TromboneChat

I came across a 88h last month and knew something was peculiar about it and that it was customized. The horn has all the tale signs of Larry Minnick, from what I have researched, the open wrap f attachment, square bracing, linkage on rotor, and a replaced leadpipe.
The bell section looks to be an Elkhart, but the slide an Abilene possibly. I don’t see any name written on the bracing, like others have. I’m just enquiring in how to validate if it is or is not. I’ll include some photos and will be happy to listen to anyone who has experience w these horns. The trombone itself, plays like a dream! I consider it the head of my stable, and even sold a 64 88h the other day way better looking and sounding great, but not like this “Minnick” horn.
Thanks for any help
Joe Schroer

Some pics

That doesn't look particularly Minick to me. Could be, he didn't always sign his work.

The open f attachment doesn’t look like it’s his work? And the bracing? I’m only going off of what I’ve seen via the internet and horns that brass exchange, horn guys, and such have sold.

All the Minick conversions I've seen aren't like that.

That looks like how Minick (only one N please) did the open wrap, but he wasn't the only one who did that. The linkage looks later. The plastic sockets were white on Minick's stuff.

Eric Swanson, located in Ft. Worth, did an open wrap on my 42b in the mid-80's. His wrap was a Minick style and he used square brass bracing on mine like in your picture. He used similar for the linkage but I can't remember if it was black or white. I replaced it with the Bach mini ball socket linkage at some point.

Here's an actual Minick open wrap. Very similar. This one is stamped with his name, though.