Vincent Bach Corporation

Vincent Bach Corporation is an American brass-instrument manufacturer headquartered in Elkhart, Indiana. The company is associated particularly with trumpets, cornets, trombones, flugelhorns and brass mouthpieces, and is best known internationally through the Bach and Bach Stradivarius names. Its premium instruments are aimed principally at professional musicians, conservatory players, orchestras, military bands, jazz performers and advanced students, while related lines serve educational and entry-level markets. The business was founded by Austrian-born trumpeter and engineer Vincent Bach. Bach, born Vincent Schrottenbach near Vienna in 1890, trained in music and mechanical engineering before pursuing work as a performer and military musician. After traveling to the United States during the First World War, he continued performing and became interested in mouthpiece design after a repairman damaged one of his own mouthpieces. In 1918, he bought a small foot-operated lathe and began making mouthpieces in the back of a New York music store. Early demand grew quickly, helped by advertising and Bach's reputation among brass players. During its first decade, the company moved through several New York locations and expanded from mouthpieces into cornets and trumpets. It incorporated in 1922 and introduced instruments under names including Stradivarius, Apollo and Mercury. Production moved to the Bronx in 1928, where the company added tenor and bass trombones and continued developing its valve, bore and bell designs. The business survived the economic pressures of the Great Depression and operated through the material and labor shortages of the Second World War, when production was reduced and returned instruments were sometimes adapted or assembled from available parts. In 1953, the company relocated to Mount Vernon, New York. Instruments from this period are highly regarded by many players and collectors, especially examples made after the mid-1950s, when Bach refined trumpet geometry, tuning-slide design and other construction details. The Mount Vernon period became an important part of the brand's historical identity, although the company had already produced several respected generations of instruments in New York. The Selmer Company acquired Vincent Bach Corporation in 1961. Vincent Bach remained involved as a technical consultant for many years. Under Selmer, the company redesigned its principal trumpet design to remove the unusually long tuning-slide pull associated with earlier instruments; the resulting Model 180 became one of the brand's defining modern professional trumpet models. Most production tooling and operations moved to Elkhart, Indiana, beginning in the mid-1960s, and production later moved within Elkhart to the Industrial Parkway facility where the Bach operation remains based. The modern range combines premium instruments made in Elkhart with student and imported offerings sold under Bach and related names. The Stradivarius line remains the core professional franchise, while Prelude and other student-oriented products broaden the company's reach. The company has also maintained a strong mouthpiece business and has introduced or revived specialized instruments, including C trumpets associated with orchestral use and Artisan models intended to draw on features of earlier Bach construction. Bach's reputation rests on a combination of recognizable designs, long production continuity, professional endorsement and a substantial vintage-instrument market. At the same time, the Elkhart operation has undergone workforce, manufacturing and ownership changes. A prolonged labor dispute beginning in 2006 disrupted production and altered staffing and work rules. In the late 2010s, the facility invested in CNC machinery, milling equipment and robotic finishing technology. The brand continues to operate as part of Conn-Selmer, with its identity centered on brass craftsmanship, professional performance and historically…

