Miscellaneous | M/K Drawing & Bending

French Horn Tubing (all .468 bore inside slide tubes)

Conn

Conn Inside Brass
Conn Outside Brass
Conn Inside Nickel
Conn Outside Nickel

Holton

Holton Inside Brass
Holton Outside Brass
Holton Inside Nickel
Holton Outside Nickel-

“I love my Schilkes but somehow I wondered if M/K main slides might help. I have installed the semi-round sterling silver in all three horns (C2, B2 and B2LB) and I cannot overstate the improvement. Attacks at all volumes and range are VERY good and secure. Core sound is also better, which if you play Schilkes, is saying something. Thank you Mike for making my trumpet playing easier and more enjoyable! I even have a friend interested in an M/K upgrade.”

Schilke Semi-Round Sterling Silver Tuning Slide
“I’m really enjoying how the lack of a brace feels; just fantastic! They’re both a perfect fit on my 37, and the yellow brass slide has freed up my upper register massively. I can now slot a high A below double C perfectly, and my range up to double C (excepting the Ab) is wide open, in tune and easy! The bronze slide sounds lovely, and although it takes a bit more energy to play, it has a beautiful complex sound.”

Standard Bach 37 with 25 pipe – Silver plated SE series Yellow Brass Semi-Round and Raw SE Series Bronze Semi-Round, also an adjustable brace
“Just wanted to let you know that I got the leadpipe mounted, and I couldn’t be happier! I feel like I did when I was at UNT with the 1 o’clock with my 72/43, only I don’t have to work as hard. I can back off most of the time, but when I want to push it, my 8310 sounds huge! Can’t wait to play my horn every day, instead of being that daily chore. Thanks, Thanks, Thanks.”

Yamaha Z Yellow Brass Leadpipe
“Quick review: first two days, had to acclimate because suddenly my horn changed dramatically from large bore to ML. I thought something was wrong…then, shedding and doing some gigs, I began to understand how the ease of play had improved. Not a better sound noticeably, but evenness of tone, and projection, and focus, much much better. Thank you very much for making great thing. I can go to deeper mouthpiece set up without getting tired in the first round.”

Yamaha 8335 ML Raw Yellow Brass, Semi-Round with Brace, with traditional water key – ML bore by request
“The C pipe I had ordered arrived yesterday, and I road tested it last night. I think I am really going to like it! Big, fat core to the sound, good intonation, easy blow, what’s not to like?”

Bach CL 239 25A Leadpipe Large Bore Raw finish Yellow Brass
“I received the shipment on Friday and I had the pipe installed today, and I’m just thrilled! I had high hopes for this horn, but I was starting to feel like it wasn’t going to make the cut. But with the new setup it sounds beautiful! Plays so much better too, but boy the sound is wonderful. Thanks for your help!”

Mt. Vernon Bach Bb trumpet Mt. Pipe/Semi-round ML bore SR Series Yellow Brass tuning slide with Bach Waterkey
“It felt close to the stock 25 pipe, but (for me) seemed to slot really well, clear tone, made each note in a run pop, didn’t seem to stifle my upper register, seemed to have a zing sound up there and didn’t force me to blow my face off/out.

Both pipes EASILY outplayed my stock 25, intonation saw a noticeable improvement on both pipes, both were mouthpiece sensitive enough that I knew the tone I would have and both are a definite, needed upgrade to the stock pipe.

My Army concert band stand mate leaned in and said “I can always tell when you’ve been practicing more, but you sound even better than that today”
– My tenor sax (Indiana University performance graduate) in my Army show band, midway through rehearsal, stopped me and said “Not sure what’s different today…but DAMN man, you’re dialed in”
– The other trumpet in my NOLA brass band (former IU performance major, toured in a ska band for 10 years – even opening for Dave Matthews a few times) turned to me midway through and said I sounded like the range was coming out easier than usual.

You guys are the best and thank you for your help in this process.”

Mt. Vernon 7 leadpipe/Callet Jazz Leadpipe
“Everything looks and feels great! Even though it took a little longer than expected, it was well worth the wait – the horn slotting is greatly improved.”

Yamaha 8310Z tuning slide Bronze Semi-Round and Yamaha 8310Z Valve slide set Bronze
“Thank you for the tuning slide! The tuning slide works well, and looks/sounds great. I wanted my horn to be as flexible as possible in terms of slotting, and along with smaller mouthpiece gap, I find the horn a little more open and flexible in its slotting. (Who knows, I might be making this up all in my head, but then it’s making up good things! :)Once again, thank you, and best wishes for everyone at the MK Drawing and Bending!”

