connloyalist

I just wanted to share my very interesting "vintage cornet/trumpet day". I had taken the day off to go with a Bb Bass playing friend of mine to a large music store about an hour's drive south of here. These people have a sizeable collection of new and (more importantly) vintage instruments. At least for Dutch standards ;) There we ran into a very friendly and knowledgeable sales person, who obviously was also very interested in vintage instruments. Very refreshing. I had the chance to play several instruments I had never seen before:

Two different 28A Connstellations. A 1955 and a 1957 model. They felt and sounded different. I only played these briefly, but they weren't quite as heavy as I had expected, both weight wise and "blow" wise (to get them "moving"). I liked the '57 better.

A 1972 38A Connstellation, including "Abilene, Texas" engraving. These certainly do weigh as much as they say they do. However, the bore size certainly doesn't feel as large as the 0.484" it is.

A 24B Opera Grand, including no leadpipe pinky ring (which is very strange at first). Very different sound concept. I can see where this would be an instrument to be played in a setting of playing music from that period with other instruments from the 1920's. It might not blend that well with modern trumpets.

I also played a Conn "Wurlitzer", a.k.a. Perfected Wonder, a.k.a. "Circus Bore" model. I plugged in my Conn 6 short shank cornet mouthpiece and it fit like a glove. Wow! TOTALLY different sound concept. Again, doesn't feel as large as it is, bore wise. Wonderful, turn of the (previous) century sound. Tom, I understand much better now where you are coming from ;)

The instrument I really came to see though was (believe it or not) a 1963 22B Victor. I must first say I played a 1964 15B Director for most of 25 years, and have been playing a 1948 22B New York Symphony for a few years now. This 22B Victor not only looks very similar to the 15B, it also feels very similar in your hand. Which to me means "familiar and comfortable, like an old friend". It sounds a lot better than a Director (of course), but yet... perhaps not quite as good as my 1948 22B. I didn't buy it because (a) I need some time to consider it and (b) I think the 2nd valve got bashed at some point: the valve itself was fine, but unscrewing the top valve cap was a bit difficult, it was alternately smooth and stiff while unscrewing it. I thought it was interesting to see that in spite of the modern valve caps on the inside Conn still used the old 1930's - 1940's system on the 22B Victor. I guess I ought to find myself a good condition 22B Victor :)

Out of sheer curiosity I also tried an Olds Recording (serial number 37x,xxx if memory serves; what year would that be?). Very different feel in your hand: off-set valves and the valves are much further from your face than usual. What bore size are these? To me the bore felt huge. But I can see where someone who is accustomed to a bore like that might like it.

Regards, Christine

Liad Bar-EL

Christine, sounds interesting. Just wondering, did you check the intonation on these horns in the various ranges?

I'm just generalizing here and could be completely off base but it seems to me that these horns during their day of fame were made primarily for mid range playing and not for the power puch extreme high ranges of today. This is why I am asking the above question. In other words, the players today might be making the difference with the present demand today for high notes and not the differences in the design of the horn itself.

Liad

connloyalist

No, I didn't test intonation throughout the instruments range. For one I didn't have a tuner with me, but more importantly, I am not much of an upper range player. I usually do check the low C# by ear, what it "feels" like. However, that '63 22B Victor didn't have a 3rd slide ring, so that made that a bit difficult ;) I was concentrating more on the sound, resistance (not too much, not too little), how "heavy" it was to blow (amount of energy required to get the instrument "moving") and things like that.

I must admit that I sometimes feel a bit embarassed when I read people talking about "G above C above staff" or thereabouts. I consider myself a reasonably accomplished and experienced amateur (!) trumpet player, but after I hit G on top of staff things start to "thin out" very quickly with me. I guess that is why I have always played 2nd and 3rd parts (actually, playing bottom voice trumpet can be quite enjoyable sometimes, especially when there are 4 voices and the bottom one is a seventh difference from the top). My strong suit is more in the "good tone" department ;)

Regards, Christine

Dale Proctor

Sort of off topic, but good tone is one of the most important attributes for a trumpet player to have. That, good technique, and reasonable range will suffice for about 75% of the things trumpet players are asked to do. In other words, you can have a pretty good time playing trumpet even if you can't play above high C.

I've known a few high note specialists, and many of them had a crummy tone when they played in and below the staff. I played lead in a dance band for about 6 years, and it just about ruined my tone. I've just recovered from all the high note lip punishment in the past two or three years. Of course, the really good players can do it all, but I believe it has to start with tone.

The Conn safari sounds like fun. I came pretty close to buying a 9A Victor on eBay a few weeks ago (to go with my 6B), but the price went a little too high (close to $500).

W Scott

Christine, I'm jealous! So many Conns to try....

Hey, there wasn't a 14b Harry Glanz 'C' there by any chance? That's what I'd like to sneak up on next!

Bill