Conn 56J CC

[Rev Rob]

For you Conn fans who lust after a CC tuba here is one to consider:
http://cgi.ebay.com/SUPERB-C-G-CONN-MOD ... item35b404" target="_blank

[SousaSaver]

"Large bore."

Technically this is right. This horn has a "progressive" (save it Joe... ) bore.

1-3 - .687"
4 - .734"
5 - .750"

So by the fifth valve, it has a "large" (depending on how you define it) bore.

The seller did remove and visually align the 5th valve because the seller doesn't trust the hash marks.

[SousaSaver]

I'm sure you know that we all know who is selling it, who fixed it up, and that everything said was well-meaning sarcasm.

Actual comment: I've only played a 52 (liked it pretty well). I'd like to blow through a 56 sometime.

I know Joe. All is well!

For what it is worth, I think the 5th valve is GREATLY improved by visually aligning it. The hash marks were WAY off. The horn also benefited from a valve alignment and using a sealant on the threads that connect the 5th valve to the valve section and the mouthpipe to the valve section.

[Tubajug]

For you Conn fans who lust after a CC tuba here is one

I do lust after this one....it's so pretty! You wanna trade for a 1977 4-valve Miraphone 186 CC?

[Bob Kolada]

But they -are- boring!

[UTSAtuba]

JinBao make life good. JinBao love you long time.

[Bob Kolada]

Maybe I'm being a bit unfair to 56J's. The one I play does have a nice fat, clear, 4/4ish American sound. I do think it's a bit too wide for what it is and might like the 18" bell better. That really doesn't do anything about the sharp 4th, flat 5th, super hyper 2nd partial C,... Low G's not great but low D and Db are fine. Since this particular horn has kinda rough valves I've been playing 512 a lot and that locks in pretty solid with no slide moving.

My Chinese rotary bass trumpet played as well as most horns but my Jin Bao F was pretty bad. The bass trumpet would have been just fine with just a little bit of work (bought second hand, needed a spit key redone and the 3rd valve linkage was a bit loose); I just didn't like the way these things have to be held. My Fullie Olds marcher is much more comfortable though that also needs work. I'm almost depressed about the Jin Bao F- the contrabone and 1291 copy are tempting but the F was so bad I can't risk it. Thinking back to the horns I played at the Army conference though, the contra actually played more even than the F.

I think there are 2 niches for these horns- cheaper regular horns for people who are willing to make (hopefully small to none) compromises to get a horn, and decent playing super-expensive-would-love-to-have-and-could-use-but-can't-swing-the-cost horns like the contrabone and bass trumpet. I'm selling all my trombones because of elbow problems, but I can't help but keep an eye on the contra (F contras also seem to be much, much more comfortably back heavy than ANY bass; that really makes a difference). Hopefully there will be one at Midwest so I can check for consistency and finer points.

[Tubajug]

but not Jinbao. Jinbao is exciting.

It's like a box of chocolates! You never know what you're going to get!

[toobagrowl]

Technically this is right. This horn has a "progressive" (save it Joe... ) bore.

1-3 - .687"
4 - .734"
5 - .750"

So by the fifth valve, it has a "large" (depending on how you define it) bore.

I guess everyone has their definition of bore size. But IMO, even the 56J's 5th valve is just 'medium bore' in size. I more or less go by this loose standard for tuba bore size:

- anything in the .600"s is 'small bore'
- anything in the .700"s is 'medium bore'
- anything in the .800"s is 'large bore'
- anything in the .900"s is 'huge bore' (rare, but some OLD rotary Huttl and Cazzani contrabass tubas had bores this size).

I say the newer UMI/Conn-Selmer King 2341/Conn 56J tubas have the 'smallish' .687 bore because it is in the higher .600"s; fairly close to .700"
Don't we usually go by the second valve slide to measure overall bore size anyway?
In that case, the 56J is still 'defined' by it's .687 bore even though it expands to .750" in the 5th valve...