My Conn trumpet is a '32 New Era 10B peashooter. I came across this horn at the local swap meet, and it looked pretty dirty. Mostly a mottled black over gold. I took one look at the engraving, and I knew I had found a gold plated version, as I had seen this same Conn emblem on a gold plated sax previously. Took it home and applied some silver cleaner and boy was I a happy camper ! What a good looking horn. Valves were in great shape and after a good cleaning, it plays great ! Solid lead horn, a bit bright, but slots very easily. Real fun to play !
Later on, I also found a Conn 80A cornet, a real fixer upper, with all of the extra slides at this same swap meet. This horn looked pretty worn and looked like the silver was wearing thin with the brass beginning to show through. I figured I'd take it home and strip the little silver left and use it bare brass. Once home I started to clean it, and man was I surprised. It wasn't the brass showing through, it was the gold plate wearing away and showing the silver underneath. Valves are pretty worn , so I am going to send it in for a valve job and have the gold replated. I know this will cost a pretty penny, more than the horn is worth, but I really want a gold plated cornet to pair with my trumpet.
One other horn that I found at this swap meet was a Martin Committee cornet.
Not a Conn, but man do I love this swap meet !
All said, I've paid $110 total for all 3 horns.
$50 for the 10B, and $30 each for the Cornets,
which included a mangled Getzen 300 trumpet that I gave to a tech.
Needless to say, I'm going to the swap meet tomorrow !
