Overview
This mid-1970s King 3BF Silversonic tenor trombone, serial number 745525, has now been sold and is preserved here as part of The Brass Exchange Archive of Sold instruments. The King 3B platform remains one of the most enduring jazz and commercial trombone designs ever produced, closely associated with artists such as J. J. Johnson and generations of professional players who followed.
This example featured an 8" sterling-silver bell with gold-plated inner bell, traditional F-attachment rotor, and original King case. Prior to sale it received a full in-house service at The Brass Exchange, including chemical cleaning and mechanical inspection, resulting in excellent playability with smooth slide action and reliable valve performance.
Sterling-silver King bells are prized for their focused core and strong tonal energy once fully engaged. From a professional player’s perspective, sterling-silver bells require slightly more input to resonate at 100%, but once mastered the tonal presence and projection are exceptional and cannot be duplicated by standard brass bells.
📚 Historical Perspective
The King 3BF represents the F-attachment version of the classic 3B design, providing additional flexibility for modern jazz and commercial repertoire. Vintage Silversonic models from the 1960s–1970s remain highly regarded for their build quality and tonal character. Clean, serviced examples with original components are becoming harder to locate, especially with sterling-silver bells no longer widely produced in modern Conn-Selmer catalogs.
This instrument also featured an upgraded steel rotor linkage, replacing the original plastic/string mechanism common to the era — a reliability improvement that preserved smooth valve action for long-term professional use.
🔧 Availability & Archive Status
This King 3BF Silversonic has been sold and is now shown here as a historical reference for players researching vintage King trombones with F-attachment.
👉 Browse our current trombone listings here 🔎
or contact us for a valuation and explore your options ✍️.
📌 Archive Reference Note
This King 3BF Silversonic is now part of our Archive of Sold instruments, helping collectors and players compare mid-1970s King Silversonic models and understand their place in jazz trombone history.
