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Re: Trip to Baltimore to see vintage horns

Posted: Fri Dec 29, 2017 4:22 am
by kontrabasstuba
Cool story. It is allthought very far from germany... i take a look on the homepage from Baltimore brass. Some of this fantastic instruments are listet. Some not. Did you make some photos? I'm interested to see this vintage beautys...

Re: Trip to Baltimore to see vintage horns

Posted: Fri Dec 29, 2017 4:19 pm
by Tabor
What type of 4/4 was that New York? Did it look like the conn monster/Eb giant bell, or was it different? Did you get any photos while you were there? Sounds like they have some neat things that aren't up on the website.

Re: Trip to Baltimore to see vintage horns

Posted: Fri Dec 29, 2017 8:21 pm
by bisontuba
I believe the Conn Company had a shop in NYC c. 1897-1902....

Re: Trip to Baltimore to see vintage horns

Posted: Sat Dec 30, 2017 11:35 am
by Heavy_Metal
YORK-aholic wrote:I would really like to visit there. If only they could move Baltimore a little closer to southern California...
Southwest has some nonstop flights between LAX and BWI..............

Re: Trip to Baltimore to see vintage horns

Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2018 9:09 am
by Uncle Markie
Conn did have a New York Store, and at one it was managed by no less than William Paris Chambers - renowned cornet soloist and composer ("Chicago Tribune" "Boys of the Old Brigade" and others). One of Chambers' tricks was demonstrating cornets in Conn's NYC store by holding the instrument upside down and playing the last variation of the Arban Carnival of Venice by raising his fingers...

Re: Trip to Baltimore to see vintage horns

Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2018 9:36 am
by eupher61
I'd be interested in seeing that rotary valve Conn. I had one that Steve Dillon opined was a Custom Jumbo, possibly (and purely speculating) had a connection to Fred Geib. It ended up with a collector, in exchange for an Eb Conn that I wish I'd never sold.
That tuba was huge, a throat like a Chicago York, had a gorgeous tone and was about as horrible pitch-wise as could be. Every harmonic was dramatically different from the others, beyond the natural tendencies. But it was a sound that made me think of an Alex. Apparently Matt had the thing and went over it but found nothing obvious. It would take a lot of cutting and reworking to fix pitch, and that would likely ruin the look and sound.

The valves were possibly made by Schmidt, and were front loading. The wrap was so tight on the back that there was no room to access a back cap.

Re: Trip to Baltimore to see vintage horns

Posted: Fri Jan 19, 2018 2:27 pm
by Rev Rob
One of the pitfalls to be aware of when visiting Baltimore Brass Works is the purchasing of a vintage tuba.

Re: Trip to Baltimore to see vintage horns

Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2018 1:04 am
by Heavy_Metal
Lost, I played that rotary Conn a while back, if this is the same one. The valves were noisy enough that you wouldn't need a percussion section. I think they were string-action, like my Marzan. But the sound was quite powerful.

Rev Rob, my Alex and I would agree!

When I go to BBC, I have to avoid taking a mouthpiece with me if I have to get in and out quickly. Otherwise I'll want to try all the tubas in the place.