Is a carbon fiber trombone worth it? Who it is right for

Which trombone is right for you?

A carbon fiber trombone is not for everyone. Here is how to choose:

You are a beginner. Your pick: the Yamaha YSL-254CF. Yamaha made it for anyone playing trombone for the first time. Thomann sells it for €1,098, with case and mouthpiece.
You are a semi-pro or an amateur who plays long gigs. Your pick: a daCarbo. The bell stays still while you play. You have more left at the end of the night.
You travel a lot. Your pick: a daCarbo. No dents, no corrosion, warm in seconds. If your luggage has to weigh as little as possible, choose a Butler.
You are a pro. Your pick: a daCarbo. Play it for 30 days against your own trombone. If you need a bass trombone, choose a Butler C12. daCarbo does not make one.

What makes a daCarbo different: the bell

With a daCarbo, the bell comes first, not the slide.

The bell stays still while you play. A brass bell vibrates. The daCarbo carbon bell stays still.

About 10 percent less energy for the same result. Measured in the lab. The study was on trumpets. It did not test a trombone.

You have more left at the end of the night. That counts when your long gig comes after a full day at work.

On top of that:

Warm in seconds.
No dents, no corrosion, no re-lacquering.

Carbon, not because it is lighter. Because the bell stays still, warms up in seconds and does not dent or corrode.

And the slide?

The carbon outer slide cannot bend and cannot dent. The slide stays straight, so the gap between outer and inner slide is very small and the slide is very airtight. That is good for the response.

The balance stays the same in every slide position. Your left hand can stay much more relaxed than on a standard trombone.

A carbon slide on its own is no reason to buy a daCarbo, though. Yamaha and Butler make carbon outer slides too, and Butler says you cannot dent its slides either. What sets daCarbo apart is the bell that stays still, and the call with Andi before you buy.

The carbon parts are the bell and the straight tubes of the outer slide. The slide crook and the valve parts are metal. The metal parts can dent like on any trombone.

Is this your problem? Then daCarbo is your trombone.

If one of these sounds like you, a daCarbo is the right choice:

By the end of a long gig, your chops are shot.
Your slide has been dented, or it has been in the repair shop.
Your brass trombone shows corrosion.
You often play outdoors, and your horn has to warm up fast.

Which daCarbo fits you:

Model	Your pick if	From
ChangeMaker Trombone	You want a way in. Also for jazz on a smaller budget. The same carbon outer slide and the same carbon bell, put together more simply.	€2,990 (CHF 2,990, US$3,560)
Tenor with F-attachment	You play in a section. The F valve gives you the extra notes and the alternate positions you need there. Bore 13.90 mm (0.547").	€4,990 (CHF 4,650, US$5,860)
Tenor Jazz	You play without a valve. It sits steady in your hand and the slide runs fast. Bore 12.70 up to 13.37 mm (0.500" up to 0.526").	€5,310 (CHF 4,950, US$6,240)

The price includes tax, customs duty and shipping. Nothing is added when it arrives. Andi assembles and tests every instrument in Lachen.

12 trombones compared

"Carbon fiber trombone" means something different at each maker. Here are eight models with carbon parts and four in brass.

With carbon

Model	Carbon parts	What the maker stresses	Price
Yamaha YSL-254CF	The straight tubes of the outer slide	A slide that survives knocks. For anyone playing trombone for the first time	€1,098 at Thomann, with case and mouthpiece
Butler C5 and C6	Bell, outer slide, leadpipe	Low weight, small bore	from US$3,500
Butler C10	Bell, tuning slide, outer slide, leadpipe	Low weight, large bore. Butler calls it its most versatile model	from US$4,300, US$5,400 with F valve
Butler C12	Bell, tuning slide, outer slide, F and Gb slides	Bass trombone	US$7,100
daCarbo, three tenors	Bell and outer slide	The bell stays still. About 10 percent less energy for the same result	from €2,990, tax, duty and shipping included

Butler adds shipping. Outside the USA, import taxes may come on top.

In brass, for comparison

Four well-known brass trombones that Thomann sells:

Model	Bell	Outer slide	Bore
Yamaha YSL-448 GE, with F-attachment	Gold brass	Nickel silver	13.89 mm
King 2102 Legend 2B	Brass	Nickel silver	12.22 and 12.47 mm
Conn 88H, with F-attachment	Gold brass	Gold brass	13.89 mm
Bach 42B, with F-attachment	Brass	Brass	13.90 mm

On all four, the bell and the slide are metal. A brass bell vibrates, and a metal slide can dent. If one of these works well for you, there is no reason to switch. Thomann shows the prices, and the links are at the end.

When another trombone is the better choice

Choose the Yamaha YSL-254CF if you are a beginner. Yamaha says its carbon slide "is the ideal slide for anyone starting to play trombone for the first time." Its bell is brass. Yamaha tested what happens when the slide takes a knock: the brass tube dented, the carbon tube only showed marks on the surface. When you move on, Yamaha also makes brass trombones with an F-attachment, such as the YSL-448 GE.

Choose a Butler if low weight matters most, or if you need a bass trombone. Butler states 1.5 lb for its C5 and C6. Butler also makes carbon outer slides for the trombone you already own, for US$850. Butler gives you 15 days to try a horn.

Keep your brass trombone if it plays well, the slide is straight and your gigs feel easy.

How to get your daCarbo

Book a call with Andi. It takes 30 minutes on video and costs nothing.
Andi hears how you play first. Then your instrument is chosen.
If no daCarbo suits you, Andi tells you so.
If one does, you play it at home and at your gigs. You have 30 days to send it back from the day it arrives.

Book a call with Andi

The daCarbo letter. For anyone who wants to know more first. Once a month. What is new, and where you can try an instrument. You can unsubscribe any time.

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Sources

Common questions.

Is a carbon fiber trombone worth it?

Yes, if you play long gigs or your slide has been dented before. On a daCarbo, the bell stays still while you play. About 10 percent less energy for the same result. Measured in the lab. The study was on trumpets. For beginners the Yamaha YSL-254CF fits better, and for the lowest weight a Butler.

Does a carbon fiber trombone sound different from a brass trombone?

Nobody hears the difference. In a blind test, listeners could not tell carbon from brass. Some players say they feel less feedback in their hands and need time to get used to it. A trombone teacher wrote on TromboneChat that he overshot high notes at first.

Is a daCarbo carbon fiber trombone lighter?

Carbon, not because it is lighter. Because the bell stays still, warms up in seconds and does not dent or corrode. We do not state a weight for our trombones, because we do not sell them on weight. If weight matters most to you, a Butler is the better choice.

Is a carbon fiber trombone the same as a plastic trombone?

No. A plastic trombone such as the pBone is made of ABS plastic and fiberglass, and its maker sells it for US$199. Carbon fiber is a different material: carbon fibers set in resin. The carbon fiber trombones in this article cost from €1,098 to US$7,100.

Can I try a carbon fiber trombone before I buy one?

On the video call, Andi hears how you play first. After that you have 30 days to send it back from the day it arrives. In the USA, Fleming Musical Instruments in Houston lists daCarbo trombones. Thomann lists daCarbo trumpets, but no daCarbo trombone. Ask us and we check who is near you.

Rather talk it through? Andi hears how you play first. Then your instrument is chosen. Book a call with Andi →

The daCarbo letter

Once a month. What Andi is building, which shows he is at, and the odd word from a player. No selling.