Edwards Instruments
Alessi F Trombone
First and foremost, Mr. Alessi is a principal orchestral player. His instrument must crown the low brass section while blending with the orchestra. This balance was of the utmost importance when designing his signature trombone. But we also could not ignore Mr. Alessi's considerable solo capabilities.
So we set out to provide Mr. Alessi with a horn that gave him the correct timbre and feel no matter the musical setting. This is more difficult than it sounds. A lot of timbre comes with having an instrument that is tonally flexible without becoming unstable in different registers. We feel we achieved our goals due to the fact that the T396-A is the first "acoustically-tunable" fixed instrument. We are excited to make an instrument available that is as unique as each and every one of our customers.
Bore Size
.547" bore
Slide and Leadpipe
Once again we exhausted all possibilities when coming to a consensus on a slide. Mr. Alessi played on several end crooks searching for the one that not only balanced the instrument but also gave him the correct amount of feedback.
We place a lot of emphasis on feedback at Edwards. It's important that a player has the proper amount in order to assess an instrument. We don't subscribe to "It's there, trust me." That just takes away from a musician's ability to make his/her own musical decisions.
It's no secret that minor changes in the leadpipe and mouthpiece can have a major impact on playing. Mr. Alessi worked through myriad options before picking a sterling silver custom leadpipe with numerous proprietary elements. The leadpipe will be fixed into the slide.
The final result includes a slide with nickel oversleeves, specially-treated rose brass outer tubes, a yellow brass end crook and Mr. Alessi's Signature Silver Leadpipe.
After years of development -- and countless flights from Wisconsin to New York -- we are extremely proud of the Alessi Model T396-A. We are indebted to Mr. Alessi for taking the time to help us make the next great Edwards Trombone. Breathe into this horn and it will come to life.
Bell
The Alessi bell is the result of Mr. Alessi trying countless combinations of mandrels, gauges and materials. The payoff is a bell that not only sounds wonderful in the New York Philharmonic, but also allows Mr. Alessi to play solo recitals at the level he demands.
The bell is constructed of yellow brass (70% copper and 30% zinc). The rim is unsoldered, yet maintains a depth of sound. There are many proprietary elements that will not be discussed here for obvious reasons. To all the equipment junkies, we apologize.
Tuning Slide
The tuning slide has a single radius and is rose brass. It is designed with unique trim points and construction materials to strike the perfect balance between sound and feel.
Valve Section
Throughout the years, Edwards has taken pride in building horns that have allowed many trombonists to win auditions and be successful in their jobs. There's no question that the T350 has become the benchmark instrument for orchestral tenor trombonists.
That being said, we are committed to building instruments that fit every trombonist, some of whom may not mesh with the Axial Flow Valve. The Alessi Model was built around the Rotax Valve by Willson. This valve provides a great sound and feel for the player and is constructed using solid brass manufacturing principles.
Rotax Valve
We did our homework when deciding on a valve for the Alessi T396-A. Seeking the sound and feel he was after, Mr. Alessi tried every available valve on the market. Some provided a great tone or a nice feel but rarely delivered on both. Other valves had build and playability issues. We wouldn't feel comfortable offering anything other than the very best on this instrument. Neither would Mr. Alessi. After all, his name is on the horn.
The Rotax valve is an integral part of the Alessi Model design. It is machined to the standards demanded by Willson Instruments; as a result, the Rotax is the highest quality rotor we've seen. From a player's perspective, it responds quickly and helps produce a wonderful, large bore tenor sound.
Harmonic Bridge (Patent Pending)
Consumers (and even some manufacturers) often overlook the importance of bracing. It's vitally important for two reasons. First, a solid brace design allows manufacturers to build stress-free instruments. Second, an instrument's playability and response will be exponentially better with braces in the correct nodal positions on the instrument. This means the Alessi Model will sing for you.
The T396-A utilizes the Harmonic Bridge (Patent Pending) and Harmonic Pillars (Patent Pending). More information on these will be coming in December.
Valve Wrap
Some of you will undoubtedly recognize the wrap that shares similarities with the Minick wrap. Used by instrument companies since the 1970's, the Minick wrap concept provides a smooth transition in and out of a conventional rotor.
