B&S expands high quality student line [Musikmesse 2008]

7 March 2008 — The traditional German brass wind manufacturer B&S looks for innovative approaches to service the student market. Jakob von Wolff, president of JA Musik GmbH explains the concept: “Our ambition is to offer an excellent price-performance-relation and to increase the quality in the student segment. For this we have to go a different way then our competitors. We decided to transfer only labor intensive and less quality relevant production steps to selected partners in Asia while keeping everything that is qualitative decisive in our house. The important manufacturing steps will continue to be done by our long year master craftsmen of B&S in Germany. With this “hybrid” approach, students will have the best of two worlds: Germany service and quality, competitive prices!”

The first instruments from this series are introduced at the Frankfurt Music Show:

First of all, the new euphoniums series B&S 170 (3 valves), B&S 171 (4 valves), B&S 175 (3+1 valves): All instrument have a completely new design and are made from especially thin material. This makes them unusually responsive and light. The outer slides are made of nickel silver, the lead pipe of gold brass and the valves of stainless steel. The 1.32“ bell diameter is a little bigger than usually and the bass trombone sized mouthpiece receiver guarantees a bigger sound. The euphoniums will be delivered with a 6 ½ AL mouthpiece and a soft case. The instruments can be ordered in lacquered and silver plated. Von Wolff comments: “Most important was to keep the B&S sound concept: big and easy!”

Also in the tuba segment, this “hybrid” strategy led to a popular instrument: the three valve ¾ BBb tuba B&S 205. All who have tried the instrument noticed how light the instrument is and how well it responds. It is equipped with stainless steel valves, gold brass detachable lead pipe and three spit valves on each slide and will be delivered with mouthpiece and a student-fitted soft case.

Also in the soprano brass segment, B&S offers a new student instrument: the Bb-trumpet B&S 535L (lacquered) or B&S 535S (silver plated) and the cornets B&S 141L and B&S 141S. They all have what students need: easy response, perfect intonation, perfect valve action (Monel valves) and no compromise on the finish. They are delivered with a first class soft bag, mouthpiece and B&S accessories.

The new Bb-trombone B&S 260 completes the student line. This simple trombone is light and great for students. It has a smooth slide action and a nickel silver inner and brass outer slide. It is equipped with a high class soft bag, a mouthpiece and B&S accessories.

B&S Bb-trumpet model 535

• bore: 11.66mm (0.459“)
• yellow brass bell: Ø125mm (4.921“)
• Monel pistons
• nickel silver outer slides
• lacquered
• case inclusive
• options:
• silver plated

B&S Bb-cornet model 141

• bore: 11,65mm (0.458“)
• gold brass bell: Ø124,5mm (4.901“)
• gold brass lead pipe
• Monel pistons
• lacquered
• case inclusive
• options:
• silver plated

B&S Bb-trombone model 260

• bore: 12.90mm (0.508“)
• yellow brass bell: Ø200mm (7.874“)
• yellow brass outer slides
• lacquered
• case inclusive
• options: gold brass bell

B&S Bb-euphonium model 170

• bore: 15.5mm (0.610“)
• yellow brass bell: Ø300mm (11.811“)
• 3 stainless steel pistons
• lacquered
• case inclusive
• options: silver plated

B&S Bb-euphonium model 171

• bore: 15.5mm (0.610“)
• yellow brass bell: Ø300mm (11.811“)
• 4 stainless steel pistons (in row)
• lacquered
• case inclusive
• options: silver plated

B&S Bb-euphonium model 175

• bore: 15.5mm (0.610“)
• yellow brass bell: Ø300mm (11.811“)
• 4 stainless steel pistons (3+1 disposition)
• lacquered
• included soft bag
• options: silver plated

B&S Bb-tuba model 205

• bore: 17mm (0.669“)
• yellow brass bell: Ø360mm (14.173“)
• 3 stainless steel pistons
• lacquered
• case inclusive