Conn 26K "mystery"??

[pjv]

On "that site" is a listing for a 26K. According to Conn Loyalist this would be an Eb. But they say its a BBb and looking at the pictures this must clearly be so. Further specs are a .687" (17.45mm) Bore , 26" Bell. Now I was not aware that Conn ever made any sousaphones smaller than a .732 bore.

Anyone out there that has some Conn historical insights for me?

Thanks, Pat

ps I didn't list this on the e-bay board since its my intention is to research a Conn issue and not to advertise an instrument.

[Dan Schultz]

No mystery to me. That horn IS NOT a 26K. May of the Conn bells will interchange and there's a very good chance that the bell is marked '26K' on the tenon and just got mixed with the wrong body. It's a BBb sousie alright.

[pjv]

I also believe its a BBb sousy, but a Conn with a .687" bore? Normally Conn used .658", .693", .734" or .773". You don't see .687" untill the recent 5xJ series.

Or am I mistaken?

-Pat

[iiipopes]

When King was assimilated into the cyborg, the models for some were re-numbered and re-tooled. I forget the analog of model numbers, but at least one fiberglass model, and possibly another model, are the same horn, just given a different decal at the end of the line depending on what order is being shipped out that day. From that point, yes, Conn uses the "King" .687 bore.

But it's not the first time this has happened. After Olds & Reynolds merged there was only one production line, run by Zig Kanstul, and the horn bells were engraved either Olds or Reynolds depending on what was the next order.

[pjv]

Thanks for all the replays. One more note of scepticism;

Had Conn already assimilated King during the Elkhart years? (Its an Elkhart ladyface according to the, eh, bell).

The body is very much a Conn body.

-Cheers, Patrick

[Dan Schultz]

Thanks for all the replays. One more note of scepticism;

Had Conn already assimilated King during the Elkhart years? (Its an Elkhart ladyface according to the, eh, bell).

The body is very much a Conn body.

-Cheers, Patrick

I'm not sure what you're asking here. If you're talking about the Conn/King/United Musical Instruments merger... that didn't happen until around 1987 (78?? dislexia sets in here!) .... long after the horn in question was manufactured. I may stand corrected.... but the 'Elkhart' label was just one of Conn's student lines.

[WakinAZ]

...(Its an Elkhart ladyface according to the, eh, bell).

The body is very much a Conn body.

-Cheers, Patrick

I believe he means the bell shows the Conn name, Elkhart, Indiana and the "Naked Lady" engraving. I would have the seller measure the bore at the second valve slide i.d. - good chance they are mistaken and repeating info they found elsewhere.

[iiipopes]

The cyborg did not start assimilating until the 1980's, so this horn is older than that. It could also be from a school that had both BBb and Eb souzys, and the bells just got mixed up at one point, or perhape the bell was salvaged from another horn that went beyond the pale. All sorts of reasons could account for the bell/bugle "mismatch."

But as above, the number stamped on the bell is not as important as how it plays. If it plays well, then the number stamped on the bell does not matter.

What WakinAZ said: see if the seller will pull the 2nd valve slide and measure the bore.

[pjv]

I'm not interested in buying or promoting. Its a pure Conn curiosity with me. The body is REAL Connish and the seller sells it as a .687" bore.

It seems improbable that anyone with a ruler would come up with .687". Even if it was measured with a calibrater-thing-a-ma-jig (OK, I forgot what its called), it is still curious that they would arrive at .687" (and not .688" or .685"). Either they;

-heard from someone that its probably .687"
-measured incorrectly AND rounded it "out" to the .687"
-its correct.

Curiouser and curiouser...

Thanks for the input,

Cheers, Patrick