Antonio García plays Conn-Selmer trombones exclusively.
"These are
simply exceptional horns. For thirty years I have relied on Conn-Selmer
trombones to assist me in creating my best possible sound, and they respond
to me as no others do. I have performed on my Vincent Bach trombones around the world and recommend
them without reservation!"
—Antonio J.
García
Tenor Trombone
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Model LT16M, purchased in April 1980 for $439 from Washington Music. Key of Bb, .509" medium bore, 7-1/2" one- piece yellow brass bell, open gooseneck, chrome-plated nickel silver seamless inner slide, lightweight nickel silver outer slide, nickel silver handgrip, tubular nickel silver body braces, disc balancer, Vincent Bach 6-1/2 AL mouthpiece. After 30 years I decided to replace the slide. The new slide is so terrific that for the first several months I put nothing on it but water: I didn't want to mess with a great thing!
photo courtesy: |
Bass Trombone
Model LT50B3LG, purchased in February 1982 for $1158 from Giardinelli's. Key of Bb/F/Gb. .562" bore, 10-1/2" one-piece hand-hammered gold bell, traditional double in-line independent rotor system, traditional wrap, chrome-plated nickel silver seamless inner slide, lightweight nickel silver outer slide, nickel silver handgrip, tubular brass braces, Vincent Bach 3G mouthpiece. (The wrap on my horn is not exactly as pictured above; see photos below.)
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Performing on bass trombone
with the photo credit: |
photo courtesy: |
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With his bass trombone on
the Carnegie Hall stage. photo credit: |
I have also been thrilled to serve as jazz clinician for the Conn-Selmer Institute for a number of years and encourage you to check it out as the superb music-education conference it is! See me interviewed at the Conn-Selmer Institute regarding jazz pedagogy here and here.
Let's talk air-travel!
Traveling by air with a trombone can be a challenge. When the call is tenor, I pack my horn in its case and then inside an SKB double golf case, which I line with either foam padding, bubble wrap, and/or clothing. The case can take a pounding; and even if a wheel or clasp comes off, the external parts are modular so that you can replace the part yourself without having to junk the entire case. SKB golf cases have a lifetime guarantee: they'll send you parts on demand for free. I had my golf case for at least 20 years and replaced one clasp and maybe one wheel. Not bad for a travel case that back then cost me around $100!
Then after one trip I noticed another wheel-mount was beginning to crack. No worries: it's modular! So I called SKB and asked them if they'd send me a replacement wheel. "Absolutely," was the reply. And of course, I received it a few days later, no questions (or receipts) asked.
But when I installed the new wheel, I saw that the screw-holes weren't lining up exactly; so I figured the wheel was for a newer model of case than mine. I called SKB apologetically for taking up their time again but asked if it might be possible for them to send me a wheel for my older model—and I'd gladly return their newer wheel. "Could you hold just a moment?," was the reply. A couple of minutes later the voice on the phone returned. "We no longer have wheels for your older case; so if you'd confirm your mailing address for me, we'll send you a new case."
After a pause, all I could voice was a feeble "Excuse me?"
"Yes," he confirmed. "We have a million-mile guarantee on our cases, and we don't count the miles. So if we can't repair your case, we replace it. When the new case arrives, free shipping, then place your old case in that shipping box, attach the postage-paid label that I'll e-mail you; and ship your old case to us at no cost."
And so it proceeded in just a few days, with the arrival of my current 2SKB-1649W case, which was selling for twice as much as my previous model.
Amazing customer support.
Flying with the bass trombone is a tougher gig,
as even a larger-than-average case can't preclude a large bell's warping from
the sheer impact of a fall off of a baggage conveyor belt. That's why I so enjoyed
traveling the world with Phil Collins: all the instruments were flown in those
HUGE "anvil" flight cases that defy damage as well as anything can.
The Selmer Company has generously co-sponsored many visits by Antonio García into various venues around the world to deliver educational clinics and master classes. For more information about these and other opportunities, visit Clinics.
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