used Conn 88H - biiiig surprise

[marccromme]

Today I saw a used Conn 88H with open wrap and large bell in the local DK advertisements, called immediately, and made an appointment. I believed it was a Conn 88HKO from the pictures, ... with some unusual weight on the tuning slide stay and main stay.

Well, I took out to buy it, would have preferred a Conn 88HLO light-weight bell to use with my SL 2547, but who complains for 570,- $ ??

Instrument is dinged a lot in the bell, no big ones, but many, many scars and marks. Tubing and slide are fine, though. Looked biiig. Played really well with my Lasker 59D, but biiig. A bit off in partials, though ... Bell and throat bigger than the King 5B I once had. Valve totally stuck, linkage semi-broken.

My chops bad today ?? High range a bit pinched, but low range - wow ..

Well, took it home, cleaned it a bit, tried with a proper bass mouthpiece (GB 1 15/8). What a gorgeous fat sound! Partials align! This is a real bass, engraved 'C. G. Conn Ltd' - no other marking than serial '39 217455' on the bell, which makes it 1989 according to Cons own lists.

Features:
bell is bass bone 9,5" = 241mm diameter and big throat
one single open-wrap valve with very long E-pull
tuning in bell with usual Conn reversed tuning slides on the large side
slide is marked '72' - only marking I could find
slide has inner diameter 14.2 mm something (plus-minus some gunk)
slide is about 2 cm longer than my Conn 112H slide
slide is entirely yellow-brass

.. plays bigger and darker than my Conn 112H with Hagmanns ...

really a nice single-valve bass, but what is it ?? Can't find any resemblance to a to me know Conn bass bone design

will make some pictures and place them here ..

[Burgerbob]

We need pictures!

Does it have the modern Conn valve cap, or the older kind?

Could be some sort of 110H prototype, but I'm not aware of any of those without a 10 inch bell or the tootsie roll braces.

[marccromme]

Yes, pic are here .. seller did not play her selv, as you can see from the second one ..

Two-piece bell similar to King 7B ..

[Tbarh]

Conn 110H... Single Valve bass trombone... Tried an early one with 9 1/2"bell...very good, ordered one... 10"bell New design... Crappy

[Burgerbob]

Dang, I was spot on. Yup, early 110H.

[marccromme]

Thanks for the fast identification. It is really a great horn. Can hardly wait to clean it thoroughly and pull the dents. Fix the linkage. And just use it as is. Great sound.

[Amconk]

Great find! I'm a bit jealous! When you get it all fixed up, post some more pics!

[harrisonreed]

I thought you were going to say something obscene exited from the leadpipe as you went to play your first note.

Biiiiig surprise!!

[tbonesullivan]

Looking at the pictures, that has the wonderful Conn gold tinted lacquer, which can make it hard to identify the materials used. The bell is definitely Rose brass, and it looks like the handslide end bow is nickel. If the outer slide tubes are the same color as the valve wrap, it's yellow brass. If they match the bell, they are rose brass.

[marccromme]

Great find! I'm a bit jealous! When you get it all fixed up, post some more pics!

No need to be jealous, you have fine horns yourself. I bet the Sovereign is a killer. I have a Sovereign tenor with hagmanns, and it plays great, very dark, but great.

[marccromme]

I got the valve going, and practiced the last three days on it. Great intonation, snappy response, and darker in tonal color than my Conn 112H. The size of the bell is definitely only part of the sound. Was thinking to install my Conn 112H indy valve section (leftover from Hagmann conversion), as it would make a great two valve horn, but decided against it, as it is so neat in laquer, which I don't want to burn.

I really like it as is. Plays better than the Yamaha YBL-321 I also own. Which is, by the way, not bad at all. Definitely a keeper.

[Amconk]

Great find! I'm a bit jealous! When you get it all fixed up, post some more pics!

No need to be jealous, you have fine horns yourself. I bet the Sovereign is a killer. I have a Sovereign tenor with hagmanns, and it plays great, very dark, but great.

Less jealous of the horn, jealous of finding a good score! I love a treasure hunt like that. My 944 sovereign is a tenor as well with a Hagmann valve. Big dark sound just like you said. And I actually really like my Holton even though it’s got that big tuna can monster valve on it, I find I get a nice big square sound out of the horn in general.

[WGWTR180]

I'm still trying to figure out how you or the seller thought that was an 88H.

[marccromme]

I'm still trying to figure out how you or the seller thought that was an 88H.

Didn't. From description and picture I thought it was a 88HKO with 9" bell. Hard to see difference between 9" and 9.5" , and 13.9mm versus 14.3 mm from a picture if you brain has tricked to think it's a 88H from the description. Seller did not know more than that is was a conn trombone, as she does not play brass, an assumed a 88H.

[WGWTR180]

Those braces are a dead giveaway.

[marccromme]

Those braces are a dead giveaway.

If you have seen them before, maybe, if not, it's hard to see the difference in size from a picture.

[WGWTR180]

Those braces are a dead giveaway.

If you have seen them before, maybe, if not, it's hard to see the difference in size from a picture.

As I said specifically about the braces, not the bell size, I have seen them before and they are a dead giveaway. Enjoy the horn. They are very nice. The early 112s with that bracing and the 9 and 1/2 inch flare are also very nice. Why Conn went to a 10 inch bell is beyond me.

[walldaja]

It's always nice to have a pleasant surprise. Enjoy!

[marccromme]

It's always nice to have a pleasant surprise. Enjoy!

Thanks! Actually I have a Conn 112H inline valve set laying around (from my Conn 112H Hagmann 10" bell rebuild done by the former owner), only valves and valve wraps and slides.

Thinking of buying the needed spare parts to build a modal setup out of it, receiver, braces, tuning slide receiver tubing and the two conical gooseneck pieces.

Then unsoldering the 9.5" bell of the Conn 110H, and make a modal setup of it with some nut screws on the braces.

Such that I can switch between one and two valve setup as I wish. Only drawback I don't like with this idea is the destruction of the tinted Conn laquer near braces and meeting point of bell and valve wrap. Which would be a shame ....