Yamaha Bobby Shew Yellow Brass Fully Round Tuning Slide
“Slide arrived, Sterling, semi-round for my Yamaha 8310z. It took me about 12 seconds to figure out that in every way this is a big improvement over the stock main tuning slide. Nice focus, more even response high to low, articulation improved.

You do great work, Mike!”

Yamaha 8310Z Semi-Round Sterling Silver
“I’ve had about 5 days now of testing the leadpipes out and the clear favorite is the 525CY. It’s a longer pipe that produces enhanced clarity in articulations and excellent feedback in the high register. Sometimes the sound can suffer with a tighter pipe, but I did not find that to be the case. Perfect all around pipe for a Bach 36. It beat out the Edwards #2 pipe I was currently using. The 525BY is shorter and feels more open. Perhaps on a different horn it would be great, but for my needs the feedback on the chops and ease of articulations wasn’t like the 525CY.”

.525C-Y Tenor Trombone Leadpipe
“During the rehearsal the conductor made several public and positive comments about my sound. By the end of rehearsal I knew that I had finally found what I had been looking for. Surprisingly after the rehearsal he sought me out and asked if I was doing anything different with my playing. I explained the addition of your SS pipe. He said and I quote, “It has totally transformed your sound. I am finally hearing things in your part that I never heard before.” Since that night I have sold all the other lead pipes and gotten your bronze pipe which has its own uses in some of the smaller groups I play in. I look forward to someday having the entire set of your lead pipes and then any new developments you may come up with. I cannot say if everyone would have the same experience as I did, but I would and do recommend your GR bass Trombone lead pipes to any bass trombone players I come in contact with. Thank you for providing me a quality product that has given me the means to successful.”

M/K George Roberts Sterling Silver Leadpipe
“I really couldn’t be happier with the George Roberts Bass lead pipe. Now that most of the playing I do is in a concert band, I’ve been looking for a way to make my Edwards bass more efficient to play – more like my old King Duo Gravis. Switching to an “old school” lead pipe design seemed like a option worth trying, and it turned out to be exactly the right choice. I can get the fat sound I want with much less effort and without getting “the hand” from the podium. Articulations are cleaner, lip slurs are less effort, and soft dynamics are easier to produce.”

M/K George Roberts Nickel Silver Bass lead pipe with Getzen-Edwards threaded collar (Raw Finish), has .562 Bore.
“I play a Antoine Courtois 550bhr bastrombone and I have let make the leadpipe removable. Now i play with the MK50 pipe in nickel silver and its great and the bass is become a weapon , a bit brighter but very invasive and penetrating. I am glad thanks!”

MK50 Leadpipe – Nickel silver
“I tried both GR yellow, nickel sliver, and MK42 sterling sliver leadpipe. They are awesome! I play Rath R4F trombone, the GR yellow gives me a clear, fast response and open sound, I would like to use it with solo pieces. Nickel sliver presents a even and stable tone with exposing the sound, especial the low range, open and warm! MK sterling sliver is a amazing piece, it helps you to make very warm sound when you’re playing some soft phrase, also easy to make a very brilliant sound with giving lots of air. I would use during some big pieces. Great job!”

MK42 Sterling Silver, George Roberts Tenor Nickel, and George Roberts Tenor Yellow Brass
“Got my MK Drawing Sterling Silver tuning slide for my Schilke B1. Tried playing the B1 as is first, then changed over to the Sterling silver slide. I immediately noticed a marked improvement in the tone, when playing with the Sterling Silver one: I clearly heard more sparkle, depth and volume in the tone. Also very clear, ringing articulations and the upper register felt free. I noticed it is a little more square than the Schilke tuning slide. I am very happy I got it. Kudos to Mike Bulow the owner.”

Schilke B1 Sterling Silver Tuning Slide
“This slide is amazing! I’ve been playing on this slide for about 2 months, and the difference is astounding. For commercial and lead work, this is perfect. The upper register slots much easier, and everything is centered and sizzles. I can peel paint off of any wall!”

Yamaha 8310Z Fully Round Yellow Brass Tuning Slide
“Excellent products, craftsmanship and customer service. I bought a BSE slide in Sterling Silver for my Bach Anniversary 190 37 for jazz and lead playing. The sound is fat, huge core and cuts the way I need it to. The upper register is more locked in and focused from High C and beyond! Highly recommended!!!”

