TromboneChat

I know this has been spoken about before and I have had plenty of each, but I've never owned a comparable pair at the same time. Since my normal piece on large tenor is an Alessi 5.25, I bought a NY 5.25 as a backup thinking it would be close enough. I was wrong.

The deal breaker is the rim shape; the NY is really wide and flat which is super uncomfortable for me. The Alessi is closer to a normal GB or Bach. The cup is also a bit deeper on the NY, but I doubt it would be enough to turn me off. I can see why people like the NY for orchestra playing though, since the rim is "safe" feeling and the articulations have that sparkle.

Just thought I'd post my 2 cents on a topic I know people ask about from time to time.

Mike’s comments are 100% correct. Some of my colleagues and I have run extensive tests on weight, rim width, depth, backbore, etc. Alessi and NY pieces have been within a gram weight wise, but rim shape and backbore have been the deciding different points in our breakdown. NY series is more flat, Alessi has more roundness, but not to an extreme that Schilke or Hammond has. Backbore is the deciding factor for me- I’m not sure how the taper is different, though it blows more openly on the NY series (a deal breaker for some). My colleague that has a slightly more open setup than I prefers his Alessi pieces to balance the openness.
There’s a reason the Alessi pieces are selling for $300+ on the marketplace, they’re great and not made anymore! I’ve had both sets and like the NY just fine. I like knowing that I could get another NY3.5 and be set, rather than hunting and paying through the nose for an Alessi 3.5.