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Originally Posted by Dale Proctor  Well, I've had the Director for 5 days now, and here's my impression so far.....It's a little easier to play than the 5A Victor, especially in the upper register. It seems to slot a little tighter, too. All the slides are really stuck (all the way in), so an analysis of intonation issues will have to wait; If it's like the one I had about 20 years ago, it won't be too even. I haven't really played it long enough to assess the tiring factor, but it does seem to have more resistance. It does have a much brighter, more thin sound than the 5A has, and is much lighter weight. The 5A is a heavy horn!
As far as length goes, to get back to the original topic, it doesn't win the contest - it's 14-3/4" long. As an aside, I measured my 5A and it's shorter than yours - exactly 13" from bell rim to mouthpiece receiver. There's a discrepancy with lengths on Christine's web site, too. The Director has a few dents and the stuck slides, but is in much better shape than I thought it would be. Now I have to decide what to do with it..... 
The 5A fits the Director case pretty well, other than it's a little shorter than the case is. Of course, it's not the proper original case, but it's from the same era and I think it's pretty cool-looking, anyway. |
A poster in Trumpet Herald said that his Conn 18A with Coprion bell was extremely mellow, so I am surprised that you are describing its sound as brighter and thinner.
Of course, I guess those terms are relative since you are comparing to the 5A.
CORRECTION: I went back and discovered that you bought a 15A Director, which I assume has the .485 bore but without the Coprion bell.
Your description of the greater resistance in spite of the 15A's .485 bore is helpful, since I assume that would also be true of an 18A if I ever find one, and its Coprion bell would presumably mellow the tone more than your 15A.
But the more I play my 5A and slowly adjust to it, the more I think I might keep it.
It is in very good shape and I got it for only $165 plus shipping, so it is doubtful that I would find another cornet of comparable quality with slightly smaller bore for an equally good price.
(Find a Conn 12A for $165 plus shipping? I can dream, can't I?)
The quotes from the Conn company at
The Conn Loyalist
show that Conn lengthened the 5A sometime between 1963 and 1966.
My 5A is from 1962.
What year is yours?
- Morris