Okay, so I've posted about this horn before, but I've been playing it steadily for the last couple of days, and WOW. The core sound on this thing is incredible. And it is teaching me to be better at getting in the center of the pitch. On this horn, when you are in the center of the pitch people move out from in front of the horn. Literally! It's a shame it doesn't blend in a section, but it is a blast to play at R & B gigs.

I know what you mean. When these were made not every place had electronic amplification. Conn claimed that the rimless Vocabell added about 15 decibels over the same horn with a rim. This was a huge advantage for a soloist without amplification. I have a quote below from the conn Loyalist at The Conn Loyalist

What Conn said in 1933:
The most popular trumpet on the market. Used by such first chair stars as Lebert Lombardo (Guy Lombardo), Jack Cavan (Charlie Agnew), Lamar Wright (Cab Calloway), Charlie Williams (Duke Ellington), David Glickstein (Broadway shows) and Eddie Camden (Don Bestor). The Vocabell rim is a single, integral piece of metal which allows it to vibrate freely. Conventional bells have a rigid wire in the rim which tends to muffle the tone and dampen out the delicate harmonics that are so essential to clear tone and rich coloring. Delicate instruments of Columbia Broadcasting Studio in New York show the Vocabell has from 12 to 15 decibels greater volume, is smoother and more even in scale, and is clearer and purer in tone than trumpets with the conventional type bells. Beautifully styled in modern manner. Medium bore, Bb and Am springs in bottom of valves.

Hence...the Eclipse "Solar Bell", and updated rimless with a great sound (at least the one I tried at past ITG). (just a "bit" out of my price bracket).

dizzyizzy