CUSTOM: FITTINGS & TRIGGERS

Will Spencer has gained a reputation for rebuilding trumpets with custom fitted components to suit the player’s individual requirements. These include custom triggers and slide returns, copper insulated bells and instruments, custom tuning slides, and gold and silver plating.

He keeps a large selection of Vincent Bach bells and leadpipes in stock as well as specialist Bb and C leadpipes and slides by MK drawing. MK products are manufactured in Elkhorn US, and designed to enhance the performance of your Bach or Yamaha trumpet with a large selection of different tuning slide and leadpipe configurations. In UK, the No5, (available in red or yellow brass) has become a popular upgrade for Bb instruments and the Mt Vernon 7 (available in red or yellow brass) has been proven to work well on the C trumpet, giving it much improved intonation with a rich sonorous tone. The leadpipes' performance are further enhanced when paired with the correct MK slide and a 10 percent discount is offered for these combinations. Leadpipes by Dennis Najoom, Cliff Blackburn and Ken Larsen are also kept in stock.

The modular fittings were displayed on the Vincent Bach stand at 2004 ITG where they were met with great enthusiasm. As one Trumpet Herald contributor commented, “I fell in love with it.” Since then, they have found their way into many of the UK’s finest orchestras and are now being distributed and fitted by Pro Winds in the US.


The modular trumpet is not a new idea but until now, has always been a compromise. However, using the Spencer fittings players have come back saying that their instruments actually blow better with the different stay layout. This is due to the robust construction of the fittings, which encourages the transmission of vibrations across the instrument.

Bach Bb modular trumpet with push-me-pull-you system, finished in rose and yellow golds with ruthenium accents.

Specialist Slide Triggers Will has often been asked to manufacture specialist slide triggers for trumpets and now offers a 1st valve “push-me-pull-you” system with an adjustable length. This system enables the player to squeeze the sprung slide sharper, while maintaining the usual mobility of the standard slide. This system is particularly useful on C, D and Eb trumpets. Before the mechanism can be fitted, the slide assembly needs to be shortened but in some cases, the slide can be shortened without having to adapt the main body of the instrument and some players have two slides. One, with the squeezer and an original, without. Yamaha Artist Modularised C trumpet with Bach 239 bell and Curry custom 3rd valve cap, finished in silver with gold accents.

Bell trigger with adjustable rest position fitted to Schilke Eb trumpet.