” The new 2nd Gen 50th Anniversary Bach sees one significant change in design from the original 50th Anniversary model: Cast Nickel-Silver Z Bracing. These are the two braces between the leadpipe and bell. The new cast nickel-silver gives a more consistent part to assemble with than the previous braces (made from bent brass). The casting process makes the brace the same shape each time, rather than a straight piece bent into shape. Theoretically, this should give a better assembly consistency as the brace soldering on Bach’s is one of the most important things to a horn’s responsiveness. If assembled well, a horn vibrates freely. If assembled poorly (under stress), the horn will play dull. The cast part should help immensely in this… but we will still inspect every Bach in our store to ensure it is done correctly!

Using Nickel-Silver in the casted brace will also increase the mass of these braces, further assisting in vibration transfer throughout the whole horn. These braces act as a “vibration bridge,” much like a sound post in a violin. So while the assembly quality is the most important with these braces, the mass will allow for more vibration transfer from each piece, improving response.” [1]