Conn K bells

[castrubone]

Anybody have any experience with any variety of Conn 88H with the larger K bell? They seem to be a rare and exotic bird. Any insights are appreciated!

[Burgerbob]

I have a friend that has used his with a top orchestra many times on 2nd.

[harrisonreed]

They're not rare (you can just order one and have it without any searching or seeking), but might be exotic depending on your definition of that word. They seem like a pretty odd concept, and I haven't seen too many people using this in any paid setting. The 88H is a pretty tried and true design, so I don't get why you'd mess with it.

Then again, adding a CL2000 valve to the 88H platform was a great change, and it's really all about what you can do with your equipment. Maybe it could work as a small bass. Might be just the ticket in a BQ, depending on your group. The whole bass bell on a tenor frame concept, like what Edwards build for Gerry Pagano, seems pretty good if you can play like that guy!

[hyperbolica]

It essentially just makes a modern 5b, right? I think it's totally appropriate for someone who plays a lot of stuff on the staff or just under. Most 3rd parts in community orchestra, 4th parts in swing era big band charts, inner voices in tbn/brass choir.

I've never played the 88hk per se, but I've played a lot of 9" bells. I typically like smaller bells for clarity and focus (and practical issues such as weight, visibility, dent resistance...), but the 9" bell from, say, the King 5b gives more presence in the lower end of the range. And when coupled with a 547/562 or straight 562, adds a lot of weight to the sound (lower tones) beyond a traditional 88h.

Some people still love the 5b. It's not for everyone or every situation, but in some places, it's just the right ax.

[modelerdc]

The 88HK doesn't quite play like the King 5B. The bells may be made on the same mandrels, but the 88HK bell is made like a Conn bell with the same red brass and type of construction as an 88H. I find that they are livelier, more responsive and colorful than the 5B. I currently have an 88HK bell set up to fit a Shires large bore tenor, very nice, with a 5G or 4G plays like a big tenor, with a 2G or 1 1/2G plays like a small bass. I think of it as a tenor-bass.

[ctruc001]

I just picked up an 88HKCL on OfferUp today for an absolute steal. I didn't even realize it was the K bell until I got the horn home and noticed the difference between it and the 88HCL that I have. As a bass player, I think the horn plays great, and swapping the heavy CL valve cap for the standard one really makes a difference in the sound and response of the instrument, certainly much more than what I notice with the horn that has the standard bell.