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I will add a +1 for late 50's. There is a gentleman I do repair for that owns a 50's (56, or 57 can't remember) 20J that would make any member of the TNFJ blush. I've played a lot of 20Js, I wish I had that one.

I have a 21 J with a C serial number from 1963 I wouldn't trade for the world. Great player. My 22J is from 1936 and still plays wonderfully for its age. Had a 1946 20j that was a good player. Conn changed the 3rd valve tubing on later models to straight as opposed to the curly cue 3rd on older horns. Not really sure if this affected playability. Newer ones had less curves for the air to go around on the 3rd valve loop. I"ve typically found older well maintained horns are better players than the later ones from the 70's-80's. Quality control issues with the decline of instrument makers? In the end I'll take a 2xj over just about anything else for being "the" tuba section and filling the room with that deep, sonorous sound (until I can't pick the $%#@ thing up anymore)

bloke wrote:I think they're all about the same.
They were never made anywhere but Elkhart, and I never saw any drop in build quality in Conn until they moved to Texico.

People argue on horn discussion lists about 8D horns, but those arguments aren't very scientific. They are mostly between freak jury laymen who have no idea what's been done to various 8D horns they've played from various (Elkhart-era) vintages prior to the times that they play-tested them.

It also probably differed if, like some of the Holton tubas, they were taken apart by someone with the skill, interest and ability to put it back together properly.

I currently own an M series 25J and H series 20J. Both the 25J and the 20J play very well for what they are. I have previously owned a 1940’s era 20J and a 1950’s era 24J. From my 2XJ “experiences,” I haven’t found any particular “era” of 2XJ tubas to play better than the other if they are in good playing condition.

I don't think we will ever know the answer to this question because the 2xJ line of horns does not have the same mystique among tuba players that the 8D line has for horn players. Was there ever a 2xJ being used by an orchestra tubist as a "main" instrument? I think the 2xJ's were never regarded as top professional instruments, and thus weren't dissected and analyzed to the extent the 8D's have been by horn players.

When I think 8D, I think of those old school American orchestra horn sections. I think of 20J, and the first thought that pops into my head is Jacksonville State. Completely different world.

lost wrote:
I also currently have access to "thee" silver 27j from many a threads here that plays very similar to my current 24j and that is also an M series. Very good....

That's interesting because I thought Conn quit producing the 26J/27J in the early 1940's. Maybe they were available in the later years as custom orders only? Hard to believe that 27J is from the 60's.

But I will add that I used to own a 1953 20J that played pretty good. Currently own a 1940 26J/27J that is the best playing horn I've ever played and is in tune. A friend of mine has an early 1970's 25J that plays really good too! So I am not sure, maybe all of the 2XJ's ever produced were during the golden years! I am not sure why people don't consider these "professional" horns. Maybe because there were so many produced and at a great price so schools bought them up left and right. Maybe the 3 valvers wouldn't be "pro" horns which is why they probably got a rep as a student horn, but I don't see why the 4 valve versions would not be, especially the front action versions since that is what most professional players prefer. There just weren't a lot of those made. I think if there were more 26J/27J's produced, there would be a lot more professional players using them in symphonies as their "BAT" alongside all the Holton's and Yorks still being used. I wouldn't hesitate to play mine in an orchestra if I were a "professional orchestral tubist".