The material within the wrap is a combination of rose and yellow brass. Blending alloys helped us achieve the unique sound Mr. Alessi was after. Construction allows the air to maintain its direction without hidden gaps or spaces. The F tuning slide has a single radius.
Q & A
Reviews
Protect your investment with the Long & McQuade Performance Warranty
A warranty can be a very important factor when making a buying decision. Because repairs can be very expensive in terms of parts and labour costs, manufacturers usually only provide one year limited warranties that generally only cover items that malfunction due to a manufacturer’s defect. With an important purchase such as a musical
instrument or piece of studio gear, however, many people want to have the peace of mind in knowing that their investment will be protected should the product no longer be performing at 100%.
Because of this, Long & McQuade provides our customers with a FREE one-year Performance Warranty on most of our products. The Long & McQuade Performance Warranty supplements the manufacturer’s warranty to ensure that our customers receive complete “no hassle” warranty coverage within their first year.
How does the Long & McQuade Performance Warranty differ from most manufacturers' warranties?
- Performance Guarantee: Normal wear and tear is covered, so your product will be performing as well as the day you purchased it for the entire duration of the coverage. Band and Orchestral Performance Warranty does not include replacing pads or cleaning for woodwind instruments, unless deemed necessary by our repair staff. Ultrasonic cleaning for brass instruments will be provided if deemed necessary by our repair staff, but is not routinely offered under the Performance Warranty.
- Product Replacement: If your product cannot be fixed or costs too much to fix, we will replace it with the equivalent model for no additional charge. If this is not possible, a full refund will be provided.
- No Lemon Policy: Your product will be replaced should the same problem occur multiple times.
- Convenient: Easy drop off and pick up of the product at any Long & McQuade location.
- Guitar Setup: Guitars purchased at Long & McQuade come with 1 free setup, to be redeemed within 1 year for new guitars and 90 days for used guitars.
- Loaners Available: A loaner product may be given while the product is being repaired.
- Power Surge Protection: Your product is covered even if damaged from a power surge.
- Accessory Coverage: Any peripheral devices or accessories that come with your product (i.e. foot pedal, case) are also covered.
- Commercial Use Coverage: Music and recording professionals who purchase gear for “heavy-use” commercial purposes will still be covered.
Long & McQuade reserves the right to restrict the purchase of additional years of Performance Warranty. Used products come with a 3-month Long & McQuade Performance Warranty. Some products (i.e. computers, software, cymbals and other items) are covered only by the manufacturer‘s warranty. Consumables (i.e. strings, reeds, drum sticks, batteries, tubes, cross faders) are excluded as they are designed to be replaced. Cosmetic Damage, Accidental Damage, or problems caused by Humidity or Temperature Issues are not covered. Speakers damaged by overpowering are generally not covered. Our coverage does not provide compensation for loss of use. As of June 2018 the Performance Warranty is no longer transferable. The warranty is only valid in Canada.
Purchasing additional years of coverage
Some manufacturers provide warranties for longer than 1 year; however, these are usually limited warranties that do not provide the same coverage as the Long & McQuade Performance Warranty. Customers interested in more complete and convenient (but not necessarily longer) coverage are still able to purchase additional years of the Performance Warranty.
If you are interested in receiving this coverage for longer than one year, you have the option of purchasing additional years of the Performance Warranty. The pricing is as follows:
- NEW products: 4% of the current new selling price to double the warranty from 1 year to 2 years. 4% for each additional year.
- USED products: 4% of the current new selling price to increase the warranty from 3 months to 1 year. 4% for each additional year.
- GUITARS: 4% of the current new selling price to double the warranty from 1 year to 2 years. 4% for each additional year. $45 maximum. An additional free setup is not included with additional purchased years of Performance Warranty.
- BAND and ORCHESTRAL instruments: 4% of the current new selling price to double the warranty from 1 year to 2 years. 4% for each additional year.
Great Additions
Reserve in Store
| Product | SKU | Qty |
|---|---|---|
| Alessi F Trombone | 353986 |
