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Hey. Been a while since i've been here. Well i got a new horn to add to my arsenal. This week i got a brand new conn 52j CC Tuba. It's satin silver with a shiny bell. Beautiful horn. Quite a bit smaller than what i'm used to lol. I'll post pictures as soon as i get a chance.

Congrats on the new horn, Andrew!

Thanks. It maybe next week before i have pics though. Got to go to the U of A band camp tommorrow. Will post pics asap

ok. so i finally got the pictures of the horn. I know it was several months ago, but i also know that alot of us enjoy seeing beautiful brass and i must say that this is a great example
(not trying to brag on myself but on CG Conn's craftsmanship).
So here it is.






















And here it is next to my 25J just for comparison.

So Andy... why the new horn?

Well, the 25j is a little big for me right now and I'm trying to get into high school all region/state and college. The 52j is so precise and agile it's crazy. I love my 25j to death, but when it comes down to it, the 52j is my favorite. Plus, i like the CC and the 5 valve combination. Although it's different because both of my past CC tubas (the 186 5uc and the Kalison D.S.) have had the 5th valve= 2-3 combination, and my 52j has the 5th= 1-2. But i like it. It's my favortie so far of all of them. And lastly, I've never had a new horn. Although, it was kind of a kill joy because when the horn arrived from shipping, something had been dropped on it and dented the case, broke the brace on the lead pipe and put a small dent in the side of the bottom bow. Thankfully the brace was fixed and due to satin finsh the dent is hardly noticable. I have just started a new season in community band and it is going very well.

andrew the tuba player wrote:Plus, i like the CC and the 5 valve combination. Although it's different because both of my past CC tubas (the 186 5uc and the Kalison D.S.) have had the 5th valve= 2-3 combination, and my 52j has the 5th= 1-2.

I'm pretty sure the Kalison DS was not a 2-3 combination. In fact, I believe I own the same Kalison DS you had. It's definitely a flat whole step.

Joseph

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andrew the tuba player wrote:ok. so i finally got the pictures of the horn. I know it was several months ago, but i also know that alot of us enjoy seeing beautiful brass and i must say that this is a great example
(not trying to brag on myself but on CG Conn's craftsmanship).
So here it is.

It's a looker, Andrew! It would be great if you could find a way to keep the 25J. A nice pair of horns.

Joesph
sorry. after looking at some old posts i noticed that i was mistaken and the kalison was in the 5th valve=1-2 combination. sorry about that.

According to the Conn data sheet, the 52J CC 5th valve is a flat 1 step, not a 1+1/2. Still, a nice looking horn - wish it was also available in BBb!

David Richoux wrote:According to the Conn data sheet, the 52J CC 5th valve is a flat 1 step, not a 1+1/2. Still, a nice looking horn - wish it was also available in BBb!

some think the BBb version (AKA King 2341) is better.

David Richoux wrote:According to the Conn data sheet, the 52J CC 5th valve is a flat 1 step, not a 1+1/2. Still, a nice looking horn - wish it was also available in BBb!

Isn't the new King 2341 (vs. the old screw bells) basically the same horn just a BBb version?? Someone correct me if I am wrong. I have played several new 2341's and LOVE them!

Other way around: the Conn 5XJ series was developed from the King valve block using older patterns for the bugle and bell, with the 5th valve prototyped by Matt @ Dillon Music.

Matt's prototype, according to all who have gotten to play it, plays great. Unfortunately, cost-cutting and production streamlining ruined the 5th valve circuit in the production models. I have a friend who had significant face time and owned one of each over a few years. Invariably, after trying mods, a M-W circuit, and other tweaking, he just ended up taking the 5th valve off and putting in a straight tube to open up the tubas for a more consistent blow, especially in the low register.

sloan wrote:

David Richoux wrote:According to the Conn data sheet, the 52J CC 5th valve is a flat 1 step, not a 1+1/2. Still, a nice looking horn - wish it was also available in BBb!

some think the BBb version (AKA King 2341) is better.

I like both of them, but for me the 2341 has a more comfortable valve angle and as well of more of the sound I would want out of a full-size contrabass tuba. I'd really like to try the 18" bell Conn though, as I think that'd be a sweet in-the-middle horn.

According to the Conn data sheet, the 52J CC 5th valve is a flat 1 step, not a 1+1/2.

yes when the slide is all the way in it is tuned a flat whole step. I on the other hand have my slide pulled way out so the valve is tuned to 1-2 because it is more useful to me that way. sorry for the confusion. and yes it works very well. I've never had any tuning/intonation issues with it. is this a common practice with 5th valves that are tuned a flat whole step?

andrew the tuba player wrote:yes when the slide is all the way in it is tuned a flat whole step. I on the other hand have my slide pulled way out so the valve is tuned to 1-2 because it is more useful to me that way. sorry for the confusion. and yes it works very well. I've never had any tuning/intonation issues with it. is this a common practice with 5th valves that are tuned a flat whole step?

Interesting. How do you finger low F?

And to answer your question, no...it's not common. Most people leave it as a flat whole step. To make low F 4-5.

Todd S. Malicoate wrote:

andrew the tuba player wrote:yes when the slide is all the way in it is tuned a flat whole step. I on the other hand have my slide pulled way out so the valve is tuned to 1-2 because it is more useful to me that way. sorry for the confusion. and yes it works very well. I've never had any tuning/intonation issues with it. is this a common practice with 5th valves that are tuned a flat whole step?

Interesting. How do you finger low F?

Maybe 513?

Bob Kolada wrote: Maybe 513?

I love ya, bob!

well this is weird. I read this and got my horn out and played some notes. Even with my 5th valve tuned to 1-2, I still use 4-5 as my low F fingering and it is perfect in tune with the first valve F right below the staff. So i tried it the other way around (1-2-4) and the F came out as well.

Maybe 513?

by the way, thanks for making me feel uber dumb. After rereading the page i almost went to get my horn out and try this to see what note would come out...then stopped and actually thought about what i was about to do.you almost got me.