79connvictor

Hi all, I've been trying to figure out what model Conn Victor horn I have. The Conn Loyalist site provides confusing, if not conflicting information. My horn clearly says "CG Conn LTD Victor USA" on the side of the bell flare, with no other engraving. It has a bright silver finish without any nickel or brass trim; which according to the loyalist would make it an 8B, but it It has the larger 5 1/8" bell and it doesn't have the 3rd valve slide stop which is inconsistent with the 8B description and photo. The serial number is GB921660 which according to my research makes it a 1979 Trumpet made in Abilene. Right? It has the pin guide top spring valves. Is it possible I have a refinished silver late model 6B? Does anyone else have one like this? or know what about it? I really love this horn, and the way it plays and sounds makes me believe that it has to be one of Conn's better examples. (I've played a Connstellation before) Can anyone confirm this or give me their own opinion? Looking forward to your response. Thanks

screamingmorris

The rules for how various Conn models were made were thrown out the window when McMillan bought out the Conn company and then moved the factory to Abilene, Texas.
The 1970's Director cornets (made in Japan?) were given different shapes, the Director trumpets were silverplated and given larger bores, etc.
Conn Loyalist host Christine emphasizes that the ID rules she published in her Web site do *not* apply to instruments made after 1970. So her info is not contradictory, you are misapplying her info to a latter period.
My best guess from my past experience with the 1970's models is that Conn changed cosmetic things before it changed substantial things, so that in making an ID you should pay more attention to the bell size and less attention to the type of finish.
Since your 1979 trumpet has the larger bell and is a "Victor", I'd assume that it is a Conn 6B.
And Conn Loyalist mentions that the 6B was made at least through 1983
The Conn Loyalist
while the 8B might not have lasted much past 1976
The Conn Loyalist

McMillan was trying to *save* money in reconfiguring its Conn models in the 1970's, so no way they would have started putting *bigger* bells on the 8B.
But they might have started silver-plating or chrome-plating everything the way they did the Directors. That might *sound* more expensive, but it actually would have simplified the manufacturing process to just plate everything on a trumpet or just make everything lacquer on a trumpet rather than have some models with 3 different finishes on a single instrument they way they did previously on their Victor models (lacquered brass *and* Coprion *and* nickel on a single Victor instrument).

Christine of Conn Loyalist agrees with other people that *some* of the instruments made in Abilene were great instruments, but other instruments made there were terrible, so that the problem in Abilene was obviously quality control rather than inherent inability to make good instruments.
I have read posts from owners of Abilene instruments who said that some of their Abilene instruments were *great* instruments.

That you have a silver-plated Conn Victor with the large bell makes it a *great* instrument as long as its moving parts operate well.

The chart at
The Conn Loyalist
shows that only the 10B and the Connstellations were considered higher than the 6B in terms of quality and price in the Conn line-up.

Dale Proctor

The 8B would be an "Artist" model, not a Victor. Unless something changed in the later 70's, the 8B would have a smaller bell flare diameter, aluminum valve stems, and aluminum spring covers - a somewhat lightweight horn. I'll bet you have a late Victor. I have a 1960 6B Victor, and you're right - they're great horns.

__________________
"Brass bands are all very well in their place - outdoors and several miles away." - Sir Thomas Beecham

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www.otbrass.com

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www.brassbandofhuntsville.org

79connvictor

Thanks for your input it is helpful. The piece that I still find inconsistent is that the Conn Loyalist lists the 8B as a Victor and then shows a picture of the 8B as being the Artist? I do appreciate the compilation of information of the Conn Loyalist as a valuable resource and am not knocking it.

79connvictor

Thank you. I think you must be right it has to be a 6B. I'm glad to hear someone else confirm what I already know that the Victor is a really great horn that is a pleasure to play!

screamingmorris

Conn Loyalist is not being contradictory or inconsistent in using the terms "Victor" and "Artist", because Conn Loyalist points out that Conn itself used the terms interchangeably:

"Conn 10A Artist (Late Model)...The 1957 version of this instrument is called "Victor", while the 1959 instrument is called "Artist". Apparently Conn played around with the names a bit."
The Conn Loyalist

"Victor/Artist The Victor and Artist names are used somewhat interchangeably, as is evidenced by the fact that from 1959 the 10B is a "Victor" while the virtually identical 10A is an "Artist" model."
The Conn Loyalist

In the Conn line of the 60's and 70's you essentially had the low-price Directors, the mid-price Victors, and the high-price Connstellations.
Although a couple of the Victor models were called "Artist" they were still classified as being within the Victor category.

Dale Proctor

Can't pass up an opportunity to post a pic of mine......

__________________
"Brass bands are all very well in their place - outdoors and several miles away." - Sir Thomas Beecham

Olde Towne Brass
www.otbrass.com

Brass Band of Huntsville
www.brassbandofhuntsville.org

screamingmorris

That is the worst case of leapipe red rot I have ever seen.
Every inch of the leadpipe has been affected

Dale Proctor

Too bad the bell's not red-rotted too - then I'd call it a 10B.....

You know, I picked mine up on eBay with a BIN of $300, and it hardly has a scratch on it. Original lacquer, too, that gives the Coprion leadpipe that deep "honey" color. I played one just like it in high school but sold it in the early 80's. Years later, I regretted it and found this one (25 years later), and it's in better shape than mine was! It plays better than I remembered, too.

__________________
"Brass bands are all very well in their place - outdoors and several miles away." - Sir Thomas Beecham

Olde Towne Brass
www.otbrass.com

Brass Band of Huntsville
www.brassbandofhuntsville.org

screamingmorris