Create your Rath dream-horn today!
Austin Custom Brass is excited to be able to offer this remarkable line of trombones to you! Made in England, with incredible craftsmanship and design, Rath trombones offer incredible sound and playability. The R1, small/dual bore trombone (.500"-510") is an ideal instrument for jazz and commercial playing but versatile enough to be a good choice for chamber ensembles, pit-orchestras, even larger classical ensembles (depending on the music). Choose your options and create a trombone that possess clarity, brilliance and flexibility while also having a rich tone throughout all registers. Michael Rath tenor trombones provide the perfect solution.
The R1 Model comes standard with:
- 7 1/2" Yellow Brass Bell, standard weight
- Yellow Brass Main Tuning Slide
- .500"-.510" dual bore
- Yellow Brass Gooseneck
- Nickel-silver Handslide
- 1 Brass Leadpipe (small shank)
- Rath Case
*the photo on the listing shows a custom trombone, not the standard configuration.
You may customize your horn by choosing:
- Nickel Silver Bell Flare
- lightweight bell
- change your bell flare size
- choose to have a screw rim bell flare
- different main tuning slide materials
- add on a F-attachment with Voigt rotor valve section
- choose the finish you like best
Finish Options (select one above when checking out)
- Clear Lacquer Finish
- Brushed #1 = Fully brushed
- Brushed #2 = All brass brushed, all nickel silver polished
- Brushed #3 = Body of bell brushed, nickel silver parts and inner bell flare polished. Brushed brass tuning slide, valve section (if applicable) and nickel silver parts polished. Slide fully polished.
- Brushed #3A = Bell section same as #3 but slide outer legs are brushed. Inner slide, bow, ferrule, sleeves stay polished.
Please note that handslides with nickel silver outer legs cannot be brushed, they will always be polished.
About Rath's bell material options:
Michael Rath Custom Trombone bell flares offer wide range of tonal characteristics, each material giving a variety and flexibility of sound. The R1 is available in yellow brass (70% copper, 30% zinc) or nickel silver.
The higher the copper content in the material, the darker and warmer is the sound. For example a yellow brass bell will sound more brilliant and brighter than gold and red brass bells with a consistency of tone. Nickel silver bells tend to produce an extremely clear sound, but without becoming excessively bright. When coupled with the right main slide, tuning slide and leadpipe, nickel bells can also sound dark, full and resonant, particularly on our bass trombones.
All Michael Rath bells are constructed in two pieces, a flare and a spout, allowing us to select the most appropriate gauge (or material thickness) for the bell flare and spout independently. They are produced entirely by hand in our workshop and are finished in clear lacquer as standard, although various other finishes are available.
About Rath's Slides:
Michael Rath slides feature dual radius nickel slide bows and an interchangeable leadpipe system. The connection, slide to bell section, has a locking system unique to our instruments. The advantage of this system over a regular screw fitting is that the slide matches directly to the gooseneck, without any step in the bore. The handslide for the R1 is a nickel-silver handslide.
Want to customize your trombone even further? Call us 816-410-0826 to place your order if you want to add any additional customization options call such as:
- additional leadpipe(s)
- addition main tunings slides
- add an additional bell
- Personalized Custom Finishes
You can add a Rath Hand Support to Your Order (will not come attached to your horn):
Players are becoming ever more aware of the problems caused by excessive tension and physical strain when holding and playing the trombone especially in situations such as marching or simply performing for extended periods without a break. It can affect a wide range of players, from young children to those with conditions such as arthritis. The Michael Rath hand support system is a very simple yet very effective way of reducing, and in many cases eliminating, physical tension in the hand, arm and shoulder. Musically, the benefits of being able to perform free from unnecessary tension can be considerable and often this can also lead to a reduction of excessive pressure on the embouchure.
Attaching to the main bell stay of the instrument, the pad of the Michael Rath hand support fits snugly across the back of the left hand, providing all the necessary support needed to eliminate tension from the fingers. When properly adjusted a player can even remove their fingers from the slide stay completely leaving the hand support to take the full weight of the instrument. The Michael Rath hand support has been designed and successfully tested with a number of different makes and models of trombone, in addition to all Rath instruments, and, as well as its popular use with bass and contra bass trombones, the hand support has proven to be equally as successful with Bb/F tenor and even straight tenor trombones.
The Michael Rath hand support comes as a very simple kit which is easy to fit and adjust though care should be taken to not over tighten the screws as this may damage the bell stay.
Prior to ordering please check our Shipping and Returns policy. All sales are final on custom ordered/custom built trombones.
If you have any questions please send us an email or give us a call at (816) 410-0826!
Also note weight indicated in the ad is shipping weight not actual weight of instrument.
