Larry is correct that the processes of manufacturing the mandrells and dies for any horn, let alone trumpets is an incredible cost to the manufacturer. When you think of equipment that can hold tolerances of .001 inches or 1/1000th of an inch, it is mind boggeling. To put it into perspective, the average human hair is .003" thick, to machine a die or mandrell (just another word for molds) that isn't off more than .001" from the beginning of the part to the end of the part is an amazing feat. The modern machines, called CNC (computer numeric controls) automate the process of manufacturing these complicated patterns by taking programed patterns and recreating that program into the shape desired.
If you wish to manufacture a slide, the question is, how is this done? A simple explanation is shown on the Yamaha site. It explains the entire process of manufacturing a trumpet but shows how each section of the trumpet is made. Including the dies for the slides and tubing.
http://www.yamaha.co.jp/edu/english/.../tp/index.html
A very good page to help understand the bell making process is shown on the Selmer site. It involves video streaming but is worth the download.
http://www.selmer.com/products/video/trump_vid.html
Some good pics of the bell and madrell are shown on these sites
http://www.matthewparkertrumpets.com/tptmake.htm http://web.mit.edu/~stratton/www/bellmaking.html
Remember, the end result of trumpet parts doesn't look very complicated but the process of getting there is. The original equipment investment, hand tools and the die and mandrell cost all play into the end result of the horn cost. The initial price for manufacturing dies and a bell mandrell for different horns wouldn't vary from horn to horn, it's EXPENSIVE, period! regardless of the horn. In the case of the Wild Thing, I imagine that the dies and mandrell are specific to the the horn and cannot be used for any other horn. The tooling cost can't be passed on to any other horn, it's entirely absorbed in the price of the horn seller. His intial investment has to be recouped.
Yet there is another horn that is noted for it's excellent price, how is the cost kept down? (This is entirely my own speculation) Typically, using dies and mandrells used for other horns (previously used tool and die sets or currently used on another current model) can defer the heavy cost that proprietary dies and molds would cost. Essentially, the more the parts are shared from horn to horn, the less expensive the horn, esentially the cost is spread out amoung more horns. This does not mean the horn is "cheaper" in quality, in fact the quality can be greater in some instances because of the familiartiy of the parts being manufactured. If someone makes 50 of one type of bell and only 10 of another during a production run, which do you think the bell maker is going to be more familiar with and more proficient at? Some times quality is that simple.
The best example of this process was the Olds horns that were manufactured in in LA, which continue to share tremendous poplularity. The basics of these horns, from the student Ambassador to the top of the line horns share many similarities.
Just some thoughts and hopefully helps on the manufacturing process.
Geo