TromboneChat

Hello all!
I am now the proud owner of 2 44Hs. One is lacquered brass, serial #2874XX. The other is engraved silver, serial #3965XX. I was looking at photos of hand slides online and found out the earlier slide has the hand slide braces in the same style as the bell bracing, while the later one is just round braces on the slide. None of the photos online have the non-round braces. Is this unique to just the super early horns or is this possibly a custom job? Any advice is welcome. I will also upload photos when I am able.

You mean that the early 44H has Roman column style bracing on the hand grip?

Yes! Thank you for the name of what the style is.

Thrawn22 wrote: Sat Jan 31, 2026 6:23 pm You mean that the early 44H has Roman column style bracing on the hand grip?

That's a new one in me but I suppose isn't out of the realm of possibilities that it could be a factory standard for a time period. I can't imagine it being comfortable to use for long periods of play.

Any chance you could post pics of each hand brace in question?

I will once I am back at my house!

The bright chrome is the early model, darker silver is the late model. I will also add that the early model is comfortable to hold for long amounts of time. The slides are NOT compatible with each other and their respective bells. New bell is loose on old slide (hence the tape) while new slide is too big for old bell.

Those fluted braces are very similar to some Earl Williams cross braces. Makes me wonder which came first, I haven't seen that on any other horn.

Doug Elliott wrote: Sun Feb 01, 2026 3:26 pm Those fluted braces are very similar to some Earl Williams cross braces. Makes me wonder which came first, I haven't seen that on any other horn.

44H was introduced in 1932. I think I've only seen round outer slide braces pictured on Wallace-Williams TIS horns, and fluting on post-war "Model #" Williams... is that right?

I would guess those fluted braces are original, since it looks like it was assembled and then chrome plated as a unit. It would be very hard to make it look like that after the fact. There appears to be a similar one for sale at Dillon Music, with an even earlier serial number.

https://www.dillonmusic.com/used-conn-4 ... pSzAaKgkAu

Interesting and very cool. Somebody thought they should have that look throughout the entire horn.