Bach Sterling Silver Bells - Trumpets & Trombones
Sterling silver bells were introduced in the early 1990s on Bach Stradivarius trumpets and trombones for players who wanted a “richness” to their sound. Below are examples of Bach “Sterling Silver” (~92 to 93% Silver) and Bach “Sterling Plus” (99% Silver) bells, along with the corresponding advertisements for these unique bells.
The first “Sterling Silver” bell Bach trumpets were made of sheets of sterling silver, while “Sterling Silver Plus” bells were manufactured using an electro-forming process, resulting in a seamless bell construction for both trumpet and trombone special order models.
The first Bach “Sterling Silver” bells were introduced in 1992 as a custom configuration from the Elkhart factory. The earliest known serial number we have found in our research was around 375,000, which corresponds to approximately 1992. Both 37 and 43-trumpet bells are known to exist.
Interviews with artisans who worked at the Elkhart factory describe the process of creating a trumpet bell from a sterling silver sheet as difficult, and they made a lot of waste & scrap during the manufacturing of “Sterling Silver” trumpet bells. It is unknown if the Elkhart factory ever produced a ‘Sterling Silver” trombone bell during this period.
Because of these difficulties, The Selmer Company later introduced the “Sterling Plus” bell option, which did not require manufacturing in the Elkhart factory.
The Bach “Sterling Plus” bells were introduced in the spring of 1993 on both Stradivarius model trumpets and trombones. While the bell was stamped “Sterling Silver Plus”, the bell option was called the “Sterling Plus” bell in Selmer literature. It was available in 37-, 43-, and 72-bell models.
The Sterling Plus silver content is 99.9% pure silver (should probably be called a Silver bell, as Sterling Silver is 92% silver content), while other manufacturers have sterling bells with around 92-93% silver content and 7% copper content (which is known as Sterling Silver)
“Sterling Plus bells (99.9% pure silver, seamless construction) fully complement partials (overtones) in the tonal spectrum for a focused sound with great projection.
” Silver is a slightly softer and denser materials than brass. We’ve discovered it produces a richer sound with more overtones and great projection.
The Sterling Plus bell projects a full, resonant sound in all situations. When pushed to loud levels, it maintains fullness and core. Even at pianissimo, it keeps a round, lively tone.
source: Bach Stradivarius Trumpets & Trombones brochures (2013)
source: Fellow Bach loyalists: Luc Decock, Joshua Wagner, Andy Lott and others
