher has recorded for such motion picture luminaries as John Williams, Jerry Goldsmith, Randy Newman, Thomas Newman and Danny Elfman, on such film as Jurassic Park, Anastasia, Men in Black and the Shawshank Redemption. He records for television, advertising and records, having performed with such artist as Barbara Streisand, Natalie Cole, Neil Diamond, and Frank Sinatra. Thatcher's orchestral associations include performances with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, the Long Beach Opera, the Los Angeles Opera, Opera Pacific, the Pacific Symphony, and @the American Ballet Theater, San Francisco and Kirov ballet companies. His work abroad includes positions of principal bass trombone with the Cape Town Symphony Orchestra, principal bass trombone with the National Symphony Orchestra of the S.A.B.C., and principal bass trombone with the Orchestra Sinfonica Municipal de Caracas. Thatcher records for Raptoria Caam Records as a solo artist and as principal bass trombone of the Viklarbo Chamber Symphony. An active symphonic soloist, Thatcher recently performed Maria Newman's Concerto for Bass trombone and Orchestra (Peccavi) with both the Viklarbo Chamber Symphony and the Occidental-Caltech Orchestra in Los Angeles. He also appeared as soloist with the Eastern Sierra Symphony Orchestra, the Palisades Symphony and the Chamber George Thatcher Orchestra at St. Matthew's, and has been featured at many well known music festivals nationwide. On the jazz scene, Thatcher has toured extensively with famed trumpeters Harry James and Al Hirt. While residing in Johannesburg, South Africa he recorded two original solo albums for the S.A.B.C. Thatcher's later compact discs include "Even Call Girls Get the Blues" and "Terrorist".

-Rene Laanen