Conn 83h

[dxhall]

Any opinions on a Conn 83h bass? There’s one on eBay now that might sell for a reasonable price. Here’s the listing:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/CG-CONN-83H-DO ... 1438.l2649

[Thrawn22]

Its either going play like a freat 112H or a shitty 112H.


But a part of me wants to know for sure. Too bad im into dependent system horns and most preferably 70 series Conns. I would like to try an 111H.

[chromebone]

Some 83h’s are good, and some are completely unplayable. Probably depends on what day the week it was assembled. I wouldn’t buy one unless it could be tried first. The 83h was the poster child for everything that had gone wrong with Conn in the 1970’s.
I’ve heard they’re good horns if you get one that was assembled at the factory properly, or are willing to have a bad one completely taken apart and reassembled properly. But in that case, it’s easier just to get a new 62h and call it a day.

[Vegastokc]

Nice looking horn either way.

[EdwardSolomon]

Looks good, plays terribly. I had one and got shot of it PDQ. Save your cash to buy a good instrument. The 83H isn't it.

[dxhall]

That’s discouraging. I guess the search will continue. I probably just need to suck it up and write a bigger check.

[sf105]

That’s discouraging. I guess the search will continue. I probably just need to suck it up and write a bigger check.

Not necessarily, but you could probably do better for that kind of cash (triggers another long discussion about which horn to buy).

[paulyg]

Looks craptastic for the price. As others have pointed out, there's no reason to spend money on one of these. Plenty of other basses out there.

[dxhall]

I wasn’t involved in brass playing when these horns were made, so these comments make me curious. What was so bad about the 83h? Was it a poor design, poor construction, or something else?

[chromebone]

Conn’s quality control and assembly were less than top shelf during that time, to put it charitably. The parts and design themselves were OK, but an in-line closed wrap bass trombone needs to be carefully assembled without stress, proper alignment and clean solder joints. Maybe it wouldn’t be as big an issue with a single valve horn or even a dependent horn, but assemble a piece of spaghetti like the 83h carelessly, and you’re asking for trouble.