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experience as Michael honed his craft dur- ing a nine-year apprenticeship at Paxman Horns, one of the U.K.’s most respected brass manufacturers. After relocating to Yorkshire, Michael opened a repair and customization shop. Around 1995, British jazz trombonist Mark Nightingale approached Michael with a request to build a customized trombone tailored to his needs. That commission became the first Rath trombone and the blueprint for the company itself. Three decades later, Rath Trombones re- mains deliberately small, with a close-knit team of fewer than 20 craftspeople dedicated to maintaining U.K. brass craftsmanship. Despite its global reach, production remains firmly anchored in the U.K. as players are also invited into Rath’s modular design process. “They are customizable,” said Mark Good, Rath’s marketing manager. “If you want a stained-glass window in your trombone, they’ll build that for you. Basically, you can pick your poison when it comes to [our instru- ments]. They’re played by everybody; from symphonic players to military bands, wind and brass bands, jazz, funk, you name it. Our customers are all over the world in diverse music genres.” The other element of the Rath experience are Rath Custom Trombones. “A few years ago, the company introduced the Rath 00 Series of trombones,” Good said. “They really bridge the gap between student instruments and their high-end bespoke mod- els, so they are a fixed product. It comes ready out-of-the-box, and that might be somebody’s first taste of a Rath.” PLAYER-FIRST DESIGN A new chapter unfolded in 2024 when Rath Trombones was acquired by John Packer Mu- sical Instruments to support marketing and distribution. The instruments continue to be made by Michael and his team in Yorkshire. “That U.K. brass manufacturing element carries a great deal of respect and prestige,” Good said.
Main Rath Trombones’ founder Michael Rath. Inset: Michael Rath works in his U.K. workshop.
From its Yorkshire, U.K., workshop to stages around the world, Rath Trombones continues to champion bespoke design while expanding its international reach as it celebrates its 30th year in business. — By Kimberly Kapela 30 YEARS OF RATH
R ath Trombones may be celebrating its 30-year anniversary this year, but it has no plans to slow down. That’s partly because the company is working to con-
tinue to safeguard the future of U.K. brass instrument craftsmanship. Founded in 1996 by Michael Rath, the company’s origin is rooted in hands-on
12 I MUSIC INC. I JUNE 2026
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