King 3B

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The King 3B is a small-bore trombone popular with students and jazz musicians. It comes with a .508" bore and 8" bell which is also available in solid sterling silver and an F-attachment. The King 3B takes small shank mouthpieces, the precise size depending upon the player and the application of the instrument. This trombone is known for its versatility with powerful high and low registers. The bell can be modified to be accepted by a King 2B slide, as used by J.J. Johnson for a large part of his career. It is currently manufactured by Conn- Selmer Inc. no longer as the 3B but as model 2103.

The name "King" is derived from Thomas King, a solo trombonist with the Lyceum Theatre Orchestra in Cleveland, Ohio during the late 1800s. He urged Henderson N. White, a local owner of an instrument repair shop, to design and build a new trombone. Through trial and effort over many months, they arrived at a trombone with a superior slide and tone over the standard trombone of the day. This trombone gained notoriety in the local area and soon enjoyed popularity with trombonists throughout the United States.