I'm once again starting to get in the market for a new horn, something for a graduation gift in a few years, so I have a while to wait/think about a horn. But I've been looking at horns and I'm trying to figure out what is the best buy. I currently have a Conn-88HCL, its doing me just fine, but I want something else that hopefully doesn't have the little things on this horn I don't like, Which basically I just want to cumstomize a horn. I've seen on Edwards website that you can customize the different metals on different parts of the horn etc. But does anyone know about Getzen horns, cna you do that with them, or are they against that? Does anyone own a Getzen or a Edwards or has/have one or the other and can you tell me some of the good/bad points about it? Also, how does Getzen/Edwards compete with other more popular brands such as Conn, Bach, Holten, Yahama, etc?

A Getzen is basically an Edwards without the options. With a Getzen you only have a choice of two different bells, but with an Edwards you have access to probably about 40 different bells, plus different handslide, tuning slide, and leadpipe options.

My repairman told me to stay away from Edwards. He told me that he had a couple of clients who had bought Edwards recently, and their slides were already rotted out and they needed to order replacements.

I have two Shires horns and a Rath. Both Shires and Rath are excellent, although I like the action of the Shires slides better. Their parts are made of the highest quality.

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Definitely check out the Shires website.

www.seshires.com

You can click on all of the different components of the trombone, and you'll get a general description of all of the different modifications. Very helpful.

If you do get a Shires, be prepared to open your wallet. Luckily, I got my horns before the latest price increases, which amounted to about 17%.

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Oh, and finally, with Shires you get to choose between THREE different valve types - the SE Shires rotor valve, the SE Shires axial-flow valve, and the SE Shires Trubore valve. Each valve system is very good in their own ways. Personally, I like the axial-flow valve the best. But I know a couple of people who have gotten the new TruBore valve and are very happy with it. And I know someone else with the standard rotor, and he doesn't want to change anytime soon.

Getzen and Edwards are ran by the same people apparently, such as UMI; Bach, Conn, etc.