The trombone is a highly distinctive musical instrument from the brass family which has been a central part of jazz music for more than 100 years now!

In this article we enlist some expert help to look at the best jazz trombones you can buy today, as well as who played them.

As you might expect, trombone design and technique has changed during that time, from its early involvement in traditional ‘New Orleans’ jazz, through to its use in big bands, bebop and beyond.

There are many factors which can affect your sound and style as a trombone player, and which instrument you use is an important one!

For this article, we’ve enlisted the help of Swiss trombonist Simon Petermann to run through the key considerations when choosing a trombone for jazz – and to look at the set-ups of several famous jazz trombone players around the world.

Product	Features	Price
King 2103 3B Legend Series Trombone	Played by J.J. Johnson	Check Price on Amazon
Yamaha YSL-891Z	Played by Wycliffe Gordon	Check Price
Yamaha YSL-881	Played by Steve Turre	Check Price
Michael Rath R10 Tenor NS	Played by Conrad Herwig	Check Price
S.E. Shires 7GM	Played by Josh Roseman	Check Price
Kühnl & Hoyer (Bart van Lier model)	Played by Bart van Lier	Check Price
Edwards Trombones	Played by Trombone Shorty	Check Price

Whilst it might not be the most famous instrument nowadays, the trombone has been ever-present in jazz since the very beginning.

In the early ages of jazz history, the trombone was featured in pretty much every band, often alongside the clarinet.

In fact, on the very first jazz record “Livery Stable Blues” from the Original Dixieland Jass Band, the frontline consisted of cornet, trombone and clarinet.

With the rise of bebop, where players challenged themselves to exceed each other in playing fast chromatic lines, saxophones and trumpets had an advantage over the rather archaic mechanics of the trombone.

But perhaps due to its warm, unmatched sound, the trombone kept his place at the forefront of many styles of jazz.

In fact, just think of a big band: how would a sax section and a trumpet section sound without a proper trombone section? A great example of why the trombone is at the very heart of many jazz groups.

So for this article, we’ve rounded up the key considerations to keep in mind when buying a trombone for jazz, and picked seven well known trombonists to demonstrate their personal choices of trombone manufacturer and model.

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