As production grew, King became known for brass and woodwind instruments. In 1909, the HN White Company developed a “Department of Acoustical Research” with the goal of developing higher quality instruments. These instruments gained immediate success with professionals including Al Pinard, the trombone soloist with Arthur Pryor’s Band. Players loved the “King” trombone because the slide was smoother and lighter than any other. This was viewed in the market as a “revelation” to the music world due to its radically different bell, bore, and mouthpipe designs. Thomas King, a local trombone player, White developed his first trombone in 1894.
Henderson White, founder of the HN White Company, started his business as a proprietor of a small repair shop in Cleveland, Ohio.
