Edwards T396-AR Tenor Trombone with Rotor and Harmonic Bridge

Get the Pinnacle of Historic Craftsmanship with the Edwards T396-AR Tenor Trombone with Rotor and Harmonic Bridge

​From the very beginning, the T396-A trombone was conceived and crafted to meet and exceed the demands of professional trombonists throughout the world. To not only excel from the orchestra’s back row but to be versatile enough to transition from section to solo. From world-famous symphony stage to intimate recital hall. An instrument with the ability to span every aspect of trombone performance. Designed, tested, and proven with orchestral players from St. Louis, Washington DC, and, of course, New York.

AR-1 Artist Rotor

Edward's did their homework when developing the new, Edwards exclusive, AR-1 Artist Rotor. Seeking a balance between a responsive, free-blowing feel and wonderful, large bore tenor sound Edward's tested countless rotor configurations and designs on the market. It wasn’t long until they realized what Edward's wanted for the new T396 did not yet exist. The only option left was to develop their own rotor design.

Historically Crafted Tuning Slide Bow

“They don’t make them like they used to” is a cliché we are all familiar with. Sometimes the new way is to speed production and cut costs. And sometimes it is out of necessity because of generational knowledge loss. Over time, the new way becomes standard and accepted as just the way it is done. In the past, every non-machined part of an instrument was formed out of sheet stock. A labor-intensive, time-consuming, and costly technique requiring a higher skill level than many possessed. Today, the industry standard is to form all tubing from a larger, thicker raw stock tubing. Why? It’s quicker, cheaper, and requires much less training to do well. While it is consistent, the question Edward's wanted answered was “Is it better?”. They set out to test this by making a tuning slide crook that was hand formed and shaped entirely out of sheet stock. The end result is a tuning slide that is more responsive, colorful, and tonally complex.

Scalloped Harmonic Bridge

Patented Scalloped Harmonic Bridge Perhaps the single most important design element of the original T396 was the introduction of the patented Harmonic Pillar System. For the first time, musicians were presented with a fixed instrument that could be “acoustically tuned” to meet their specific playing style, setting, and needs. Pivotal to this system was the Edwards exclusive Harmonic Bridge brace. The new, scalloped version has been strategically lightened to reduce the central bell section weight, thus dramatically improving energy transference within the trombone.

Non fixtured slide construction

Each slide is built to match inner to outer slide. No stress within the build ensures consistent resonant and easy blow.

Responsive

Quick to develop without exploding, Edward's works to make every note develop as quickly as possible into a resonant event that people will notice.

Hand Spun Bell

Every bell is spun by one craftsman who has learned from previous generations of bell spinners. Two-piece in construction, this proprietary bell underwent stringent testing in the New York Philharmonic, the St. Louis Symphony, and other orchestras worldwide to bring a proper representation to the marketplace.

Artist Rotor (AR-1)

The AR-1 valve is an integral part of the T396-AR design. Manufactured entirely in Elkhorn, WI, the AR-1 responds quickly and helps produce a wonderful large bore tenor sound.

Patented Harmonic Brace

Working within the laws of physics the Harmonic bracing has allowed individuals to adjust this instrument to their feel and sound characteristics

Tonally Balanced

Within the build they carefully match the blend of metals to make sure every instrument is tonally balanced to the individual. The highest quality of material is sourced and tested to ensure what you purchase is representative of what is "professional".

The T396 is an instrument meant to crown the low brass section while still blending with the orchestra. At the same time, it must be able to perform center stage as a solo instrument. An important balance often overlooked in trombone design and manufacture. At the time of its introduction, the T396-A tenor became an industry leader for design innovation and performance. As the latest evolution of the T396, the T396-AR is the result of years of in house development and on stage, performance-driven testing. The end result is a trombone design built on the foundation laid by the T396-A of the past, optimized for the next generation of great trombonists.

SPECIFICATIONS

• Valve: AR-1 Artist Rotor
• Bell Size: 8.5"
• Finish: Lacquer
• Bore Size: .547" (13.89mm)
• Leadpipes: Sterling Silver T2
• Horn Only
• Open Wrap AR-1 Artist Rotor
• New Scalloped Harmonic Bracing

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