vintage elkhart

Vintage Sound, Modern Mastery

The TBBVE Vintage Elkhart Bass Trombone perfectly blends rich, vintage sound with modern playability. Designed for musicians seeking the warm, focused tone of classic American bass trombones, it offers unmatched versatility and ease of performance across the entire range.

Featuring a lightweight red brass bell with an unsoldered bead, modeled after iconic mid-20th-century Elkhart bells, this trombone produces a lush, warm sound with complex overtones. Its narrow yellow-brass hand slide delivers a rich, focused core reminiscent of vintage instruments while ensuring flexibility and consistency throughout the full register. This model bridges the timeless elegance of legendary bass trombones with the demands of today’s performers.

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Specifications

BI 2RVE Bell: 9.5 inch, two piece, hand-hammered “BI” taper in light weight red brass with traditionally brazed seam and unsoldered bead
Independent, S.E. Shires F/G♭ rotary valves
Tuning Slide: BYC—“C” taper, drawn yellow brass
BN62YC Handslide: .562-inch bore, narrow-width, standard weight yellow brass, yellow brass crook
B2.5 seamed leadpipe
Bell Engraving: S.E. Shires makers mark and traditional floral pattern
Includes S.E. Shires bass trombone case, mouthpiece, and care kit
SKU: STBBVE

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Frequently Asked Questions

Your purchase includes your S.E. Shires Co. instrument, case, mouthpiece, polishing cloth, and cleaning kit.
Please use our Dealer Locator to find an S.E. Shires Co. dealer in your area or contact us for additional information!
S.E. Shires Co. instruments come with a two year warranty from the date of purchase.
Please visit our warranty page for more information.

TROMBONE OPTIONS

Each Shires trombone is more than just an instrument

Each S.E. Shires trombone is more than just an instrument; it’s a customizable tool designed to meet the specific needs and preferences of every musician.

The S.E. Shires modular system allows players to mix and match various components—bells, leadpipes, handslides, tuning slides, and valves—to create a trombone that is perfectly suited to their playing style and desired sound.

Endless Possibilities, Uncompromised Quality

Because an airtight valve is essential to quick response and centered feel in all registers, S.E. Shires chooses to produce all of our valves. We thoroughly test for tight fit and perfect action at every stage of manufacture.
The valve controls much more than the low register: articulation, sound density, and stability of the sustained tone is affected by each valve type.
All S.E. Shires bells are handcrafted in using traditional techniques. Shires bells—known for their rich sound, easy response, and incredible projection—benefit from decades of experience designing and spinning bells.
Handslides control the initial feel of the instrument. Handslide bore size, width, crook size, alloys and weights are contributing factors for handslides.
Our slide tubing is drawn to precise tolerances and then carefully assembled, aligned, and stress relieved to assure the smooth, trouble-free action that has become the hallmark of S.E. Shires trombones.
Trombone tuning slides can effect resistance, response, and color of the instrument.
S.E. Shires trombone tuning slides are engineered with a unique, smooth, double-radius design. They combine the best characteristics of single- and double-radius tuning slides in terms of timbre, response, and intonation.
The leadpipe is the first point of contact with the player after the mouthpiece. It plays an important role in determining the overall feel and sound of the instrument.
The diameter of the venturi, the material of the pipe and its length all have a significant effect on the instrument's playing characteristics.
Want to learn more about our Custom Series components? Enter the catalogue.