This S.E. Shires Tenor Trombone Screw Bell (also known as a detachable bell flare) is a specialized component designed for maximum versatility and portability. This particular example featured a 7YLW yellow brass 8.5" bell, crafted in Boston, MA, and fitted with a bronze threaded collar. It came with a premium Marco Magi case made in Italy.
The 7YLW bell was designed to work seamlessly with all Shires valve sections, straight neckpipes, and tuning slides for both large and medium bore tenor trombones. The combination of yellow brass and the bronze collar offers a bright, focused sound with excellent projection and tonal warmth.
It’s important to understand that while detachable bell flares have been widely used in the French horn world for decades, they only started gaining broader popularity among trombonists within the last 5 years. Historically, some early Elkhart Conn models and a few Holton trombones in the 1970s featured detachable flares, but they remained rare.
The first screw bell model introduced by S.E. Shires was the Ralph Sauer Artist Model, designed in collaboration with Ralph Sauer, former principal trombonist of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. This model was released around 2015–2018 and helped establish the screw bell concept among modern trombonists.
How does a trombone with a detachable (screw) bell flare differ in playability from a standard bell?
A screw bell trombone has a bronze threaded collar at the start of the flare, which adds weight. Initially, this requires the player to adjust, as it consumes slightly more energy to make the bell resonate. However, once adjusted, this translates into enhanced energy, projection, and a more authoritative sound.
This S.E. Shires Tenor Trombone Screw Bell is now part of our Archive of Sold instruments.
Interested in exploring our current S.E. Shires inventory? Browse all S.E. Shires trombones and components available at The Brass Exchange.
