Conn 2XJ questions...

[MartyNeilan]

I wish they still made the true Conn #2 mouthpiece, because it was actually a decent piece.

They do (did?), its called the UMI2 and is a little bit heavier, but still no heavyweight. If you like the Conn2, try the FC (Floyd Cooley) helleberg.

[cjk]

Even more rare I once saw tried a Conn 1. That is a very deep mp like the Doug Elloitt T cup or the Parke Ofenloch. I have only ever seen one though.

There was a Conn 1, Conn 2, and Conn 3.

The Conn 1 has the same cup as a Conn Chief. The Conn 3 was smaller than a Conn 2, probably intended for E flats. The 1 and 3 look like the Conn 2 or older Schilke mouthpiecse on the outside.

[manatee]

What kind of gig bag would help with a horn like this? (Two piece)

[Lew]

They would have been shipped from the factory with a single tuning bit (possibly larger than a regular sousa bit) and a Conn 2 mouthpiece. I wish they still made the true Conn #2 mouthpiece, because it was actually a decent piece.

The tuning bit that came with the 2XJ's was exactly the same as the current Conn sousaphone tuning bits. I had a 22J from 1934 that had the original Conn 2 mouthpiece and tuning bit with it, and the bit was identical to my other Conn sousaphone bits. Both the bit and the mouthpiece went with the tuba when I sold it.

I do still have my Conn 2 mouthpeice that I was given in 1970 when I first learned tuba in the summer before I started high school. I never use it, but hold onto it for sentimental reasons. It is slightly different from the 1934 version. The differences were the engraving was in script and the shank was continuous on the older one. The cups appeared identical.

[Lew]

What kind of gig bag would help with a horn like this? (Two piece)

Donna Altieri (www.altieribags.com) can make a nice 2 piece gig bag that works well with these. I'm sure she has done plenty of them. I have a 2 piece bag that was made for my similarly sized Martin tuba, and it works great.