Vincent Bach Corporation originated in the performance and engineering career of Vincent Bach, an Austrian-born trumpeter who later established himself in the United States. Bach's early musical training included violin, trumpet and bugle, while his engineering education gave him practical knowledge useful in instrument construction. After military service and touring as a cornet soloist, he was in England when the First World War began and traveled to the United States. A damaged mouthpiece during a performance visit to Pittsburgh led him to investigate mouthpiece repair and manufacture. In 1918, Bach purchased a small foot-powered lathe and set up a workshop behind a New York music store. The shop's location near the musicians' union gave him access to working performers, and early orders established the business as a specialist mouthpiece maker. His initial production was interrupted by military service, but he resumed the enterprise after the war. The company later moved within New York and broadened its business into educational materials, music publishing and brass instruments. The corporation was established in 1922, with a small workforce and a factory on East 41st Street. By 1924, Bach was producing cornets and trumpets under the Stradivarius by Vincent Bach name. Additional brand names, including Apollo and Mercury, were used for different product ranges. In 1928, the company moved to the Bronx and added tenor and bass trombones. The Bronx period also saw continuing changes to bell markings, valve arrangements, bore specifications and trumpet wrapping. Bach's designs increasingly developed their own identity rather than following earlier European patterns. The company endured the Great Depression and continued operating during the Second World War. Wartime shortages affected labor and raw materials, causing production to contract. The factory sometimes combined available components or modified returned instruments to meet customer needs. Similar resourcefulness continued in the immediate post-war years. During this period, the company produced mouthpieces, cornets, trumpets, flugelhorns and trombones under several established names. Bach moved the business to Mount Vernon, New York, in 1953. The Mount Vernon years are especially important to the brand's collector and player culture because many instruments were assembled in a relatively hands-on environment and are regarded by enthusiasts as particularly responsive and well made. In the mid-1950s, Bach modified its trumpet design with a taller wrap and a flatter tuning slide. These changes contributed to the distinctive feel associated with later Mount Vernon instruments. In 1961, The Selmer Company acquired the corporation. Bach accepted Selmer's offer and stayed on as a technical consultant, continuing to contribute to instrument development for many years. Selmer requested a redesign of the main trumpet so that it could be tuned using a conventional half-inch slide pull rather than the longer pull characteristic of earlier instruments. This work produced the Model 180 design, which became central to the modern Bach professional trumpet range. Production was transferred to Elkhart, Indiana, beginning in January 1965, using facilities connected with the Selmer and Buescher manufacturing network. Early Elkhart instruments differed in bell-material thickness and some construction details from New York examples. Selmer also introduced related lines such as Signet and Mercedes-branded instruments during the late 1960s. By the 1970s, production had moved to the Industrial Parkway facility in Elkhart. The company continued to offer premium Stradivarius instruments alongside less expensive and student-oriented products. Bach instruments retained strong market recognition through the 1970s and 1980s. During the 1990s, however, the operation faced declining sales, a shrinking workforce and rising warranty costs. A major labor dispute began at the Elkhart plant on April 1, 2006. The strike lasted about three years, production was interrupted, replacement workers were hired and only a portion of the original strikers returned. The dispute ended when workers voted to dissolve their relationship with the United Auto Workers. Following later reorganization, long-serving employee Tedd Waggoner led the company until retiring in 2019. The modern operation has made incremental design changes while also revisiting historical construction approaches. The Artisan trumpet series, for example, drew on earlier two-piece valve casings and steel rim-wire practices. The company also expanded its orchestral C-trumpet offerings with Chicago and Philadelphia models. Since 2017, manufacturing modernization has included CNC equipment and robotic finishing. Today, Vincent Bach Corporation remains an Elkhart-based Conn-Selmer subsidiary whose principal identity is built around professional brass instruments, mouthpieces and the enduring Bach Stradivarius tradition.

• 2019

  Tedd Waggoner retires

  [1]Vincent Bach Corporationen.wikipedia.org

  Long-serving company leader Tedd Waggoner retires after helping guide the business through its modern reorganization and product development.

• 2017

  Manufacturing automation program begins

  [1]Vincent Bach Corporationen.wikipedia.org

  The Elkhart facility starts investing in CNC machining and robotic finishing equipment.

• 2006

  Elkhart labor strike begins

  [1]Vincent Bach Corporationen.wikipedia.org

  Workers at the Elkhart plant begin a strike that lasts approximately three years and leads to significant staffing and work-rule changes.

• 1965

  Manufacturing moves to Elkhart

  [1]Vincent Bach Corporationen.wikipedia.org

  Most tooling and production move to Elkhart, Indiana, establishing the manufacturing base associated with the modern company.

• 1961

  Selmer acquires Vincent Bach Corporation

  [1]Vincent Bach Corporationen.wikipedia.org

  The Selmer Company acquires the business, while Vincent Bach remains involved as a technical consultant.

• 1953

  Mount Vernon period begins

  [1]Vincent Bach Corporationen.wikipedia.org

  Vincent Bach Corporation relocates from New York City to Mount Vernon, New York.

• 1928

  Production moves to the Bronx

  [1]Vincent Bach Corporationen.wikipedia.org

  The company opens a larger Bronx factory and adds tenor and bass trombones to its range.

• 1924

  Stradivarius trumpets and cornets enter production

  [1]Vincent Bach Corporationen.wikipedia.org

  Bach begins making cornets and trumpets under the Stradivarius by Vincent Bach name.

• 1922

  The company incorporates

  [1]Vincent Bach Corporationen.wikipedia.org

  The business incorporates and moves into a small New York factory, preparing for expansion beyond mouthpieces.

• 1918

  Vincent Bach begins mouthpiece production

  [1]Vincent Bach Corporationen.wikipedia.org

  Vincent Bach starts making brass mouthpieces on a small lathe in New York, establishing the business that would become Vincent Bach Corporation.

High-quality professional brass instruments combining established designs, American manufacturing heritage and performance-oriented customization, with separate student and imported lines for broader accessibility. A professional and advanced-player brass-instrument brand centered on traditional American craftsmanship, performance quality, and the enduring Vincent Bach legacy.

• Professional trumpets · 1924

  Bach Stradivarius Trumpets

  The Stradivarius trumpet family is the company's principal professional offering and the product line most closely associated with the brand's professional reputation. It includes instruments associated with orchestral, symphonic, brass-band, jazz and commercial performance. The range reflects the design lineage developed by Vincent Bach and refined through the Mount Vernon and Elkhart periods. Different models and configurations address variations in bore, bell construction, finish and playing response. The Stradivarius trumpet family is Bach Brass's principal flagship offering and the product line most closely associated with the brand's professional reputation. The range represents Bach's emphasis on established brass-instrument design, projection, intonation, and a recognizable performance character. Models may differ in specifications and configuration, but the supplied material does not establish a complete current model list or individual launch dates.

