Documentation

Benge Trombones
There a few Benge trombones in the .500 range from the LA period. Seems that Benge was purchased by King Instruments around 1971, and a new Benge plant was opened in Anaheim, CA. Zig Kanstul said in an interview that King closed its Anaheim plant and moved their Benge line to Eastlake, OH in 1981. Early Benges from King (early 80s - 80-81) were sold in King Cases (as late as 83-84), and literature announcing the Benge trombone bore the King Instrument Company logo on the back of the brochure.

In 1981, Dan Henkin of C.G. Conn Ltd. purchased W.T. Armstrong Co., a flute manufacturer. The acquisition of King Musical Instruments followed in 1983. The companies came together in 1985 under United Musical Instruments U.S.A. It seems at this time, Chuck Ward, an engineer at UMI, redesigned the Benge line, using King and Conn parts for the facelift. At this time, certain King models were replaced by the Benges - notably the King 3B+ was replaced by the Benge 160 (.525) - and the b/F version, Benge 175. Most think that UMI tried to break up their lines as King for Jazz; Conn for Symphonic; and Benge, with its blend of parts was considered by some as an intermediate-type horn - between the King and Conn. Or... If you liked certain things about King, and certain things about Conn - you bought a Benge - best of BOTH worlds. Seems in the Chicago area, Benges were all the rage when they hit the streets.

The Benge 290 bass was probably the biggest seller/success, and as time went on - UMI discontinued models that either duplicated themselves or were not big sellers. The early 80s horns are thought to be the most desirable Benges - as some say that these are early versions of horns, and then those made during the 90s as sort of a reintroduced Benge. Seems that the best playing/most sought-after Benges are prototypes or special tweaked versions that Chuck Ward made himself. There are pro/symphonic players in certain areas of the US that still play and LOVE their Benges - and desirable models that come up for sale are snapped-up, usually at a bargain because of the Benge name isn not well-known everywhere as quality horns.

BENGE 170	.500	8in bell	Light-weight slide
BENGE 160	.525	8in gold-brass bell	Light-weight slide
Optima 165F	.547	8.5in bell	F-attachment (Closed-wrap)
BENGE 175	.525	8in bell	(maybe a later (90s) version of the 160)
Optima 175F	.525	8in bell	F-attachment (Open wrap)
BENGE 190	.547	8.5in bell
Optima 190F	.547	8.5in gold-brass bell	F-attachment (Open wrap)
BENGE 290	.562	10in gold-brass bell	in-line dual Gb slide easily converts to optional triggers for pitch in Bb/F/Gb/Eb/D

There are two different bell engravings on Benge trombones. The older style (including the King-made ones and the early 1990s UMI ones), simply has:

First engraving style

Top line: BENGE (all caps) in the same typeface as seen on the Benge counterweights (i.e. not the same typestyle as the horn cases nameplate)
Second line: Symphonic
Third line: model number (175, 190, etc.)

There is NO other fancy engraving on these bells. If your instrument has an F attachment, then your instrument IS a 175F, even though the "F" isn not engraved on the bell (the engraving on the 190F bell did not have the F on the engraving either).

Second engraving style

Has a bit more elaborate engraving with a fancy scroll pattern. symphonic was dropped and with Benge on one line and the model number below it.

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