Lee asked me to post these a while back and I forgot. This was for a customer and is not for sale. His description:
Here is one of the more rare tubas ever, the Conn 27J, with 4-front-short-action .770" valves and a 24" diameter bell. The most amazing thing about the instrument is how balanced and well-behaved the instrument is, a 6/4 tuba that is so focused and manageable that one could play brass quintet with it. It is truly a shame that Conn did not build more of them. Note the body case, where everything had to be re-arranged.
Man, what a beauty. I wonder if it has the usual issues that most of the big Conns have, needing to use one tuning bit and having a flat F at the bottom of the staff.
JP/Sterling 377 compensating Eb; Warburton "The Grail" T.G.4, RM-9 7.8, Yamaha 66D4; for sale > 1914 Conn Monster Eb (my avatar), ca. 1905 Fillmore Bros 1/4-size Eb, Bach 42B trombone
I have a 26j and it is a great horn. the lead pipe is slightly crushed so I need to have it repaired or replaced. the valves are %100 perfect and it is a machine. If I had the money to get it overhauled I would.
Lee did an excellent job of preparing this tuba for me. He is a fine gentleman.
Here are some pictures of the horn with both bells. One of these is next to my Miraphone 191, which makes it look small.
Rick
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It looks like a short action version of my 36J (which it probably is, I guess). Lovely sounding instrument, same big Conn tuba low 3rd partial F and E.
To answer GC and pjv, this particular model does not play like the other 3XJ' or 2XJ's I've played and worked on, and I played a 4-valve 3XJ for a long time. It does require a bit, as it has the shorter leadpipe, and with the valves properly regulated, the F and E are good as gold on this horn. Surprisingly, this instrument is perhaps a bit more reserved, not as big and brash-sounding as some of these big Conns can be. It does have more "fire" to the sound when you use the recording bell.
I have a similar Conn 36J (from 1934, I think), with a few Bloke-mods and -repairs. Both bells (it came with a straight bell; after some searching, I acquired a decent front bell), in lacquer. After rehab, it plays fine with no tuning bit, and only the pesky flat F. With 4 (front) valves, I have 3 choices of fingering for that F, so it's usually not a problem.
One band I play with tunes to F. I'll admit to cheating a bit by creating an F that represents the rest of the horn, for tuning purposes only. Like every oboe player everywhere, I don't guarantee that I'll actually play that F during performances - just while "tuning". Heh.
It's only a real problem when the conductor insists on tuning to the clarinets...
I'd really love to live dangerously and fit a fixed straight bell, but I'm loathe to screw it up. I carry it in a Dolly dent bag, but the bell usually works loose in transit - in fact, it's been known to require adjustment on-stage. It's a BIG bell! It's inconvenient enough that I only bring it out for special occasions. Most of the time, it's much easier to pick up the King 2341, which was "tuned at the factory" and fits in the back of my VW GTI with the back seat UP.
I used to own a 22J, the 3 valve version of the 26J. I found it to be a great player and didn't notice the major intonation issues that I had found on the 20Js that I have owned. The only reason that I no longer own it is because it was just too much to lug around. It was one of the heaviest horns I have owned. I have always thought that a 27J would be among the ultimate BBbs to own.
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Last edited by Lew on Tue Feb 02, 2016 1:29 pm, edited 5 times in total.
I'm so jealous! I recently purchased my own 36J tuba and am very satisfied with it. Still, an upright bell and short action valves would be better. TubaJohn, where did you find the 26J?
1918 Martin Medium Eb *FOR SALE*
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Gnagey King/Hn White CC frankentuba *FOR SALE*
2018 Campbell & Mundheim Tenor Sousa prototype
Chris Kratt mini Eb sousa
Lew wrote:I used to own a 22J, the 3 valve version of the 26J. I found it to be a great player and didn't notice the major intonation issues that I had found on the 22Js that I have owned. The only reason that I no longer own it is because it was just too much to lug around. It was one of the heaviest horns I have owned. I would add a photo, but for some reason the board won't let me. I have always thought that a 27J would be among the ultimate BBbs to own.
I don't blame you they are beasts to lug around. I don't think I could ever sell this one though. It's my new favorite! Now I just need an upright bell for it so I don't get mean looks from the director. Don't know why forward bells are frowned upon nowadays in concert band settings. And you can add a pic of the 22J, you just have to use a site like photobucket or other pic sharing site. It wouldn't let me just upload them to the board either for some reason.
AaronC1901 wrote:I'm so jealous! I recently purchased my own 36J tuba and am very satisfied with it. Still, an upright bell and short action valves would be better. TubaJohn, where did you find the 26J?
Let's see pics of that beast! I agree I think an upright bell would be better for most settings. I need to find one myself. Forward bells are great for outdoors and even on some indoor stages if the tuba section is placed in a bad spot (sound deadening areas). I would like to have both to alternate. I bought it from a Tubenet user here. Just posted a wanted add in the for sale section and received a message from a gentleman who bought the 26J from a music store.
Very nice! Just a plain lacquer 25J for me.
Conn bits come in a 2-pak, PM for my extra one.
Flat 3rd partial seems like a myth to me. But I will say, F# right above it can be tricky to center.
5th partial? Don't even think about it, way flat. D 12, Db 23, C 13 every time. No big deal, a lot of conical instruments are that way.
TheGoyWonder wrote:Very nice! Just a plain lacquer 25J for me.
Conn bits come in a 2-pak, PM for my extra one.
Flat 3rd partial seems like a myth to me. But I will say, F# right above it can be tricky to center.
5th partial? Don't even think about it, way flat. D 12, Db 23, C 13 every time. No big deal, a lot of conical instruments are that way.
There is nothing nicer than a nice lacquered 25J. I've been using a bit as well. I plan on getting my 26J overhauled and with new lacquer once I sell my other tuba and this will be my main big horn. I haven't put it to the tuner yet but all of the notes seem fine so far.. First line G and Ab above it are hard to center. I don't have any problems with F like most of them. Guess all horns are different.
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