• Professional trumpet · 1963

  Model 180

  Model 180 is a defining Bach professional trumpet design developed after Selmer's acquisition. Its redesign addressed the unusually long tuning-slide pull used by earlier Bach trumpets and adopted a more conventional configuration. The model became one of the best-known references in the Bach professional range and is available in multiple specifications and finishes.

• Professional trumpets

  Artisan Series

  The Artisan series revisits selected construction features associated with earlier Bach instruments, including two-piece valve casings and steel rim wire. It is positioned as a historically informed premium line for players interested in a particular vintage-inspired response while requiring a current-production instrument.

• Orchestral trumpets

  Bach C Trumpets

  Bach's professional C trumpets are intended primarily for orchestral and concert performance. The Chicago C was reintroduced through collaboration involving company personnel and historical design expertise, and the line was later supplemented by a Philadelphia C. These instruments extend the brand beyond its best-known B-flat trumpet franchise.

• Trombones · 1928

  Bach Trombones

  Bach produces tenor and bass trombones, a category added to the company's range during its Bronx period. The instruments serve professional, educational and ensemble markets and form part of the broader Stradivarius and Bach brass portfolio.

• Brass mouthpieces · 1918

  Bach Mouthpieces

  Mouthpieces were the company's original product and remain a core part of the brand. Bach mouthpieces are designed for trumpets, cornets, trombones and other brass instruments, with variations intended to influence comfort, projection, articulation and tonal character. The company's early reputation was built largely through this specialist product category.

• Student brass instruments

  Bach Prelude

  Prelude is a student-oriented line associated with imported stencil production. It broadens the brand's reach beyond premium professional instruments by offering brass instruments for beginners, school programs and developing players.

• Cornets

  Cornets

  Bach Brass offers cornets as part of its broader brass-instrument portfolio. Cornets serve ensemble and solo applications where their distinct bore and bell design produce a different response and tonal profile from a trumpet. The available references confirm the category but do not provide enough information to describe the current range, model specifications, or launch history in detail. Bach offers cornets as part of its broader brass-instrument portfolio. Cornets serve ensemble and solo applications where their distinct bore and bell design produce a different response and tonal profile from a trumpet.

• Trombones

  Trombones

  Trombones are part of Bach Brass's wider product scope and extend the brand beyond its best-known trumpet business. They serve concert, orchestral, jazz, and educational settings, with instrument choice typically shaped by register, bore, configuration, and ensemble requirements. The supplied material does not identify particular current models or their individual development dates.

• Tubas

  Tubas

  Tubas are also associated with the Bach Brass portfolio, giving the brand representation across multiple major brass families. These instruments support low-brass roles in concert bands, orchestras, and other ensembles. No detailed current catalog, model chronology, or technical specifications are established by the provided references. Tubas are also associated with the Bach portfolio, giving the brand representation across multiple major brass families. These instruments support low-brass roles in concert bands, orchestras and other ensembles.

• 2017

  Modernize Elkhart manufacturingStrategy

  Background

  The Elkhart operation was reorganized amid long-term changes in staffing, warranty costs, product demand and manufacturing methods.

  Action taken

  The facility began upgrading to automated CNC lathes, milling equipment and robotic buffers.

  Aftermath

  The investment supported continued Elkhart production while the company maintained both historically influenced premium designs and broader student-oriented lines.

  Source

• 2006

  Respond to the Elkhart labor strikeOther

  Background

  Workers sought to preserve compensation and their union relationship, while management pursued changes connected with production and quality objectives.

  Action taken

  The company interrupted production, hired replacement workers and continued operating during the prolonged strike.

  Aftermath

  The strike ended after workers voted to dissolve their relationship with the United Auto Workers. Staffing and work rules at the facility changed substantially.

  Source

• 1963

  Develop the Model 180 trumpetGeneration change

  Background

  Selmer asked Vincent Bach to revise the trumpet design so players could tune it with a conventional half-inch slide pull rather than the longer pull associated with earlier instruments.

  Action taken

  The company introduced the Model 180 design as the principal modernized version of the professional Bach trumpet.

  Aftermath

  Model 180 became a central reference in the Bach professional trumpet range.

  Source

• 1961

  Accept Selmer acquisitionM&A

  Background

  At age 71, Vincent Bach received acquisition proposals for the company. The Selmer offer was accepted even though other bids were reportedly higher.

  Action taken

  The Vincent Bach Corporation became a wholly owned subsidiary of The Selmer Company, with Bach retained as a technical consultant.

  Aftermath

  The acquisition led to a major redesign of the flagship trumpet and ultimately to the transfer of production from Mount Vernon to Elkhart.

  Source

1. 1Vincent Bach Corporationen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Official Bach Brass websitebachbrass.com
3. 3Bach Brass official websitebachbrass.com