Bach Trumpet Tuning Slide Raw Finish, Bb Standard Weight SE Square Sterling Silver
“The MK42 Sterling Silver pipe really helps my R4F (Rath) center the sound in. The core of the sound is absolutely brilliant, extremely dense. The sound is broad and rich in every register and stays that way at every dynamic even when you really light it up! I find that this pipe brings focus between partials in a way that I haven’t been able to get before. The articulations are fat and speak easily: marcatos and staccatos stay on the full side and don’t get “pecky” and legatos maintain consistency. This pipe can take a massive amount of air: I’ve found that I can really give it a push and the sound doesn’t break up. I’ve only had this for a few days and it’s taking some major adjusting from the previous leadpipe I was using, but so far I love it. I’m looking forward to testing it out in orchestra and brass quintet performances when we start back next month! Thank you for an excellent piece of craftsmanship, I look forward to trying more of your products in the future!”

Trombone Pipe with Pull Ring (MK42 Sterling Silver, .547 Bore, Tenor)
“The slide arrived this morning and it is everything I hoped for. I reckon there was something wrong with the original slide on my Strad, it just blew unusually tight. The M/K square yellow brass slide alleviated that tightness while still giving the right kind of resistance to create the characteristic Bach “sound” and articulation. My trumpet is simply easier to play, it feels like it had a problem and now that problem is gone. Thanks for making a great product with great attention to detail.”

Bach Stradivarius Trumpet Tuning Slide – Square Crook, Standard Weight, Silver
“Got this great slide in yesterday, sooner than I expected – What a nice change! Everything feels big and open and I can gas it like crazy with no tendency to jump off the note. Feels and sounds like I can burn a three foot hole through the back wall! Thanks so much!”

BSE-Round Nickel Silver
“I forgot to tell you, but I got the brace on Thursday! Fits like a glove and it works very well. It will stay on my horn for while 🙂 Thanks!”

3″ Adjustable Trombone Brace
“Love the horn and everyone who see’s it or plays it feels the same. The tone quality of the horn and the ease to play is incredible. Thanks for taking my vision and making it a reality; a true masterpiece. Awesome tone; versatile; getting use to the ease of moving around on the horn; partials experiencing I wasn’t experiencing before. The horn looks awesome! Excellent job Mike.”

Modified Kanstul 1601 with M/K Sterling 5 leadpipe and Round Bronze Tuning Slide
“I received the new Tuning Slide in the mail today. When I returned home I immediately blew on the old one and then changed to the new rounded slide. I was very pleased with the ease I found in blowing my trumpet. After trying it for awhile I started playing pianissimo in the higher range and found to my amazement that it was much easier to maintain mp and pp without loosing my clear tones. To say the least, I am very pleased and will update you when we finish the Messiah the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Thanks for your help.”

SR Series Yellow Brass Single Radius Silver Plated Slide for Bach Strad Bb
“Sterling Silver- very rich sound in all registers, very *elegant* sounding. My overall best pick for daily use.”

SR Series Single Radius Tuning Slides for Yamaha Xeno Reverse Bb
“I just wanted to relay my first impressions of playing my C all day today with the new slide. Well…I didn’t reach for the old one to compare—that in itself is a good sign! We rehearsed the Vaughn-Williams “Antartica” Symphony today and I was so impressed with the eveness, the quick response and the intonation. One of the things the struck me is that I could blow this thing as loud as I could and what you said about the nickel having core held true. It just got louder and never harsh or strident. (I like to think that maybe I can take just a little credit for that too… ;-))”

BSR C/Bb Nickel Silver Tuning Slide for Bach C Large Bore
“It is so great to finally create sounds on my horn which haven’t been possible until now. I’m drawn toward the silver plated slide, especially the way it slots in the higher register, and in particular the colours that shine when playing loud.”

SR Series Semi-Round Sterling Silver for Bach C Large Bore
“I received the slides today, the new slide fits perfect and I tested this morning in a big band rehearsal. The sound is bright and fat the guys really like it and the feel is much better , i realy like the horn with your slide. Thanks for all man.”

SE Series Nickel Silver Slide for Getzen Eterna Bb
“The craftsmanship and finish is “1A”, it fits exactly and sounds astonishing great. Thank you!”

SE Series Sterling Silver Slide for Getzen Eterna C Large Bore
“The slide arrived today. It feels wonderful, much more open and excellent in the upper register!”

BSR-ML-SIL for Bach Strad Bb